What I love about Butternut Squash and Ricotta Pizza with Sage
If this pizza doesn’t scream fall then I don’t know what does! This Butternut Squash and Ricotta Pizza is full of delicious, autumn flavours like roast squash, sautéed mushrooms and onions and crispy sage. It’s totally vegetarian but you would never notice the lack of meat because it’s absolutely loaded!
Ricotta and mozzarella cheese provide protein and the perfect base for all of the tasty toppings. Use your favourite pre-made gluten-free crust or an alternative if you wish. I occasionally like to do a sourdough pizza crust for a treat which is also delicious.
This pizza takes a little more effort than a simple tomato sauce and pepperoni, but that’s how I roll. We do gourmet, here at SCK! And, in my opinion, it’s worth it! Don’t get me wrong, there are times for a simple pepperoni pizza (which I also love), but there are times to be a bit extra too. This one is a little different as there is no sauce per se. The ricotta acts as the sauce, though it is not saucy. It’s light and fluffy with a little garlic and lemon for flavour. The addition of caramelized onions and mushrooms pairs so well with the roasted squash and crispy sage. It all works together very well.
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Pizza crust – You can use any pre-made or homemade pizza crust that you like. I love a homemade grain-free pizza crust or a sourdough pizza crust for a treat.
- Ricotta cheese – Did you know that ricotta “cheese” actually isn’t really cheese? It’s actually made from whey. I learned this when we were in Italy. It makes the perfect base for this pizza. I recommend full-fat ricotta cheese.
- Garlic – You will need 2 minced garlic cloves to add into the ricotta mixture as well. I recommend fresh garlic for the best flavour.
- Butternut squash – You will need butternut squash diced into 1/2” cubes. You can also buy it frozen and pre-cut for extra ease, just be sure to thaw beforehand.
- Parmesan cheese – I love the blend of parmesan and mozzarella on a pizza. You just need a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for the pizza, about 1/3 cup. If you don’t have parmesan, no problem. You can just add extra mozzarella.
- Mozzarella cheese – Mozzarella is the go-to pizza cheese and for good reason! It’s mild in flavour, melts amazingly and is stringy and delicious.
- Sage – The addition of crispy sage leaves on top of the pizza is the perfect garnish! It adds delicious flavour to the pizza.
FAQ:
Yes. Acorn, kabocha or delicata squash would also work. Pumpkin could be delicious too!
The crispy sage on top is so delicious and really adds a special flavour, however if you don’t have it – no worries. You can either add dried sage onto the squash before roasting or omit completely.
We love to reheat the leftovers in the oven on a baking sheet under high BROIL function. It usually takes around 4-6 minutes to reheat and melt the cheese again. NOTE: be sure to check regularly as broil function can be very intense and burn things quickly.
If your leftovers are stored in an air-tight container in the fridge, they should last for up to 5 days.
A 9″ pizza will yield about 8 slices. 1 serving is 2-3 slices, so it will either yield 2 1/2 servings or 4 depending on how hungry everyone is!
Butternut Squash and Ricotta Pizza with Sage
Equipment
- 1 Pizza Pan or Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 9" prepared pizza crust
- 1 1/2 cups butternut squash peeled and diced
- extra virgin olive oil for roasting
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lemon zested
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- butter for sautéing
- 1 1/4 cups white onion sliced
- 1 1/4 cups cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1/3 cup shredded parmigiana cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh sage leaves
- chilli flakes for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven for 400F and spread the diced squash out on a small, rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until soft and starting to brown.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the ricotta, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a fork until combined and set aside.
- In a medium-sized cast iron skillet, melt a knob of butter and then add the sliced onions and mushrooms. Cook on low-medium heat for 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
- In a small saute pan, add a tbsp of butter and a few (5-7) sage leaves. Fry them for about 1 minute on each side or until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Spread the ricotta mixture in an even layer on the prepared pizza crust.
- Top the pizza with roast squash, sautéed onions and mushrooms and then parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
- Set the oven to HIGH broil and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and brown.
- Cut the pizza into 8 equal slices, top with crispy sage leaves and chilli flakes and enjoy!
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