Roasted Delicata Squash and Ricotta Pizza is a celebration of simple, seasonal flavors. With tender, roasted delicata squash and a creamy layer of ricotta cheese, this pizza strikes a balance between earthy sweetness and savory richness. It’s a dish that feels special while remaining easy to make. I used Chris Bianco's pizza recipe after watching Chef's Table and am so obsessed.
While you can make this pizza with store-bought dough, if you are looking for homemade recipes, let me share a few of my favorites. My artisan pizza dough is time-consuming, but so good! It is chewy and so good. Cornmeal pizza dough is an interesting dough that adds texture with delicious flavor. I use whole grains all the time, and this kamut sourdough pizza dough is no exception. My einkorn pizza dough and overnight spelt flour pizza dough are also really yummy.
I also love serving this pizza with my favorite Cucumber Mediterranean Salad Recipe. It is bright, and light and goes well with pizza!
Ingredients
- Pizza dough- to make 2-12-inch pizzas.
- Delicata squash- I like to slice these myself to slice them very thin. The thinner the better on this pizza.
- Ricotta- I prefer full fat, but you can also use reduced fat if you prefer.
- Pecorino cheese- this has long been a favorite cheese of mine for my pizzas.
- Sage- fresh or dry will work.
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
How to make
Wash the delicata. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Thinly slice the delicata, I prefer around 1/16-inch. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the delicata slices on the parchment. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until the delicata is tender. Remove from the oven and set aside. Raise the heat to 550 degrees on your oven- use convection if you have it on your oven.
Spread your pizza dough to 12-inch circles. Mix the ricotta, pecorino, sage, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread half the ricotta mixture over one pizza. Press the delicata slices into the ricotta. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place in the oven. Finish the next pizza while the first is baking. Bake until the pizza is golden brown. Move the next one to the oven. Bake it as well.
Top tips
- My favorite way to bake my pizzas in my indoor oven is with a baking steel. Heat it for at least 30 minutes on high heat before sliding the pizza onto it. This will crisp up your crust in a perfect way.
- You can easily customize this pizza any way you like. Need protein, I recommend cooking Italian sausage and adding to the pizza. More veggies? More roasted vegetables are good too- butternut squash, bell peppers, and zucchini.
- Parmesan can be subbed out for pecorino if you prefer.
- If you want to add more fresh sage on the top, you can do it a couple of ways. First, thinly slice it and add it to the top. My favorite way it to cook the sage leaves in butter. Heat the butter over medium heat, add the sage leaves, and cook until they are almost crispy. Add the leaves on top of your pizza in the last 2 minutes of baking time.
Salads
Here are a few salads to go with your pizza.
Roasted Delicata Squash and Ricotta Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 10-inch pizza dough- homemade or store-bought
- 1 delicata squash
- 2 cups ricotta
- ¾ cup grated pecorino cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry sage
- olive oil for drizzling on the pizza after baking
- 4 cups mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees to roast the delicata. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Wash the delicata squash really well then pat dry. Cut off the ends and cut the squash down the middle lengthwise. Spoon out the seeds. Thinly cut slices, I like to cut them about ¼-inch. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until they are tender. Remove them from the oven and prepare everything else.
- Preheat the oven to 525 degrees (on convection if you have it). If you are using a baking steel, be sure to preheat this in the oven as well.
- Mix the ricotta, pecorino, salt, pepper, and sage in a small bowl.
- Spread the mixture over one of your 10-inch pizzas. Add the delicata slices on top of this. Top with 1 ½-2 cups grated mozzarella.
- Bake the pizza until it is golden brown. When it is done, remove it. Drizzle the pizza with olive oil and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper.
- Bake the next pizza in the same way.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!