Butternut Squash Neapolitan Pizza

It’s Friday, which means pizza well it did but more often then not it’s been sushi the last few months since the girls found a favorite veggie sushi they are loving. Don’t worry we still get our pizza, hello it is the year of pizza (our Family Foodie Date theme for this year), but it’s during the week or Saturday. I got this pizza made before it got too dark last weekend so I could photograph it finally! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve made pizza this year and I can’t get photos because it’s so late at night, and or we have friends over. Not that friends and family have stopped me before but when it’s late it takes a lot more work and hasn’t been working too well. Back to this pizza… so good I had to share it right away on Instagram. Including lots of stories on that crust, yes I got a little crazy but seriously could have put it on live probably and squished, pulled apart, admired, and dipped that crust for hours enjoying each bite. Oh I did but only did one story, but others were loving it too so of course I had to get it up on the blog today. Oh yes I may have been enjoying a glass of wine while I was making it which is why I also shared the photo of what happens when you put your head over the grill when you open it to get a video, yes singed my hair, eyelashes, eyebrows. I always get questions on the crust and the recipe has been up on the blog for over a year and it so much easier then you might think! The only thing it does take is time, you need to make it 3-4 hours ahead of time. Trust me though it is SO WORTH IT!!

When it comes to homemade pizza night we all have our favs but we also like to switch things up. I like to switch things up with in season produce and my mood. The garden is booming with pepper, beets, cabbage, kale, chard, zucchini, squash of all kinds, tomatoes, and cauliflower right now. We just used up all the broccoli so that was out, and I’ve already done a beet pizza. We did make a classic margherita with the tomatoes and test out a new cheese but I had to make a squash pizza! Squash is one of my favorite foods of fall, right there with apples and pumpkin but I haven’t gotten there yet this year. Well wasn’t until the cool temps hit this week!

Really it’s all about this crust, well it makes if for me but this simple combo of toppings is in season and style! A little extra virgin olive oil, diced butternut squash, garlic, little red onion, fresh thyme, fresh mozzarella (dairy free/vegan), and baby arugula. Yes if you need to justify pizza it’s topped with veggies and just a little cheese. For me this is one of my all about balance and I savor every single bite with a wine. I crave this crust and homemade pizza night more than sweets lately which is crazy but I have noticed my tastes shift over the years. Mostly in the decrease in pints of ice cream in the fridge and stashes of chocolate. Haha! Maybe it’s just a phase. Although so much has changed in my eating this year, the biggest is sourdough! Aside from that being a lot more relaxed when it comes to food and enjoying it more, but with that the things I would have over indulged in in the past I’m not.

Sorry for the pic overload but I just couldn’t get through the pictures and delete anymore. I was drooling and getting side tracked and thinking about the crust all over again. If these pictures of the crust don’t have you making it I think I failed at really capturing it because it left me speechless. I may just have to jump in and do videos because this pizza deserved the star roll in a video.

Happy Friday! I hope whatever you’re doing today, this weekend, next week you enjoy each and every day to the fullest and it brings you happiness!

Print Recipe

Butternut Squash Neapolitan Pizza

Butternut Squash Neapolitan Pizza will have you rethinking take-out! Starting with homemade crispy outside chewy inside Neapolitan crust. Topped with a little extra virgin olive oil, garlic, a little red onion, fresh mozzarella (dairy free, vegan friendly), butternut squash, fresh thyme, finished with baby arugula after baking.

Course

Dinner

Servings

10-12″ pizza

Ingredients

• 1 10-12" pizza crust, or pizza dough (homemade Neapolitan Pizza Crust)
• 1-2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 clove of garlic
• 1 c diced butternut squash
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• few thin slices of red onion
• 3-4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese * (Miyoko’s Fresh VeganMozz)
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• handful of baby arugula

Course Dinner Servings 10-12″ pizza Ingredients 1 10-12" pizza crust, or pizza dough (homemade Neapolitan Pizza Crust) 1-2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 1/2 clove of garlic 1 c diced butternut squash 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme few thin slices of red onion 3-4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese * (Miyoko’s Fresh VeganMozz) sea salt and fresh ground pepper handful of baby arugula

Instructions

1. If making our Neapolitan Pizza Crust if using, you will have to make the dough 3 hours, 4 hours is best, ahead of time. It doesn’t take long to make you just have to let it rest and rise.
2. Heat grill or oven, with pizza stone placed inside, to 550F if using my husband’s crust recipe otherwise heat per your pizza crust directions.
3. Toss or roll your pizza dough and place on a piece of parchment paper on a non rimmed baking sheet.
4. Brush crust with olive oil, staying about 1/2" from the outside edge. While you don't want too much olive oil you want enough to have a layer otherwise the crust, if using our recipe will get really puffy (more so then shown) and you may have a big bubble.
5. Grate garlic over the crust and add onion slices.
6. Top with butternut squash, grated or pieces of fresh mozzarella, and fresh thyme (stems removed).
7. Add a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
8. Place pizza, keeping it on the parchment as it will easily slide on and off your pizza stone, onto the pizza stone. Check at 6 minutes, the crust should start to be golden brown and slightly blackened on the outer edges like a traditional Neapolitan pizza. It can take up to 8-10 minutes depending on the temperature of your grill/oven. If using your own crust bake per your crusts instructions.
9. Remove pizza, sliding a baking sheet under the parchment paper.
10. Let pizza cool a minute or two before topping with arugula.
11. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you want to grate the Miyokos Fresh VeganMozz I find it works easiest from the freezer, or pulled right from the refrigerator if not frozen.

Rethink take-out with homemade Butternut Squash Neapolitan Pizza! #plantbased Share on X
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