Butternut Squash Pizza
This Butternut Squash Pizza is the one pie that converts people who swear vegetables have no business on a crust. Sweet roasted squash, melty mozzarella, tangy goat cheese, and crisp sage on a golden base, all finished with a drizzle of honey. The magic is contrast: caramelized squash brings sweetness, the cheeses bring salt and funk, and a handful of peppery arugula on top keeps the whole thing from tasting like dessert.
Equipment
- Pizza stone or pizza steel Place on middle rack and preheat at least 30 minutes
- Pizza peel or flat rimless baking sheet For launching the pizza into the oven
- Rimmed baking sheet For roasting the squash
- Cast iron skillet For softening the onions and frying the sage
- Pizza wheel cutter or large chef's knife For slicing the pizza
- Vegetable peeler and sharp knife For peeling and cubing the butternut squash
- Parchment paper For easy transfer of the assembled pizza
- Large mixing bowl For tossing the squash and holding the cooked onions
- Box grater or microplane For grating the Parmigiano Reggiano
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough 454g, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature
- 3 cups butternut squash about 1 small squash or 450g, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided (2 tablespoons for squash, 1 tablespoon for onions and sage)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 15ml
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 small red onion halved and very thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese 227g, torn or thinly sliced, patted dry with paper towels
- 4 ounces goat cheese 113g, crumbled
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated, about 30g
- 12 fresh sage leaves plus more for frying
- 2 tablespoons semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting the work surface and parchment
- 2 cups baby arugula about 60g, added after baking
- 2 tablespoons hot honey or regular honey for drizzling, added after baking
- 3 ounces prosciutto 85g, torn into pieces (optional)
- red pepper flakes pinch (optional)
Instructions
- Place pizza stone or steel on the middle rack and heat the oven to 475°F. Let the stone heat for at least 30 minutes after the oven reaches temperature, and take the dough out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
- Cut off both ends of the squash, peel it, halve it lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes, keeping them as even as possible, and measure out 3 cups.
- Toss the cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the cinnamon or nutmeg. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 475°F for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until deeply golden and a fork slides in easily.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced onion with a pinch of salt for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and just starting to color, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Scrape into a bowl, then fry a few extra sage leaves in the hot skillet for 20 to 30 seconds per side until crisp and drain on paper towels.
- Dust your work surface with semolina or cornmeal and place the dough in the center. Press outward from the middle with your fingertips, leaving a thicker border, then lift and stretch the dough by gravity until you have a 14-inch round. Transfer to a piece of parchment dusted with more semolina.
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil all the way to the edges. Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the dough leaving a 1-inch border, then distribute the onion mixture, roasted squash, crumbled goat cheese, 12 fresh sage leaves, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and the remaining salt and pepper.
- Slide the pizza, parchment and all, onto the hot stone using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is bubbling, and the bottom feels firm. If the top needs more color, move the pizza to the upper rack for the last 60 to 90 seconds.
- Let the pizza rest for 3 minutes so the cheese sets, then scatter the baby arugula over the hot surface. Add torn prosciutto if using, drizzle the hot honey in thin ribbons, top with fried sage leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes, slice into 8 pieces, and serve right away.
Notes
- Roast the squash until the edges are truly browned, not just tender, or the pizza will taste flat.
- Keep the squash layer in a single row so the crust can breathe and crisp underneath.
- Pat fresh mozzarella dry with paper towels before tearing it to avoid a soggy center.
- Let the stone preheat the full 30 minutes even if the oven beeps sooner.
- Add the arugula and honey after baking, never before.
- Use pre-cubed squash if short on time, but cut any oversized pieces down to match.
- Salt the squash and the assembled pizza separately so the seasoning is even.
- Roast the squash and cook the onions up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate in separate containers; let both sit out 20 minutes before assembling.
- Refrigerate cooled slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze individually wrapped for up to 2 months. Reheat in a dry skillet with a lid, in a 400°F oven, or in an air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Swap goat cheese for gorgonzola, feta, or fontina; add bacon or pancetta instead of prosciutto; use ricotta dollops in place of mozzarella; or puree roasted squash with a splash of cream as the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 480mgPotassium: 310mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 10mg
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