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Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

The Perfect Fall Pizza: Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

My brain is a strange place. A really strange place. Because while other people think about normal things like what they are going to do later, I daydream about pizza. Because pizza.

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Let me back up. Last weekend, it was gray and rainy and cool. We were having a lazy Saturday hanging out, all three of us in our pajamas, under the covers, watching Princess Sofia. It was pretty much perfect. Minus the Princess Sofia part. I have seen the entire series now several times through. Hence my mind was wandering just a little bit.

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

And it wandered into pizza territory. As I’ve been planning all things fall, I couldn’t get past the idea of doing some sort of fall pizza. I mean, I absolutely love fall pasta like pumpkin penne with peas, Parmesan, and sage.

So that Saturday morning, my mind was wondering. I had been thinking about this pizza forever. Seriously. I kept shooting ideas back and forth with my best foodie friend. The one that threw together this awesome Tomato Chickpea and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette. They all were met with crickets. Until I texted her this idea  which was met with:

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

“You bring the stuff. I’ll make your crust!”

I clearly had a winner on my hands.

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

And next thing I knew, just a few short hours later, I found myself at her house eating a buffalo chicken boat and making this pizza. And it was delicious. So delicious in fact, that both she and I made it again at our own respective houses the very next day. Because it was that good.

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

All of the adults involved with the making and eating of this pizza loved it and agreed that if there was ever a pizza to serve on Thanksgiving, it is this pumpkin parmesan pizza with brown butter caramelized onions and kale. I mean, I’m not above not serving turkey on Thanksgiving. Last year, we had brown butter gnocchi with roasted squash and kale. This pizza pretty much as all those flavors.

It has basically everything my little heart could ever want during fall, making it absolute pumpkin pizza perfection. Pumpkin? Check! Brown Butter? Check! Crispy kale? Check! Crunchy roasted pine nuts? Check. Lots of cheese? Lots of check!

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Like I said: perfection. Absolute stunning pizza perfection with just the right balance of sweet from the pumpkin, salty from the parmesan, crispy from the kale, crunchy from the pine nuts, nuttiness from the brown butter, and savoriness from the onions. All topped with cheese. Mmmmm so good.

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Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions and Kale

Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Caramelized Onions, Kale, and Pine Nuts is the perfect fall pizza recipe.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: dinner, pizza
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 1 large pizza or 2 small pizzas, 8-16 slices
Author: Seasoned Sprinkles

Ingredients

For the onions

  • 1 1/2 large sweet onions
  • 6 cloves of garlic pressed
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 2 tbs of olive oil
  • 1 tbs of sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 fresh sage leaf
  • 1 sprig of rosemary with stem removed
  • 1 sprig of thyme with stem removed

For the sauce

  • 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup half and half or milk *
  • 4 cloves of crushed garlic
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 sage leaf

For the pine nuts

  • 1/2 cup of pine nuts
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • To assemble the pizza
  • 1 pizza crust**
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup of kale with stems removed
  • tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • On the stove, heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Let the butter melt, stirring occasionally. Keep cooking while stirring occasionally until the butter begins to smell nutty and browns. Then add the onion, crushed garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper. Cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly until the onions reduce in volume by more than half and turn a caramel color. About 90 seconds prior to the end of cooking the onions, add in the sage and rosemary and thyme. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan after removing onions, add an additional tbs of olive oil. Pour in the pumpkin puree and stir in half and half and Parmesan cheese. Stir until combined. Season with 4 cloves of crushed garlic, salt and pepper to taste and one chopped sage leaf. Let cook until warm.
  • While the sauce is warming, toss the nuts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly over a cookie sheet and bake in a 425 oven for 2 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, toss kale with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Spread the dough out thinly on a pizza pan or pizza stone. Spoon on the sauce, top with mozzarella and shredded parmesan cheese. Spoon on onions, spreading evenly then sprinkle on kale. Bake for approximately 6-8 minutes or until crust is golden brown, cheese is melted, and kale is crisp. Remove from oven and sprinkle on pine nuts. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes

*You may need more milk, pending how thick the pumpkin puree is
**I used my favorite pizza crust recipe which you can find here. You can also buy a premade dough or crust.
You might have some pumpkin sauce leftover. Leftover sauce tastes great as a dip for bread or on a pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice
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Recipe Rating




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  1. I love this recipe. Easy with fast prep!!! Perfect!

  2. […] fall: it’s so much fun to get together with friends and make delicious fall food like this pumpkin parmesan pizza with brown butter onions and kaleย or pumpkin penne with peas, Parmesan, and sage. And of course, when you make delicious fall food, […]

  3. […] not your thing and you’re like I’m just here for the food, go check out this pumpkin parmesan pizza with brown butter caramelized onions and kale. It’s my favorite thing […]

  4. […] This time of year, I’m in a weird transition. I live in the northeast so September can be funky. Sometimes it is prematurely cool here the way it was through the end of August and Labor Day weekend. As soon as the first hint of chill comes into the air, I’m like give me all the comfort food. And I do mean all of it and of course I want pumpkin everything like Grandma’s Pumpkin Roll that Kim posted a few weeks ago or my Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza with Brown Butter Onions and Kale. […]

  5. What wonderful flavors and those onions sound amazing! Perfect for the season.

  6. Kari says:

    This is one of those where I’m not sure how I feel about it. But I’ve recently tried multiple pizzas where I thought that and they were all amazing!

  7. I’m in love with the flavor combos that you have here! So unique (love those onions) and so seasonal! Delicious!

  8. Lauren says:

    Omg this looks SO good! I need to make it!
    Lauren
    http://www.basicbabelauren.com

  9. I love your unique recipe for Pumpkin Parmesan Pizza. It looks so delicious. It’s the perfect way to welcome the fall season! Thanks so much for sharing it.

  10. Ruthie Ridley says:

    This gets me SO excited for fall! Great recipe!!

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