I know—I’m obsessed with squash lately. Butternut squash pizza? Yes, please.
It’s Meatless Monday—does that count as an excuse? Whether or not, this pizza is worth making. The flavors are unmistakably fall: a creamy roasted-squash base, sharp Parmesan, crispy sage, and delicate slices of squash on top. It’s comforting, flavorful, and surprisingly simple to pull together.
Some notes before you start: aim for a thinner crust. Because the squash is pureed into a rich, creamy base, a thick crust can make each bite feel overly heavy. Crisp thin crusts, flatbreads, naan or even pita work beautifully—anything that keeps the balance light and lets the squash and cheese shine.
I was inspired by a butternut squash pasta sauce I made recently, but I changed the approach so it translates better to pizza. Instead of using that exact pasta sauce, I roasted cubed butternut squash, then pureed it with garlic, a touch of cream and finely grated Parmesan to make a rich, spoonable base. It’s creamy and savory—so good you’ll want to eat it straight from the bowl.
Toppings are simple and classic: plenty of Parmesan (use good Parmigiano-Reggiano if you can), a bit of mozzarella for melt, fresh sage leaves, and very thin slices of a delicate squash—delicata is perfect—arranged on top. If you slice the squash paper-thin, it doesn’t need pre-cooking and adds a tender texture after baking.
The flavor combo—squash, Parmesan and sage—reminds me of fall comfort food, often finished with brown butter in other dishes. I resisted drizzling brown butter this time and found the pizza still tasted incredible. The cheese brings everything together; it’s the star that keeps me coming back.
Butternut Squash Pizza with Sage and Parmesan
Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmesan Pizza
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Ingredients
dough
- 1 1/8 cups warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
pizza
- 1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash in 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons cream or half and half
- 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1/2 delicata squash very thinly sliced with seeds removed
- 2/3 cup fresh sage leaves
Instructions
dough
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In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Stir and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt; stir until the dough begins to come together but remains sticky. Use your hands to form a ball and work in the remaining 1/2 cup flour on a floured surface. Knead a few minutes, then lightly oil the bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
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After rising, punch down the dough and shape it on a floured surface into your desired pizza shape. This dough can make one large pizza that serves 3–4, or you can portion it. Transfer to a baking sheet or pizza pan, cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. If using a pizza stone, preheat to 475°F and bake slightly less time on the stone (about 15 minutes); otherwise use the 425°F timing below.
pizza
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To make the squash base, roast the cubed butternut squash at 425°F. Toss the cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg on a lined baking sheet and roast until fork-tender, about 30–35 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Let the roasted squash cool slightly, then puree it in a food processor with the minced garlic until smooth and whipped. Stream in the cream and the finely grated Parmesan and pulse until combined; the mixture will be thick.
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Brush the dough edges with olive oil. Spread the squash puree evenly over the crust, then top with mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, thin delicata squash slices (or small rounds) and the sage leaves.
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Bake 20–25 minutes at 425°F (or 15–20 minutes on a heated pizza stone at 475°F) until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and, if you like, sprinkle extra Parmesan and a few more sage leaves before serving.
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And if you’re remembering a pumpkin version, there was a previous cheesy pumpkin and Parmesan bread recipe that explored a similar flavor profile.