Karla Tafra
Pizza is, undoubtedly, a four-seasons type of food. But fall brings such an array of hearty flavors to your kitchen, it might have you rethinking your toppings. Check out the recipes below if you want to try something new on your next slice.
Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Feta Cheese Pizza
Whether you make dough from scratch or buy it premade, there’s no better feeling than sprinkling on your favorite ingredients, and then patiently waiting for pizza to bake. It also makes your whole house smell like heaven!
Adding a bunch of new and exciting fall ingredients to your crust will bring in some new delicious scents and flavors. It’ll also enrich your palate and encourage you to get even more creative in the future.
If you want to make your own dough, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup of warm water
- 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Instructions to make the crust:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a pizza pan or large regular baking pan, and then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, pour the warm water, and then add the sugar and yeast. Stir until well combined and leave to ferment for five minutes until bubbly. Add olive oil, and then gently stir to combine.
Add the flour and salt, and mix with a spatula until a ball begins to form (dough will still be slightly sticky). Add more flour as needed to form a dough ball. Transfer to a floured surface, and then knead into a smooth dough (add more flour if still too sticky).
Roll it into pizza shape, and then transfer it to the pizza pan. You can prick the crust lightly to ensure no air pockets remain. Prebake on the lowest rack for five minutes before adding your toppings.
You’ll need the following toppings:
- 1 cup of butternut squash, roasted
- 1/2 cup of caramelized onion
- 1/2 cup of feta cheese
- 1 mozzarella ball
- 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
Follow these instructions:
Cut the butternut squash into cubes, and then bake (roast) at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, allowing it to caramelize and release all flavors. Meanwhile, gently sauté the onions just until they start to sweat.
Spread the tomato sauce on your pizza and break the mozzarella cheese into pieces. Sprinkle it on top, and then add the butternut squash and onions. Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle the oregano all over the pizza.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
Delicata Squash, Goat Cheese, and Aged Balsamic Pizza
If you’ve never poured some balsamic on your pizza, you’re missing out! This recipe plays boldly with fall flavors. It’ll turn your world turned upside down if you only thought you could make pizza with tomato sauce, ham, and cheese.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup of delicata squash, previously roasted
- 1/2 cup of goat cheese
- A handful of rocket salad
- 2 tablespoons of Aged Aceto Balsamico
- 2 mozzarella balls
- 1 teaspoon of sage
- 1 teaspoon of rosemary
Prepare your pizza crust, and then set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and cut the delicata squash into thin slices. Place them on a baking sheet, and then spray them with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
Tear the mozzarella balls and spread them on top of your pizza crust. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Take out, and then add the squash slices, goat cheese, sage, and rosemary.
Pour the Aceto Balsamico on top and place back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes. Take out, put the rocket salad on top, and enjoy!
Golden Potato, Wild Mushroom, and Kale Pizza
Potatoes on a pizza are a novelty. Mixing them with wild mushrooms foraged during the fall gives them a very unique flavor—especially when you top it all off with crispy kale.
For this pizza, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup of small potatoes, roasted
- 2 cups of wild mushrooms
- 2 cups of kale
- 1 cup of Parmesan
- 1 cup of crème fraîche
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of rosemary
Follow these instructions:
Prepare your pizza crust, and then set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and then cut the potatoes into small, bite-size pieces. Spray them with some olive oil, and then sprinkle on the salt and rosemary. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
Mix the Parmesan with half of the crème fraîche, and then spread it on the crust. Add the potatoes and mushrooms, and then finish it off with the kale, so it will get nice and crispy. Bake for 10-15 minutes, and then serve with the rest of the crème fraîche on top!
Brussels Sprout, Bacon, and Ricotta Pizza
Caramelized brussels sprouts and crispy bacon go so well together, you might just pop them on your pizza and call it a day. Fresh ricotta cheese balances things out nicely, though, so you’ll get the best combination of flavors in every slice.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- 1 cup of brussels sprouts, shaved
- 5 slices of bacon
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1 mozzarella ball
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
Instructions:
Prepare your pizza crust and lay it out on the table or counter. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, and then tear the mozzarella ball into small pieces, distributing them evenly on the crust. Bake for five minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, until cheese is just slightly melted.
Take out, and then add the brussels sprouts, bacon, ricotta cheese, and oregano. Bake for another 15-20 minutes and enjoy!
Roasted Vegetable and Feta Cheese Pizza
Fall is known for darker-colored vegetables that get a special flavor when roasted and caramelized. For this pizza, you can use any fall vegetable mix you can find at the grocery store or your local farmer’s market.
You’ll need the following:
- 2 cups of fall vegetables (parsnips, pumpkin, rutabaga, potato, sweet potato, beets, turnips, and so on), roasted
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of feta cheese
- 1 mozzarella ball
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
Instructions:
Prepare your pizza crust and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut all your vegetables into equally sized small cubes. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, and maple syrup, and then coat your vegetables with it. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden.
Take out and spread the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle on the mozzarella, and then add the vegetables, crumbled feta, and oregano. Bake for another 15 minutes, and then dive in!
Pizza is one of those foods you can get creative with. So, get into the fall swing of things with any of these combinations. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how delicious they taste!
