Goat Cheese And Caramelized Onion Pizza

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This goat cheese and caramelized onion pizza is my favorite restaurant-quality meal I make at home! I love how easy this recipe is to make. The crispy crust paired with creamy goat cheese and sweet caramelized onions is a match made in heaven! My recipe is perfect for a healthier family-friendly pizza night that’s better than takeout, and more budget-friendly too.

If you know me, you know I love pizza. I’ll make it in all sorts of ways – from a quick pizza on naan bread, to stuffing the ingredients into zucchini boats, or combining the ingredients into a keto pizza bowl! No matter how I serve it up, I’ve found it’s impossible to go wrong with pizza and all the healthy homemade pizza toppings available.

And the first time I had a goat cheese pizza with caramelized onions, I knew I had to find a way to recreate it at home. My recipe brings together the sweetness of the onions and the tang of the goat cheese for a mouthwatering flavor combination!

When it comes to shaking up the regular pizza night rotation, I always start by experimenting with different cheeses. If that’s your jam too, I highly recommend trying my pear gorgonzola pizza after you make this recipe! 

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🥘 Ingredients

I love a gourmet meal without a long list of ingredients! In fact, many of these ingredients I always have on hand in the pantry. Here’s what you need:

Whole Wheat Flour: My homemade dough starts with a combination of warm water, dried yeast, and a touch of honey. I use whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour to add fiber which is important for healthy digestion, regulates blood sugar, and lowers cholesterol (source). Plus, it creates a more nutrient-dense dough. 

Olive Oil And Salt: I add a touch of olive oil and salt to finish off the dough to make it easier to roll out. 

Caramelized Onions: I use two thinly sliced red onions cooked down with a little olive oil, coconut sugar, and balsamic vinegar to create that tangy, caramelized finish. I use minimal sugar in this recipe to keep it low in sugar.

Goat Cheese: I love the tang of this cheese! It is unmatched! While it won’t melt completely like mozzarella, it will soften and is much creamier than mozzarella. Goat cheese is naturally lower in fat and calories than cheese made from cow’s milk.

Thyme: I use thyme to add a little herby flavor to the pizza. 

🔪 How To Make Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese Pizza

Prepare Yeast For Dough: I start by mixing the water, honey, and yeast in a small mixing bowl, stir, and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to start to foam.

Whisk Flour: Next, I whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl.

Form Dough: When the yeast mixture starts to foam, I pour it into the flour mixture along with the oil, and stir to form a dough.

Knead Dough And Allow To Rest: Next, I turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead with the heels of my hands for 2-3 minutes, shaping into a ball. Then, I return the ball of dough to the mixing bowl, cover and rest for 30-45 minutes to allow it to double in size.

Prepare Caramelized Onions: While the dough is resting, I prepare the caramelized onions. I start by heating the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the red onion slices. I sauté the sliced onions for 2-3 minutes then I reduce the heat and continue to stir as they cook for 10 minutes. Sometimes, I’ll add a little water to stop them from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Then, I add the coconut sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir them through.

Remove From Heat: When the onions have completely caramelized, I remove them from the heat, season with salt, and set aside to cool.

Preheat Oven: Before assembling the pizza, I’ll preheat my oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit. If I’m using a pizza stone, I’ll place it into the oven to preheat as well.

Assemble: While the oven preheats, I’ll assemble my caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza. After the dough has doubled in size, I’ll remove it from the bowl and spread the dough into a 12 inch round on a tray lined with baking paper, or I’ll divide the dough and roll into 2 smaller pizzas.

Add Toppings: Then I top the pizza dough with the caramelized onion, crumbled goat cheese, and fresh thyme, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.

Bake Pizza: If I’m using a pizza stone, I’ll transfer the prepared pizza onto the pizza stone or cook the pizza as it is on a large baking sheet for 15-20 mins or until golden brown. Then, I’ll cut it into 8 equal pieces to serve!

📖 Variations

Flavored Cheese: Goat cheese comes in different flavor varieties. Sometimes, I’ll use garlic and chive flavored goat cheese or another flavor to add more punch.

Additional Cheese: For a cheesier pizza, I like to add mozzarella cheese, fontina cheese, or parmesan cheese.

Additional Toppings: There are so many different toppings that go with goat cheese on pizza! For variety, I’ll add diced fresh figs, arugula, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or some red pepper flakes for a little spice. Instead of thyme, I’ll also use fresh rosemary, lemon zest, or fresh basil. I also like adding diced red peppers, kalamata olives or sundried tomatoes!

Add Protein: If you don’t need this pizza to be vegetarian, you can top with thinly sliced pieces of chicken breast or prosciutto, or for a veggie protein option, add some pine nuts or walnuts.

Pizza Crust: If I’m short on time, I’ll use a store-bought pizza crust instead of making the pizza dough from scratch.

Add A Sauce: This healthy pizza recipe doesn’t have an added sauce, but if you like a sauce on your pizza you can add regular pizza sauce, a pesto sauce, garlic sauce, or a white sauce.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

For a complete meal, I pair this pizza with goat cheese and caramelized onions with a light salad or soup. 

Salads: I serve this pizza with a keto Greek salad for some extra veggies or my apple walnut salad with a little extra protein from the nuts. My Greek farro salad or roasted pumpkin salad would be great for the Fall season.

Soups: In the cooler months, or for a heartier meal, I like to serve this pizza with my creamy asparagus soup with goat cheese, healthy mushroom soup without cream, or Greek lentil soup.

🧊 Storage Directions

When I have leftovers, I always allow the pizza slices to cool completely and make sure to wrap each slice well with plastic wrap.

Fridge: I store this pizza in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I wrap each of the slices in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or transfer to an airtight container. 

Make Ahead: I make pizza dough ahead of time and store it, covered in the fridge for several hours. Then, I allow it to come to room temperature before spreading on to the pizza stone or baking sheet and assembling.

Freezer: To freeze the pizza dough, I wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and place in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When pizza night comes around, I defrost in the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before rolling it out.

Reheating: To reheat individual slices, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and place pizza on a baking sheet. I bake for about 5-8 minutes, until warm in the center and the crust begins to crisp up.

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