No-Crust Vegetable Pizzas

Portobello mushrooms are the easiest crustless foundations for tomato sauce, cheese and other toppings — Threemanycooks.com

En español |Although I've recently reduced our carb intake at home, figuring out how to deal with pizza really threw me for a loop. What was pizza without that crisp, bready crust, after all? Turns out that certain veggies can replace crust altogether and provide delicious support for our favorite toppings.

Sign up for the AARP Health Newsletter.

Eggplant and portobello mushrooms are the easiest crustless foundations for tomato sauce, cheese and other toppings. Just brush them with olive oil flavored with garlic and a little salt and pepper, and then roast them until fully cooked.

Although a little more work, zucchini "crusts" make great use of this abundant late-harvest vegetable. Since zucchini is so moist, you'll need to grate and salt it to release some of its liquid — I've explained how in the recipe.

While the vegetable crusts cook, prepare the sauce and the toppings. For the tomato sauce, simple is best; just stir together thick canned crushed tomatoes with olive oil and garlic.

What you place on top of the sauce is entirely up to you. My toppings are all simple, meatless and require no cooking — olives, artichokes, corn — but consider other quick vegetable options, like roasted peppers or even drained canned beans. Caramelized onions partner well with any of the bases. Or top them with some of your meaty favorites like sausage and pepperoni.

Now your weekly family pizza night can still go on — just with fewer carbs and calories!

Crustless Portobello Mushroom Pizzas With Artichokes and Provolone

Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

3 medium garlic cloves, minced and divided

8 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills scraped out

Salt and ground black pepper

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup marinated artichokes, chopped

2 ounces grated (generous 1/2 cup) provolone cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese

Adjust oven racks to lowest and highest positions, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix 3 tablespoons of the oil and 2/3 of the minced garlic in a small bowl. Place mushrooms stemmed-side down on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with garlic oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Turn mushrooms over and brush with remaining garlic oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on bottom oven rack until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and tilt it slightly to empty accumulated mushroom juices from caps onto pan. Turn broiler on high.

While mushrooms cook, mix remaining garlic and tablespoon of oil with tomatoes. Top each mushroom with a portion of sauce, then artichokes and finally cheese. Place mushrooms on top oven rack and broil until cheese melts and starts to turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Next: Crustless zucchini pizzas with corn and mozzarella. »