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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! We are right in the middle of pumpkin season! Who doesn't love pumpkin - from chocolate pumpkin cups to pumpkin gnocchi to pumpkin and sweet potato soup to a pumpkin martini.
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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Ingredient Notes
- Pizza dough - while I like to make my own, store-bought dough works fine.
- Shallots- by caramelizing the shallots, you bring out the sweetness which makes for the base sauce.
- Herbs - using fresh sage, rosemary and thyme complements the pumpkin flavor and makes this pizza taste like fall.
- Cheese - the combination of fontina, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese gives you different combinations of flavors.
- Pancetta - adds some texture and salty flavor that works well with the slight sweetness of the pumpkin.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients you use for this pumpkin pizza recipe. Some variations include:
- If you don't have shallots, white, yellow, red onions or sweet onions will work too. They all high slightly different flavors.
- I like fontina cheese for topping the pizza, but mozzarella is a good substitute.
- You can replace the pancetta with bacon or prosciutto..
Step-by-Step Photos
Cook onions in skillet until caramelized for about 40 minutes before adding the garlic and herbs. Stir in the pumpkin puree, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese and cook until the cheese is melted.
Cook the pancetta in a skillet until crisp. Shape out the pizza dough until desired size and spread the pumpkin mixture throughout.
Add the cheese and broil the pumpkin pizza on a pizza stone for 4-5 minutes, or until bubbly on top. Add the pancetta and some herbs if desired.
FAQs
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 tablespoon 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.
Of course not. I just like making pizza dough, but you can buy fresh pizza dough where you roll out yourself or pre-baked crusts.
I still suggest buying the fresh dough. Most grocery stores carry it these days, but Trader Joe’s has the best!
The pizza stone holds heat and gives you a nice crust on the bottom which is important in a great pizza.
I know not everyone has a pizza stone. If you don't, use a cast iron skillet. Just place some oil in the skillet before adding the dough and toppings and bake on the bottom third of the rack instead.
Let's be honest, there isn't anything wrong with cold pizza. But if you must reheat this pumpkin pizza, don't do it in the microwave or it will get soggy.
Just place on a baking sheet in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Take the time to make your own dough. My go-to is this no-knead pizza dough.
- Use a pizza stone so you can broil the pizza and get a nice crust, but bubbly top.
- Cook the pancetta ahead of time and add after the pizza is cooked so you don't burn it.
Other Pizza Recipes
If you’ve tried this pumpkin pizza recipe 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 teaspoon teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry active yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
Pizza
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium shallots, sliced thin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon poultry herb blend, chopped (thyme, sage, rosemary)
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 oz goat cheese
- ½ 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 ½ 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
- Take the time to make your own dough. My go-to is this no-knead pizza dough.
- Use a pizza stone so you can broil the pizza and get a nice crust, but bubbly top.
- Cook the pancetta ahead of time and add after the pizza is cooked so you don't burn it.
Chris says
Interesting pizza!