This Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, and Crispy Kale Pizza is the perfect autumn inspired pizza for any night of the week. Fresh pizza dough topped with caramelized onions, 3 cheeses (YUM), butternut squash ribbons, shredded kale, and fresh sage. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the kale is perfectly crisp. Finish this pizza off with sweet pomegranate arils and a drizzle of honey, for a delicious mix of savory and sweet autumn flavors.

Hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was rather uneventful, but still great. The major excitement of the weekend was the giant hawk…and I do mean GIANT…that flew into my widow. For the next 10 minutes he proceeded to stare me down, all while flapping his huge wings…right outside my window!

Hands down, this was one of the creepiest things to happen to me in a while. Especially since it was quickly becoming nighttime outside…and especially because it’s October. I sort of felt like I was in a Halloween movie. I was creeped out and loving it, all at the same time.

Other than that little situation, it was a very uneventful weekend. Which is A-OK with me, seeing as both this week and next will be busy with work and travel.

Anyway, hope you all had a great weekend. Did you do any fun fall activities?

It’s no surprise that Monday nights can be a little on the boring side. So why not plan a pizza night to pump up the fun factor. It’s a great way to give ourselves something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Plus, this pizza is kind of like eating a salad because I mean, kale and butternut squash and pomegranate? Yep, it’s a fall salad with a side of cheese and carbs. Sounds totally perfect for a Monday…go with me on this.

We need to make this pizza tonight because it’s so GOOD, and all things fall.

Everything starts with the onions. Come fall, caramelizing onions is one of my favorite things to do (have you made my caramelized onion, spinach, and cheddar flaky pastries yet). Caramelized onions add so much flavor to the simplest of dishes. They are addictingly good. I’ve found that even people who say they hate onions, love recipes that incorporate caramelized onions. By slowly cooking the onions and allowing them to caramelize they lose a lot of their intense “onion” flavor and in turn become sweet and delicious.

Once you’ve caramelized the onions, the pizza comes together pretty quickly.

Roll the dough out, then top with crème fraîche (a new to me cheese that’s quickly becoming a favorite) and onions. Now add some fontina cheese, and layer on the shredded kale, butternut squash ribbons, and fresh sage. Finish with mozzarella (because 3-cheese is always better), then throw the pizza into a screaming hot oven. Bake until the the crust is golden, the cheese is melted, and the kale is crisp.

As soon as the pizza comes out, top it with a light drizzle of honey. Trust me on this, honey on pizza is honestly one of the best things ever. If you have not tried it yet, you’re missing out. The top with pomegranate arils.

And DONE.

You see? It’s like a fall salad, but on a pizza.

It’s delicious and the perfect Monday food because it comes together so quickly and easily.

My tip for quick pizza any night of the week? Either make or buy fresh pizza dough over the weekend. Then keep the dough in the fridge to have on hand for a quick homemade pizza after work. It really doesn’t get easier if you already have the dough made. Just add toppings, bake, eat, and enjoy!

Hoping today’s recipe inspires you to head to the store to pick up these ingredients for a fun impromptu pizza night!

If you make this butternut squash pizza please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

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4.76 from 29 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, and Crispy Kale Pizza

The perfect autumn inspired pizza for any night of the week. Fresh pizza dough topped with caramelized onions, 3 cheeses (YUM), butternut squash ribbons, shredded kale, and fresh sage. Top with sweet pomegranate arils and a drizzle of honey for a delicious mix of savory and sweet autumn flavors.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 390 kcal

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• kosher salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
• 2 cups shredded Tuscan kale
• ½ small butternut squash, cut into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
• 8 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces fresh buffalo mozzarella or mozzarella, torn
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.

   2. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking another 5 minutes or until the onions are golden and caramelized. Remove from the heat and let cool.

   3. On a lightly floured surface, push/roll the dough out until it is pretty thin (about a 10-12 inch circle). Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. 

   4. Spread the dough with crème fraîche and top evenly with onions. Add the fontina and then layer the kale and butternut squash ribbons over the cheese. Sprinkle over the sage, drizzle with honey, and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Top with torn mozzarella. 

   5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. 

   6. Top the pizza with pomegranates and sesame seeds. Serve drizzled with additional honey. ENJOY! 

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