Caramelized Onion Pizza with Melty Cheese (Printable)
Crispy pizza with sweet caramelized onions and melted cheese blend creates irresistible flavor in this easy vegetarian main.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1 lb fresh pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
02 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting
→ Caramelized Onions
03 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/2 tsp sugar
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
→ Cheese & Toppings
10 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1/2 cup shredded fontina or Gruyère cheese
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, optional
→ Assembly
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil for brushing crust
15 - Fresh arugula or basil leaves for garnish, optional
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 475°F and place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside to heat thoroughly while preparing ingredients.
02 - Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes until onions achieve deep golden color and caramelization. Stir in black pepper and balsamic vinegar, then remove from heat.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer shaped dough to a piece of parchment paper for easy transfer.
04 - Brush dough surface lightly with olive oil. Spread caramelized onions evenly over the prepared base.
05 - Distribute mozzarella, fontina or Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses uniformly over the caramelized onions. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves if desired.
06 - Carefully transfer pizza with parchment onto preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust develops golden color and cheese bubbles with light browning.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh arugula or basil if preferred. Slice immediately and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The onions become candy sweet and savory, unlike anything from a jar
- Three cheeses create this perfect pull apart situation that people talk about for days
02 -
- Rushing the onions is the number one mistake here, low and slow is what creates that deep sweetness
- A hot pizza stone makes the crust crispy and restaurant worthy, so do not skip preheating it
03 -
- Parchment paper is your best friend for transferring dough without tearing or stretching it out of shape
- Leftovers reheat surprisingly well in a skillet, which gives the crust a second life