This caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizza is not exactly your typical slice, but if you're a gorgonzola and pecan fan, you're sure to love it. Comforting flavors, so delicious.
This post may contain affiliate links, where we earn from qualifying purchases. See more details in the policy page.
There's a restaurant not too far from us that primarily sells pizza. I would call it a pizzeria, but style-wise it doesn't quite fit what you might expect, it's a bit more modern. Plus, it does use the wood oven for other things like a truly delicious roast chicken and skillet cookies (thankfully, I am often too full for dessert or they could be dangerous!).
We have tried most of the pizzas on the menu over the years, and recently I noticed one that I would have now and then had gone. Which naturally meant I had to make a version at home.
They had served a caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizza with walnuts which I had always liked, although between pregnancy and sharing with the kids, I didn't have it all that often. I know some other friends who used to live here had liked it too. But I guess it wasn't overall that popular that it has now fallen off the menu.
Maybe this blue cheese and onion mix is just not quite your classic pizza fare, but it is so definitely worth a try. And now you, like I, can enjoy it at home.
For my take on it, while I like walnuts I think lightly candied pecans work better for my taste. Don't worry about these being overly sweet, though. They are the healthier take that I used in my pear gorgonzola salad as well as more recently in my strawberry spinach feta salad that use only a little bit of maple syrup. They fit in perfectly in this unusual but tasty pizza.
How to make this caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizza
There's a little bit of preparation for this pizza, but none of it is difficult and it is completely worth it. Plus, you can caramelize the onions and make the candied pecans while the pizza dough is rising, if you make your own, or make them ahead.
Then, spread out your dough, layer on your onions, topped with some gorgonzola and bake. Add the pecans part way through, then give it a few more minutes. Top with some thinly sliced spring onions and serve. I've made this as smaller, individual pizzas (more like a flatbread), which are also perfect for slicing up as an appetizer, but you can make this as a large pizza as well.
This caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizza might not be the prettiest slice, but it's packed with delicious flavors. Cheese, squidgy, and with a gently sweet crunch on top, it's an addictively good combination.
Try these other pizza ideas:
- Lahmacun (Turkish meat pizza/flatbread)
- Bacon corn pizza
- Fall pizza with butternut squash and sausage
- Plus get more mains recipes in the archives.
Caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizza
Ingredients
For the pizza base
- 1 cup white bread flour 135g
- ½ cup whole wheat flour 70g
- ½ cup all purpose flour 70g plain flour
- ¾ teaspoon fast-acting dried yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon plain yogurt eg Greek-style
- ¾ cups water 180ml, warm
For the topping
- 4 onions small, or 2-3 large
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup pecans 90g
- 3 teaspoon maple syrup
- 4 oz gorgonzola 115g
- 4 spring onions (scallions)
Instructions
Ahead of time
- To make the pizza dough, put the flours, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix together. Make a slight well in the middle and add the oil, yogurt and water and carefully mix together into a dough. It will be slightly wet and sticky. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, stretching the dough away from you with the back of your hand, folding the stretched part over on top of the rest of the dough, turning 90 degrees then repeating. Add a little more flour as you go, if needed. After around 5min it should stop feeling sticky. Clean out the mixing bowl, lightly oil it then form the dough into a ball and put it in the bowl. Cover with cling film/plastic wrap and leave it to rest somewhere warm for about an hour, possibly more, until it doubles in size.
- While the pizza dough is rising, thinly slice the onions. Warm the butter and oil in a large skillet/frying pan and add the onions. Cook, stirring now and then, over a medium heat, until they are soft and gently caramel colored - it will take a good 25-30 minutes. Reduce the heat if they get too brown or start to burn. Set aside.
- Prepare a piece of parchment big enough to hold all the pecans. Toast the pecans either under a broiler or in a dry skillet until just starting to smell but not burning. Toss with the maple syrup, away from the heat, and move around quickly so they are all covered. Tip onto the parchment and separate out the nuts. Leave to cool then break them up into small-ish pieces.
As ready to cook
- When ready to make the pizzas, preheat oven to 450F/230C. Put baking sheets in the oven to allow them to pre-heat.
- Knock back the pizza dough (prod with your fingers after turning it out of the bowl) and divide into 4. Keep the pieces you are not working with to one side, covered, while you work on the one pizza.
- Roll out the pizza dough into a circle or rectangle, as you prefer, and as suits your baking sheet/tray. Roll it about as thin as you can and transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Top each piece of dough with ¼ of the onions, spreading out evenly. Crumble over the gorgonzola. Bake for around 6-8 minutes until just starting to brown.
- Add the pecans on top then bake another 3-4 minutes. Once the crust is lightly brown and crisp, serve, topped with chopped green onions. Cut into slices, if you prefer, to be more finger food.
Notes
Nutrition
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
Remember to pin for later!
David @ Cooking Chat
looks delish! Would never have thought of pecans on pizza but it looks great!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, they work really well!
Anne Lawton
Any type of pizza is a winner in my book! This is one I'm going to have to try real soon.
Caroline's Cooking
I think everyone in our house would agree with you 🙂 Enjoy!
Barrie Mooney
I love the pecans on this which are so different on pizza, and the onions, well caramelized onions are good on everything!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I agree caramelized onions are always good, and the pecans work so well too.
Trang
Caramelized onion and gorgonzola are such unique flavor, I would love to try this, it looks fabulous!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, it's all a delicious combination!
Laura Dembowski
I absolutely love incorporating nuts into savory dishes. They add a wonderful crunch and almost meaty goodness to recipes.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I agree, they're great in so many dishes.
Christie
I love the crispy edges and delicious flavors in this pizza. It's definitely one that I'd order!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I do wonder why the pizza it was based on disappeared from the menu as it was good, but then I'm also glad I tried this and was able to share.
Nikki@soulfullymade
Carloline, this is my kind of THANG!!!! I cannot wait to try it! SO YUM!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Nikki, enjoy!
Liz
Oh, yeah, this would be an elegant and delicious addition to a half time spread!!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I'd have to agree!
Tara
Such a unique pizza! The flavors sound incredible. I love the pairing of the caramelized onions with the maple pecans.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Tara, as I say above I can't take full credit for the idea, but I do love this version.