Sometimes, meals are carefully planned. Other times, it’s pure serendipity. I spotted goat cheese on sale at the market and grabbed some. When I got home, I remembered I had some leftover pizza dough in the fridge. I decided to put them together and make a goat cheese caramelized onion pizza.
You can approach this recipe two different ways. If you make the crust yourself (not hard, but it does take time), it’s a weekend meal. Buy the crust pre-made (you can get it at grocery stores or even your local pizzeria), and it’s a 30 minute meal. So, dinner in half an hour!
I made my own crust (following Smitten Kitchen’s easy recipe), but if you’re in a rush, you don’t have to. By the way, she says to roll out the crust, but I find it works better if I just place it on the baking sheet and gently press outward from the center with my fingers.
If you do make the dough, it makes enough for one generous dinner serving, or two lunch servings. It will keep in the fridge for several days, so you don’t have to eat it all at once. Take it out and let the dough come to room temperature before you start working with it.
Cooking, of course, is often a process of taking what you already know about food and flavors, doing a bit of research (in cookbooks or online) and combining bits of ideas and techniques. I often find myself taking bits and pieces from two or three recipes and putting them back together in different ways.
In this case, I started with the pizza crust recipe I already had. Then I added the goat cheese. I took the caramelized onions and the bell pepper from one recipe, the spinach from a second, and the garlic oil from a third. You can always mix and match to suit your own taste, or the ingredients you have on hand (see more in the Substitutions and Variations section).
Also, I don’t normally post “in progress” photos, but the pizza looked so good I couldn’t resist!
Goat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza
With a pre-bought crust, this is dinner in under an hour. Just a bit of chopping and cooking the onions.
Notes
The pre-made dough in the store is usually enough for two, so use half.
Ingredients
- Pizza crust (either pre-made or purchased).
- 4 T olive oil (divided)
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 small onion. sliced
- 1/4 C sliced red bell pepper
- 1/4 C goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 C fresh spinach
- 1-2 tsp semolina or cream of wheat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven as high as it will go.
- Mix half the olive oil and the chopped garlic together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan. Cook the onions on low heat, until they soften and brown, about 35 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cook stirring for thirty seconds or so. Then add the spinach for another 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the semolina on a pizza stone (if you have one), or a baking sheet. This will help keep the dough from sticking.
- Put the pizza dough on the baking sheet. Using your fingers, push the dough out from the center, to form a circle.
- Brush about half the garlic/oil mixture over the crust.
- Add the cooked vegetables and the goat cheese. Brush the remaining garlic/oil mixture over the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations for Goat Cheese Caramelized Onion Pizza
- Use roasted red peppers instead of fresh
- Try a splash of balsamic vinegar
- Add sliced mushrooms and basil
- Substitute arugula for the spinach
- Toss in some sun-dried tomatoes
More Pizza Recipes
White Pizza Recipe Without Ricotta
Like white pizza, but not a ricotta fan? This recipe has no ricotta at all.
A pizza shortcut! Topped with bell peppers and sausage. Quick and delicious.
Rosemary Potato Roasted Garlic Pizza
I like to call this “potato chip pizza.” A whole different take on the usual pizza. No tomato sauce, and easy on the cheese. The potatoes end up golden brown and crisp.
Pizza made super easy and without heavy tomato sauce. Make the dough (or even just buy it) sprinkle on a few ingredients, and bake. Done!