roasted bbq butternut squash harvest pizza
I guess it’s the week of butternut squash and pumpkin around here, and I’m not complaining.
I’m pretty much shit when it comes to planning content. I’m not a good businesswoman; I kind of do what I want, when I want, and don’t think much of it. Weird to say that considering how much of a planner I generally am, but sometime spontaneity comes to me in strange fashions. I guess food is one of those realms in which I just have to go with the flow and not worry about patterns, trends, and whathaveyou.
This might explain the eruption of butternut squash/pumpkin-themed recipes of late. I’m enjoying both concepts, therefore I’m running with them even if the recipes are spaced kinda close together. I do hope you don’t mind; for my part, I’m loving having so many cozy fall recipes in my fridge at once. Variety without too much thought, you know? And I can recycle ingredients so my cabinets and drawers aren’t laden with random shit I might use in two weeks and will inevitable pile upon with other shit.
We’re coming at this Thursday with a pizza, because I’ve recently loved weekend pizzas, and football season demands them even though a lot of my pies aren’t exactly of the traditional mold. This autumnal beauty is loaded with roasted butternut squash, bbq sauce, and, of course, a hefty handful of cheese. It can be as homemade or store-assisted as you wish, so as fast or as intentional as time permits.
Enjoy on gameday, on a casual Saturday, or during the week when you just need a fat pile of carbs and comfort. That sure as hell has been me, lately.
BBQ Butt
The squash is the longest part of the prep process. Unless, of course, you make your own pizza dough; I often have some prepped a night or two before and ready in the fridge.
You can buy pre-cubed squash to make shit easier on yourself, or a small whole squash and peel/cube it yourself. Either method is fine. When you’ve done the deed, toss with a lovely little bbq seasoning I use on a helluva lot here on FMG: brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. And, of course, some olive oil.
Roast for 15-20 minutes. You don’t want the cubes to be ridiculously pliable, since they’ll bake a little more when you compile the pizza. Softened is the name of the game here.
Eatza Pizza
I’m pretty sure that was the name of a minigame on Mario Party 3. Something similar, anyway. I was obsessed with that fucken minigame, but sadly I never owned MP3. Sadness.
Crank up your oven to 500 degrees. Grab a baking sheet, sprinkle with cornmeal, and break your pound of flesh – ahem, pizza dough – in half. Working with one half, push and press into a circle. Always leave the edges a little thicker than the center; the center should be pretty thin.
Prick with a fork and brush with some olive oil. Bake for a few minutes just to set up that beautiful crust and prep it for the toppings to come. I always recommend parbaking since it stabilizes the pie and ensures the bottom isn’t soggy after you’ve added all the goodies.
Then, assemble as follows: bbq sauce (I had a bottle in my fridge, otherwise you can make your own if you wish!), butternut squash, mozzarella cheese, and a few sage leaves for an herby finish.
Bake until the cheese melts, bubbles, and the crust deepens into a luxe golden brown. Slice and serve hot so you can show off a magnificent cheese pull to your guests…or yourself.
Leftovers reheat really nicely: pop in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes, on the rack, to crisp up the crust, or if you’re a savage like me and don’t give a shit about texture, just throw a slice or two in the microwave.
Or eat that shit cold. Nothing like refrigerator hangover pizza to make you feel alive on the inside.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Fall for these pizzas:
Herby Mushroom Swiss French Bread Pizza
Sweet and Savory Cheddar, Apple, and Caramelized Onion Pizza
Fig, Brie, and Caramelized Shallot Pizza
Olive Cheese Pizza with Feta Stuffed Crust
roasted bbq butternut squash harvest pizza
Ingredients
- 2 cups butternut squash
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lb pizza dough, homemade or storebought
- 2/3 cup bbq sauce, homemade or storebought
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 6-8 sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On the baking sheet, toss the squash cubes with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, the smoked paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer. Roast for 15-20 minutes until softened.
- Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Lightly sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal.
- Break the pizza dough into two balls. Push, twirl, and press one half of the dough into a roughly 10 inch circle. Brush with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and prick all over with a fork. Parbake for 5-6 minutes until slightly golden.
- Spread half of the bbq sauce over the crust, then half of the butternut squash, half of the cheese, and half of the sage leaves. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheesy is melty and bubbly and the crust deeply golden. Repeat with the second ball of pizza dough. Serve with cracked black pepper and extra herbs, as desired.
