Harissa Chickpea and Aubergine Pizzas with Tahini (Vegan)
These Harissa Chickpea and Aubergine Pizzas with Tahini have a golden crispy base with puffy crusts, caramelised onions, harissa tomato sauce and fresh vegetables. These pizzas are naturally vegan and easy to make.
Nothing beats homemade dough, and this pizza dough is so simple yet effective and produces a really fluffy crust with a golden crispy base. The harissa tomato toppings are different to your usual tomato and cheese version and for good reason. This pizza is a celebration of all things Moroccan and Mediterranean with chickpeas, tahini and fresh vegetables. It’s great to make ahead to time to enjoy cold and is also amazing served fresh from the oven. I have used a pizza oven with stone to make these as they bake in just 3 minutes but there are regular oven instructions, too.
Why will I love this pizza?
This pizza is amazing:
- Thin crispy golden base
- Puffy dough-y crusts
- Packed with rich Mediterranean and Moroccan-style flavours
- Topped with harissa tomato paste
- With lots of harissa roasted aubergine
- Crispy spiced chickpeas
- Piled high with fresh vegetables
- Drizzled with creamy tangy tahini dressing
- Simple to make
- Naturally vegan, egg-free, nut-free and dairy-free
- Great for all the family
- Use this pizza base for any number of toppings
- The pizza keeps well in the fridge
- Can be frozen and kept for a later date
- The dough recipe is easily doubled to make 4
If you already love the sound of these pizzas then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourites in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the pizza dough:
- Plain flour: I have not tried this with any other flour (apart from the strong white mentioned below) so please do not swap this.
- Strong white bread flour: this is great for adding more of a dough-y texture but if you don’t have it, swap for all plain flour, as above.
- Fast action yeast: this is the regular yeast you find in sachets or tins and please check that it’s in date.
- Caster sugar: the sugar is important for allowing the yeast to bloom.
- Lukewarm water: this helps to activate the yeast before a quick knead and letting the dough rise.
- Salt: to flavour the dough.
- Olive oil: the oil enhances the dough to make it rich, tender and so delicious. Use a good quality oil for the best flavour.
And for the toppings:
- Tomato puree: this is for the sauce on the pizza base.
- Harissa paste: this is the best to work with as it packs in so much flavour and is naturally vegan and dairy-free. I prefer rose harissa paste and check the heat rating as they vary in spiciness.
- Aubergine: chop this into chunks to roast with the harissa paste. You can also swap this for courgette or red onion, if you prefer.
- Chickpeas: pat the chickpeas dry before roasting them so they turn really golden and crispy.
- Spices: the chickpeas are roasted in hot smoked paprika and ground cumin for maximum flavour and they turn so crispy in the oven.
- Cherry tomatoes: I add half the tomatoes to the pizzas as they bake and the others with the aubergines, so they turn really sticky and juicy.
- Red onion: slice this into strips to fry off for the caramelised onions on top (you can also use white/brown onions).
- Maple syrup: this is for the caramelised red onions and a little goes a long way. You can use agave syrup or vegan honey, too.
For the tahini dressing and toppers:
- Tahini: this is sesame seed paste/butter and is creamy and “nutty” without the nuts. It adds a lot of flavour and creaminess on top.
- Lemon juice: for tang.
- Garlic: for a rich flavour.
- Salad leaves: I like to use spinach, watercress or rocket on top.
- Pomegranate: for a pop of colour on top.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This pizza is not gluten-free, but please try my No-Yeast Pizzas which can be made gluten-free. This pizza recipe is naturally nut-free but please check your labels just in case.
How do I make this?
I have used the Salter Rapid Cook 400 which is a pizza oven (also acts as an air fryer and grill) and cooks the pizzas in 3 minutes which is pretty amazing, but they can be baked in an oven, too. I recommend a pizza stone, if you have one, and making sure to preheat the pizza stone (or metal baking tray) with the oven, so it’s really hot when you put the pizzas in.
- Make the dough: stir together all of the ingredients to a shaggy dough.
- Knead on a floured work surface for 4 to 5 minutes: to reach a smooth ball of dough.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and leave somewhere warm: for 1 hour, to rise and proof.
- Meanwhile, caramelise the onions, roast the aubergine and the chickpeas: until tender and crispy.
- Make the tomato harissa sauce: by stirring the two together.
- Prepare the tahini sauce: by stirring together all of the ingredients until runny.
- Punch down the dough and divide into two: and roll into two circles.
- Spread over the harissa tomato paste: and add on the toppings.
- Bake in the pizza or regular oven: until puffy and golden.
- In the pizza oven: it takes 3 mins and needs to preheat for 15 minutes.
- In a regular oven: the pizzas take about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with the salad: and drizzle over the tahini sauce.
How long will it last?
These pizzas will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a sealed container (ideally without the salad and dressing on top) and can be wrapped well and frozen for 1 month. Allow to defrost before warming back up, or eating cold.
What else can I make?
For more lunch and dinner ideas:
- Green Curry Noodle Bowls with Nori Tofu
- Creamy Pesto and Tomato Gnocchi
- Creamy Tomato Pesto Chickpeas
- Guacamole Pasta Salad
- Roast Tomato and Pesto Flatbreads
Harissa Chickpea and Aubergine Pizzas with Tahini (Vegan)
These Harissa Chickpea and Aubergine Pizzas with Tahini have a golden crispy base with puffy crusts, caramelised onions, harissa tomato sauce and fresh vegetables. These pizzas are naturally vegan and easy to make.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 75g plain flour, plus extra
- 75g strong white bread flour
- 1 1/8 tsp (1/2 packet, 3.5g) fast-action yeast
- ½ tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 105ml lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Toppings:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ aubergine, cubed
- ½ tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tin chickpeas, drained (drained weight 240g), patted dry
- ¼ tsp each smoked paprika and ground cumin
- Handful cherry tomatoes
- 1 red onion, sliced thinly
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- Salt and pepper
For the Sauce:
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
For the Tahini Sauce:
- 2 tbsp runny smooth tahini
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp water
To Serve:
- 2 large handfuls salad leaves e.g. rocket and watercress
- 2 tbsp pomegranate
Instructions
- First make the dough. Stir together both flours, the yeast, sugar and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil and stir together with a spoon to a sticky dough.
- Tip onto a well-floured surface and knead for 4-5 minutes, until smooth and soft.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave somewhere warm to proof for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºFan/200ºC and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Add the aubergine, harissa paste, ½ tbsp olive oil, some salt and pepper to one tray and toss well. Add the chickpeas, ½ tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to the second and toss. Bake both trays for 25 minutes, until the aubergine is tender and the chickpeas are crispy. After 15 minutes, add the tomatoes to the aubergine tray.
- Make the onions by adding ½ tbsp olive oil to a non-stick frying pan and once hot, add the onion with some salt. Fry off for 5 minutes to soften, then add the maple syrup and continue to fry for 5-10 minutes until sticky.
- For the sauce, stir together the tomato puree and harissa paste to combine.
- To make the tahini sauce, stir together the tahini, lemon, garlic, 1 tbsp water with salt and pepper until smooth and gradually stir in more water until pourable.
- To make the pizzas, turn on the Salter Rapid Cook 400, select “Fresh Pizza” and allow to preheat (with the crumb tray, wire rack and pizza stone inside). Or, preheat the oven to 200Fan/220ºC and warm the pizza tray or baking sheet in the oven.
- Fetch the dough and use oiled hands to punch down the dough and divide into 2 pieces. Roll out on lightly floured pieces of parchment paper into a circle (approx. 20-cm diameter). Spread over the tomato-harissa sauce and top with the onion, aubergine, most of the chickpeas and most of the tomatoes.
- Once preheated, use the pizza paddle to carefully transfer the pizza and parchment to the pizza stone and close the door. The pizza will cook in 3 minutes (you can turn it around halfway through to ensure even baking). Repeat to bake the other pizza on the same setting. Or, in the oven, bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and puffy.
- To serve, add some salad leaves to the pizza along with the extra chickpeas and tomatoes. Add some pomegranate and drizzle over the tahini sauce.
- Enjoy straight away, or allow the pizzas to cool and store in the fridge in a sealed container (or wrapped up well) for 2-3 days.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Harissa Chickpea and Aubergine Pizzas with Tahini so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With pizza love x
p.s. this recipe was first made with Salter but this blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.
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