Prepare pizza dough (half batch only) and sauce if using homemade.
If roasting veggies, preheat oven to broil, toss veggies in olive oil on a baking sheet, and broil for 4-6 minutes on the top rack (low/medium broil), tossing once for even cooking. Or if using a parchment-lined baking sheet, roast veggies at 450 degrees F (232 C) as the broiling function is unsafe with parchment paper. Remove from oven and set aside.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C).
Next, coat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or round baking dish with olive oil and run a garlic clove around for seasoning (NOTE: If using a 12-inch cast iron, the recipe should still work you'll just need to stretch the dough a bit more to fit the pan, and use slightly more toppings). Plop your dough down into the pan and push it up around the sides about 1 to 1.5 inches (see photo). Let rest for a few minutes while preparing the rest of your toppings.
First sprinkle in 1/2 of mozzarella cheese, then add veggies, then sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese, Italian seasonings (dried basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper, etc.) and grated parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese and sauce are bubbly. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting, then serve immediately. Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days. Or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*You can sub 1 store-bought crust for the 1/2 batch homemade. *Method adapted from Emeril Lagassi *Although it would likely be with varied success, make this recipe gluten-free using this Gluten-Free Pizza Crust recipe. *To keep it dairy-free, simply use a non-dairy cheese such as Daiya mozzarella (which I totally approved of). *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1/4 cup each cherry tomatoes, eggplant, onion, and mushrooms and without optional ingredients.