Easy Cheddar Cheese Pizza Recipe with Eggplant & Peppers

An easy homemade Cheddar Cheese Pizza loaded with melty Cabot cheddar, roasted eggplant, bell peppers, and fresh herbs. Healthyish and delicious!

I was provided with free samples of Cabot reduced-fat cheddar cheese to create this post for a recipe contest. I was not compensated for this post. As always, I only recommend brands I personally use and like.

Calling all cheddar cheese lovers! And pizza lovers! This Cheddar Cheese Pizza, topped with veggies and fresh herbs, is your new favorite healthyish pizza. If you use a pre-made pizza crust (gluten-free for me), it’s super easy to make. You’ll need a few simple ingredients plus 10 minutes prep time, and dinner is served!

I use Cabot cheddar here. If you want the fullest, most classic cheddar flavor and melt, go with Cabot’s full-fat sharp or extra sharp cheddar. If you’d rather lighten things up a bit without losing that sharp, tangy bite, Cabot’s Lite50 Sharp Cheddar is a 50% reduced-fat option that still melts well and holds its flavor, so you don’t end up with a bland, rubbery pizza. Either one works here. It just depends on what you’re looking for that night.

Gather Your Ingredients

Cheddar cheese: This is the star, so don’t skimp. Shred your own block cheese rather than using pre-shredded bags if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking starches that can keep it from melting as smoothly.

• Full-fat option: Cabot Sharp or Extra Sharp Cheddar, for the most classic, full-flavored pizza.
• Lighter option: Cabot Lite50 Sharp Cheddar, a 50% reduced-fat cheddar that still melts well and keeps a real sharp cheddar flavor, not a watered-down one.

Eggplant: I used Chinese eggplant. It’s slimmer, less seedy, and a bit milder than regular (Italian) eggplant, but both work well. Broiling it briefly before it goes on the pizza keeps it from getting watery.

Bell peppers: Red or orange (or a mix) add natural sweetness that plays well against the sharpness of the cheddar.

Crust: Use a pre-made gluten-free crust like Udi’s, your own favorite regular crust, or a homemade dough. Whatever you have on hand works. Check out this post: Salad Pizza, for links to my favorite gluten-free pizza crusts.

Fresh herbs: Thyme, oregano, and basil, added after baking so they stay bright instead of wilting under the oven heat. You are welcome to use dried herbs too. And, optional crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.

How to Make Cheddar Cheese Pizza

1. Broil the eggplant. Slice into 1/8-inch rounds, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and broil about 3 minutes per side, until softened and lightly browned at the edges.
2. Build the base. Spread tomato sauce over each crust, then cover generously with shredded cheddar. This is the layer that matters most, so don’t be shy with it.
3. Add the veggies. Top with the broiled eggplant and sliced bell peppers.
4. Bake. At 400°F, until the cheddar is fully melted and the crust is as crisp as you like it, usually 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Finish and serve. Top with fresh herbs and a pinch of crushed red pepper if you like a little heat. Slice and serve warm.

Recipe Tips

• Broiling the eggplant first is what keeps this pizza from turning soggy. Don’t skip that step.
• If you’re using Cabot Lite50 Sharp Cheddar, a slightly longer bake time helps it brown and bubble the way full-fat cheddar does straight away.
• Leftover slices reheat well in a hot oven or air fryer for a few minutes. Using a microwave softens the crust.