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With caramelized onions, pumpkin puree and crispy pancetta this pumpkin pizza is the definition of fall and will have you wanting to eat it year round.
Happy Halloween! Who doesn't love pumpkin - from chocolate pumpkin cups to pumpkin gnocchi.
But what better way to celebrate than making a pizza with one of Halloween's most famous ingredients. I'm always on the lookout for new pizza recipes. When you have Pizza Fridays like us where we have pizza every single Friday, you tend to run out of ideas.
I recalled seeing a pumpkin pizza a few years ago that had pumpkin puree as a base. I remember originally thinking that pumpkin puree in a pizza is a little strange. But I've come to realize that the more "strange" a pizza is, the better it usually is. I'll just say with this one - don't knock it until you try it.
Just think about it for a minute. If you've had pumpkin ravioli, do you love it? If you haven't, you are totally missing out, but pumpkin in savory dishes is delicious. Just look at how often it's cousin, butternut squash is used. Plus crispy pancetta makes everything better. So if you're looking for a fall-inspired pizza, give this pumpkin pizza a try.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Pizza dough - homemade or store-bought works.
- Olive oil - used to cook the onion and herbs.
- Shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary - adds flavor.
- Pumpkin puree - canned pumpkin works fine.
- Goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, fontina cheese - get different pops of flavor.
- Pancetta - adds some texture and flavor.
- Cornmeal - prevents the pizza from sticking to the peel.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place pizza stone in oven 8" from the broiler element and preheat to 500°F. You want stone to be in oven for at least 30 minutes at 500°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until caramelized. Add garlic and herbs, cooking for 30 seconds.
- Stir in pumpkin puree, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese. Cook until cheese is melted then remove from heat.
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta and cook until the fat renders but is short of being crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal or flour. Use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the dough to the shape you want and place on pizza peel. Evenly spread the pumpkin mixture throughout pizza, leaving about 1/2 inch for crust.
- Add fontina cheese and pancetta. (If you cooked your pancetta where it is already crisp, then just add after the pizza is cooked, otherwise it will get burnt)
- Once stone is preheated, turn broiler to high. Transfer the pumpkin pizza to pizza stone and bake for 4-5 minutes or until top is bubbly and bottom is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Garnish with some more herbs if desired.
Can I Replace Pumpkin with Butternut Squash?
Yes, although butternut squash puree can be a little more difficult to find. However you can make your own. Just buy a butternut squash and cut in half. Remove the seeds. Place flesh side up and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter on top of squash.
Bake for 400°F for 50-60 minutes or until flesh is fork tender. Allow to cool slightly before placing in food processor and blending until pureed.
Topping Ideas
If you aren't a fan of pancetta, you can just use bacon. Other toppings that would work well for this pumpkin pizza would be apples, sausage or chicken. You can never go wrong with prosciutto as well.
What are Keys to No-Knead Pizza Dough?
Honestly not much. Make sure you use lukewarm water for the yeast and then after you mix, just give it time to rise overnight. Probably the most important thing would be in a warm area, preferably around 72°F. After the dough has risen overnight transfer to a floured surface and shape in a ball, then let rise for a couple more hours.
Obviously with a no-knead dough you have to plan on making the pizza the following day. So if you’re like us and have Pizza Friday’s, you just make the dough Thursday night for this pumpkin pizza.
Do I Have To Make My Own Pizza Dough?
Of course not. I just like making pizza dough, but you can buy fresh dough where you roll out yourself or pre-baked crusts. I still suggest buying the fresh pizza dough. Most grocery stores carry it these days, but Trader Joe’s has the best!
Tips for Great Homemade Pizza
- Use Great Dough: While you can buy some dough from the store, I recommend making this no-knead pizza dough. You just make it the night before and light it rise for 24 hours before using.
- Spread Sauce Evenly: You will read a variety of opinions on sauce, but I’m a firm believer in lightly spreading the pizza sauce evenly. A sauce should compliment the pizza, but not be the star. This applies to the onions as well which act as a sauce.
- Use a Pizza Stone: Place the pizza stone in the oven 8″ from the broiler element. Turn the oven to 500°F. You want to place the pizza stone in a cold oven, otherwise it could crack. The pizza stone holds heat which allows you to get a golden brown crust on the bottom.
- Broil Pizza: Leave the pizza stone in the oven once it reaches 500°F for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour. When you are ready to make the pizza turn the broiler on. Transfer the pumpkin pizza to the stone, baking for 4-5 minutes or until the top is bubbly and the bottom is golden brown.
Other Pizza Recipes
- Apple Prosciutto Pizza
- Pear Prosciutto Pizza
- Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Pizza
- Fig Prosciutto Pizza
- Charred Brussels Sprouts Pizza
If you’ve tried this pumpkin pizza or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pumpkin Pizza
Ingredients
No-Knead Pizza Dough
- 250 grams all-purpose flour (2 cups)
- 1 tsp tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water
Pizza
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium shallots, sliced thin
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp poultry herb blend, chopped (thyme, sage, rosemary)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 oz goat cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 8 oz fontina cheese, shredded
- 2 oz diced pancetta
- Sprinkle of cornmeal
Instructions
No-Knead Pizza Dough
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands. It should be sticky, but not lumpy.
- Cover with saran wrap and a towel in a warm place, allowing it to rise for 24 hours. Transfer to a floured surface and shape into ball. Use when ready.
Pizza
- Place pizza stone in oven 8" from the broiler element and preheat to 500°F. You want stone to be in oven for at least 30 minutes at 500°F.
- Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal or flour. Use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the dough to the shape you want and place on pizza peel.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until caramelized. Add garlic and herbs, cooking for 30 seconds. Stir in pumpkin puree, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese. Cook until cheese is melted then remove from heat.
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta and cook until the fat renders but is short of being crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Evenly spread the pumpkin mixture throughout pizza, leaving about 1/2 inch for crust. Add fontina cheese and pancetta.
- Once stone is preheated, turn broiler to high. Transfer pizza to pizza stone and bake for 4-5 minutes or until top is bubbly and bottom is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately. Garnish with some more herbs if desired.
Notes
- Use Great Dough: While you can buy some dough from the store, I recommend making this no-knead pizza dough. You just make it the night before and light it rise for 24 hours before using.
- Spread Sauce Evenly: You will read a variety of opinions on sauce, but I’m a firm believer in lightly spreading the pizza sauce evenly. A sauce should compliment the pizza, but not be the star. This applies to the onions as well which act as a sauce.
- Use a Pizza Stone: Place the pizza stone in the oven 8″ from the broiler element. Turn the oven to 500°F. You want to place the pizza stone in a cold oven, otherwise it could crack. The pizza stone holds heat which allows you to get a golden brown crust on the bottom.
- Broil Pizza: Leave the pizza stone in the oven once it reaches 500°F for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour. When you are ready to make the pizza turn the broiler on. Transfer the pizza to the stone, baking for 4-5 minutes or until the top is bubbly and the bottom is golden brown.
Interesting pizza!