Butternut Squash Pizza with Prosciutto, Kale, and Onion
This Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pizza is the perfect bite for the cozy season. The combination of sweet, salty, and tangy ingredients makes this pizza so incredibly delicious, bursting with flavor in every bite. You can prep some ingredients ahead of time, too, to get this delicious pizza served quickly, any night of the week.
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Butternut Squash, Prosciutto, Kale, and Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese
Homemade pizza is one of my favorite things to cook in the fall and winter because the high oven temperatures help to heat up my apartment. Homemade pizza is also very nostalgic for me. I grew up in an Italian family (my paternal grandmother and grandfather came to the US from Italy when they were in their 20s, back in 1950). My grandma used to make this incredible, thick pizza with minimal sauce and bits of mozzarella cheese. I would eat it hot or cold, for every meal of the day when she made it.
My mom also loved making pizza, and she still makes it for me each time I come home to visit. My favorite pizza that my mom makes is a simple “Rhode Island pie” with pizza sauce and grated Pecorino Romano. That’s it! So simple, but it’s my absolute favorite thing to eat every time I visit home.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s full of warm flavors. The kale, butternut squash, and caramelized onion are perfect flavors to add to your fall or winter weekly dinner menu. It’s truly one of my favorite things to make as soon as the weather starts to get cold.
- It’s a delicious way to eat nutritious veggies. Butternut squash is full of vitamins and nutrients to support skin, eye, digestive, heart, and immune health. And kale is everyone’s favorite superfood rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. It’s one of the most nutritious leafy greens available. So adding it to this pizza basically makes it a salad, right??
- It’s cheesy. Everyone loves a classic mozzarella cheese on pizza, but add some goat cheese for some extra creaminess and tanginess that perfectly balances the sweetness and saltiness of the other toppings.
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Pizza
- Pizza dough. You can use store-bought or homemade. I prefer a homemade crust. I don’t have a go-to recipe, but I used one from Sugar Spun Run for this recipe!
- Cheese. I used a combination of mozzarella (a classic cheese for a pizza) and goat cheese (to add some tanginess to balance out some of the sweetness of the squash and onion).
- Butternut Squash. The star of the show, butternut squash adds a touch of sweetness (and lots of vitamins and nutrients) to this pizza.
- Caramelized onion. I love adding caramelized onion to just about anything. It adds so much deep flavor to this pizza.
- Kale. I used Tuscan kale but you can use regular kale or even Swiss chard for this recipe! Sauté it up with lots of garlic.
- Prosciutto. You can omit this if you prefer a vegetarian pizza, but the saltiness of the prosciutto perfectly balances the other flavors of this pizza.
- Balsamic glaze. This pizza wouldn’t be complete without it!
How to Make Butternut Squash Pizza with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto
This is an overview of how to make butternut squash pizza with kale, onion, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Keep scrolling to find the detailed recipe card!
- Roast the butternut squash. Dice into small cubes (about 1/2 inch). Smaller pieces are best for use as a pizza topping!
- Caramelize the onion. Start this process at the same time as the butternut squash, as they both take about 40 minutes to cook.
- Sauté the kale. Season it well and add lots of garlic for super flavorful, garlicky kale.
- Add pizza toppings. Spread out your pizza dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and add the mozzarella, goat cheese, kale, butternut squash, and caramelized onion.
- Bake the pizza. Cook it until the crust and undercarriage is golden brown and crispy and the cheese has melted.
- Finish with prosciutto and balsamic. Rip up pieces of prosciutto and distribute onto the pizza, then finish with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze!
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Make it vegetarian. Remove the prosciutto and you’ve got yourself a delicious fall-inspired vegetarian pizza pie!
- Make it vegan. Remove the prosciutto, and substitute the cheeses with your favorite vegan versions, like vegan mozzarella and vegan feta cheese.
- Make it gluten free. Use a gluten free pizza crust!
- Swap out the greens. I used Tuscan kale, but you can use regular kale or Swiss chard!
- Use your favorite cheeses. Swap out the goat cheese and use feta. Instead of a mild cheese like mozzarella, use something with a stronger flavor like gruyere, havarti, fontina, or white cheddar. You can also top with shaved parmesan for a nutty, salty flavor.
- Swap out butternut squash. It’s called butternut squash pizza for a reason, because it’s the star of the show. But if you’re not a fan of butternut squash, or you want to use an ingredient you have more readily available to you, try sweet potato or pumpkin.
- Add some crunch. Add some pepitas, crushed pistachios, walnuts, or pecans if you’d like some extra crunch!
- Add some heat. Hot honey would be SO GOOD on this pizza. Crushed red pepper would also be 🔥.
Storing and Reheating
- Storage: I place leftover pizza slices in an air-tight container or a large zip-top bag and keep them in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: While I do love eating cold leftover pizza, it is nice to reheat to get the cheese melty again! There are several methods I use for reheating. The LAZY method is to just reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, but this causes the crust to lose its crunch. You can reheat pizza on a baking sheet in the oven at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. My FAVORITE way of reheating leftover pizza is in a skillet. Place the pizza in a skillet over medium-low heat with about 1 tbsp of water and cover. The water in the hot skillet will create steam to heat up the pizza and melt the cheese, while the pizza directly on the skillet will crisp up the crust again.
FAQs
Can butternut squash be used as the sauce for the pizza?
Yes! Add the roasted butternut squash to a blender and puree, then spread the puree on top of the dough to use it as a sauce. Add the rest of your toppings on top.
Can I make this Butternut Squash Pizza using a pizza oven?
Absolutely! Use your favorite pizza dough for a pizza oven, then add all of your toppings and cook!
Should I use a pizza stone to make this pizza?
Using a pizza stone is certainly the preferred way of making pizza in the oven in your kitchen. I personally don’t own one (yet) so a sheet pan works just fine!
Equipment
If you loved this Butternut Squash Pizza recipe, you’ll love my other favorite Butternut Squash recipe: Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Orzo with Chicken Thighs!
Print
Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pizza
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Description
This Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pizza is the perfect pizza to make to usher in cooler temperatures. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and tangy and is bursting with flavor in every bite. Crank that oven and get to cooking this delicious fall-inspired pizza!
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash
- 1 small butternut squash, diced small
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper
For the Caramelized Onion
- 1 tbsp oil or butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- Salt & pepper
For the Kale
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale, ribs removed, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt & pepper
For the Pizza
- Your favorite pizza dough
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 4 oz goat cheese
- Salt & pepper
- 3–4 oz prosciutto
- Balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Roast the butternut squash. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Peel the butternut squash and dice into small, evenly sized cubes (about 1/2 inch cubes or smaller). Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use two sheets if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Caramelize the onion. While the butternut squash roasts, make the caramelized onion, as this process also takes about 40 minutes. Cut the onion in half, then thinly slice the onion from root to tip. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter or heat oil. Then add the sliced onion. Add about 2-3 tbsp of water, then cover and let it cook, stirring every 5-10 minutes. About halfway through cooking, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking covered, stirring occasionally, until the onion caramelizes and is a golden color.
- Sauté the kale. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add chopped kale and stir every few minutes, cooking until it wilts, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Build and cook the pizza. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Spread your pizza dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone. Top with sliced mozzarella and dollops of goat cheese. Evenly disperse the caramelized onion, roasted butternut squash, and kale throughout the pizza. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the crust and undercarriage is golden brown.
- Add toppings. Rip up slices of prosciutto and add the to the cooked pizza. Then drizzle the whole pizza with balsamic glaze.
- Serve and enjoy! Slice, serve, and enjoy this delicious fall-inspired pizza!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 slices
- Calories: 646
- Sugar: 3.8 g
- Sodium: 3034.2 mg
- Fat: 34.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Protein: 26.4 g
- Cholesterol: 56.2 mg
