Pear And Gorgonzola Pizza With Walnuts
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.My easy pear walnut gorgonzola pizza recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! Made with just five simple ingredients, it combines gooey fontina cheese, savory gorgonzola, fresh sweet pears, and crunchy walnuts on a perfectly crispy whole-wheat pizza crust for an incredibly delicious meal. It’s perfect for pizza lovers who want a sweet & savory twist on regular pizza. Everyone who tries it can’t get enough!
I can confidently say that pizza is a staple in our house. I mean, who can resist a cheesy slice of pizza? But this pear gorgonzola pizza with walnuts is something truly special. The sweet and savory flavors create a pizza that makes you pause after the first bite because the taste is just so unique and delicious.
Yet, while it sounds gourmet, it’s still super easy to make. Even my kids love it! Whether it’s for a quiet night in, we’re having family over, or I need a starter for my next party menu, my pizza with gorgonzola, pear, and walnuts always impresses.
If you love pizza as much as my family does, be sure to check out some of my other tasty pizza recipes like this goat cheese and caramelized onion pizza, spinach pizza, and BBQ flatbread, which are all fun takes on a traditional cheese pizza recipe!
🌟 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe
Inspired by one of my California Pizza Kitchen favorites, my pear and gorgonzola pizza recipe is incredibly delicious. Gorgonzola, a milder type of blue cheese, adds just the right amount of sharpness without overpowering the sweetness of the pears.
And it’s so easy to make! You don’t need any fancy equipment or special cooking skills. My recipe requires only a few minutes of prep before popping it in the oven, allowing me to create a restaurant-worthy pizza in less than 30 minutes.
I also love that it’s a healthier take on the classic restaurant version. The whole-wheat crust adds fiber and nutrients, the cheese packs in protein (each slice has 11 grams of protein!) while the fresh pears and walnuts provide natural sweetness and healthy fats (source).
But the best part is that it’s always a huge hit, and looks so elevated and fancy! Anytime I serve this pie, I get rave reviews. Plus, it’s easy to customize with other cheeses and toppings, and I can make it gluten-free or vegan (see my tips below on how to do this). If you like to try new things and love unique flavors, I know that you’re going to enjoy everything about this recipe!
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
You can find everything you need at your local grocery store to make my delicious gorgonzola pear pizza. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for nutritional information and exact amounts needed.
Whole Wheat Dough: So much healthier than typical white flour pizza dough, I like to use store-bought Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza dough. You can also use Banza Pizza Crusts or flatbreads like Flatout Flatbreads for a thinner crust.
Olive Oil: I use rich and fruity extra virgin olive oil to coat the dough.
Pears: A typical pear and gorgonzola pizza only has 6 thin slices of pear. But I add one and a half fresh pears sliced super thin that melt into the gooey cheese. I like to use Bosc or Bartlett pears, but any variety will work – I’ve tried Red or Anjou pears before with success. Apples or even peaches can be used as a substitute. If you use apples, you may want to peel them for a softer texture.
Cheeses: A combination of fontina and Italian gorgonzola gives my pear walnut pizza layers of flavor and texture. If you can’t find gorgonzola feel free to use any type of blue cheese you like. Mozzarella cheese or gouda would be a good substitute for the fontina cheese.
Walnuts: Rich walnuts add the perfect amount of crunch and nutty flavor that beautifully complements the pears and cheese. If someone has a walnut allergy, try chopped pecans, hazelnuts, or cashews instead. If it’s a general nut allergy, you can substitute raw pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or just leave them off.
👩🏽🍳 How To Make Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Pizza
My pear gorgonzola pizza recipe tastes like it took hours to make but comes together with minimal effort. It’s one of the easiest pizzas you’ll ever make. Check out my video below to see the entire process step-by-step.
Prepare The Oven And Ingredients
Preheat Oven And Prep Dough: To begin, I preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). Next, I spread out my dough on a baking sheet, pizza pan, or pizza stone. Then I lightly brush my pizza base with 1 teaspoon of good olive oil.
Prep Fontina Cheese: If the fontina cheese did not come grated or shredded, I grate it using the coarse side of a cheese grater and set it aside for a later step.
Cut Pears: I choose 2 perfectly ripe pears and wash them. Then I cut off the stem at the top and thinly slice the pears, avoiding the seeds in the center.
Chop Walnuts: If the walnuts are not already chopped, I just give them a rough chop so they’re in pieces about the size of sweet peas.
Build The Pizza
Add Fontina Cheese And Sliced Pear: First, I sprinkle the fontina cheese onto the coated pizza dough. Then I arrange the pear in a spiral design. You can also just throw them on. Just make sure to leave some room between each one so the cheese can bubble up around them.
Add Gorgonzola Cheese And Walnuts: After the pears are arranged, I sprinkle on the gorgonzola cheese crumbles and then the walnuts.
Bake The Pizza
Bake: Once my oven is fully preheated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius), I transfer my assembled pizza to the oven and let it bake for about 10-12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is lightly golden brown.
Serve: When done, I remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then I serve my pear and walnut pizza warm and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for making my pear and gorgonzola pizza is to always use ripe, sweet pears and slice them very thinly! This is key to balancing the sharp, tangy taste of the gorgonzola and achieving the perfect blend of flavors and textures on your pizza. A firm, unripe pear won’t provide the natural sweetness needed to balance the flavors. I always taste my pears before using them to make sure they are just right.
If I find that my pears are on the firm side, I place them in a paper bag at room temperature with a ripe banana or apple for about 1 to 2 days. The ethylene gas from the ripe fruit helps to ripen the pears faster.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Don’t Skip The Olive Oil: Brushing olive oil on the dough before adding toppings is how I get a perfectly golden, crispy crust. It also helps the flavors meld beautifully as it bakes.
- Slice The Pears Properly: I slice my pears very thin and evenly, which allows the fruit to melt into the cheese and cook at the same rate. This adds to the creamy texture.
- Use Cornmeal or Semolina: Sometimes I add a light dusting of cornmeal or semolina under the dough to give my pizza a nice, textured base. This also prevents the dough from sticking to the baking sheet or pizza stone. For a pre-made crust, feel free to skip this step.
- Preheat The Pizza Stone: If you’re using a pizza stone, make sure to preheat it in the oven before using a pizza peel to safely transfer your pizza onto the hot stone. This helps create an extra-crispy crust by evenly distributing the heat.
- Watch The Baking Time: Keep an eye on the pizza while it bakes to avoid overcooking. I’ve found it typically takes 10-12 minutes. However, pre-baked crusts and flatbread can overcook quickly and become overly crispy and even tough.
- Add Extra Sweetness: Drizzle your pear walnut gorgonzola pizza with a bit of honey or add a pinch of brown sugar before baking for an extra bit of sweetness to contrast the tangy cheese. I also love to drizzle it with balsamic glaze right before serving.
📖 Variations
Homemade Pizza Dough: For convenience, I used a store-bought dough. I don’t always have time to pull out my stand mixer and rolling pin! However, feel free to make yours from scratch. Some of my favorite homemade pizza dough recipes are my Poolish pizza dough and low calorie pizza crust. Even my homemade vegan flatbread works wonderfully as a base for pizza.
Gluten Free: To make my pear walnut gorgonzola pizza gluten-free-friendly, I normally just use a pre-made cauliflower crust. Banza also makes a legume-based gluten-free crust that would work well. If making homemade gluten-free pizza dough, I use a certified gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the regular flour. The texture will be slightly different, but it will still be super tasty!
Vegan: Yes, it’s totally possible to make a vegan version. Swap the gorgonzola cheese for vegan blue cheese or vegan parmesan cheese, and the fontina for vegan mozzarella cheese! Make sure the crust you buy is vegan too.
Pear Blue Cheese Pizza: Replace the gorgonzola cheese with other types of blue cheese such as roquefort (French), stilton (English), and cabrales (Spanish). Each is delicious and fantastic with the fruit and walnuts. When making this pizza for my family I often use whatever type of blue cheese I have in my fridge.
Omit The Gorgonzola: If you’re not a fan of blue cheese or have picky eaters just omit the gorgonzola and use parmesan cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese. When making the pizza for kids I often replace it with parmesan.
Toppings: I wanted to keep my pear and gorgonzola pizza simple but you can add any toppings you like. Some good options are peppery arugula, red onions or caramelized onions, balsamic reduction, a drizzle of ranch, a sprinkle of sea salt, salty prosciutto, fresh herbs like fresh thyme or rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This pear walnut gorgonzola pizza is perfect when served as is but it’s equally delicious when paired with other dishes like soups, salads, pasta, and other appetizers. These are just a few of my favorites:
With Salads: A fresh salad like my spinach and arugula salad, tomato avocado cucumber salad, or keto Greek salad provides the perfect balance to the richness of the pizza. You could also serve it with some simple mixed greens tossed with my vegan Italian dressing.
With Soups: Like sandwiches, this pear gorgonzola walnut pizza pairs well with soups like my tomato soup, mushroom soup, Greek lentil soup, or vegan minestrone soup.
With Pasta: For the ultimate Italian meal, serve it with a delicious pasta like my vegan pasta primavera, garlic pasta with veggies, or pink sauce pasta. It’s also yummy with some of my homemade vegan pasta tossed with olive oil and garlic.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Fridge: First, I allow the pizza to cool to room temperature and then place it in an airtight container or wrap it securely in plastic wrap. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To reheat, I normally place the pizza slices on a baking sheet and heat them up in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) for about 7 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat pizza in an air fryer.
Make Ahead: If you’re making your own dough it can be made ahead of time and used at a later date. Then when ready, just assemble your pear walnut gorgonzola pizza and bake. I do this often to save time.
❓Recipe FAQs
WHY IS MY PIZZA SOGGY?
A soggy pizza can result from several factors. One common cause is adding too many toppings or using overly wet ingredients. Another factor could be that your oven isn’t hot enough. I always make sure my oven is at least 450°F (230°C) before putting my pizza in to bake.
HOW DO I STOP THE PIZZA CRUST FROM BURNING BEFORE THE CHEESE MELTS?
If your crust is cooking too quickly, it could be due to the oven temperature being too high or placing the pizza too close to the heat source. I always bake my pizza on the middle rack where the heat is more even. If the edges are browning too quickly, you can cover them with foil.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THE PIZZA IS DONE?
I know my pear and gorgonzola pizza is done when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and fully melted. The edges of the crust should be firm but not overly crispy, and the cheese should have a slight browning in spots.
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📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Pear And Gorgonzola Pizza With Walnuts
My easy pear walnut gorgonzola pizza recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! Made with just five simple ingredients, it combines gooey fontina cheese, savory gorgonzola, fresh sweet pears, and crunchy walnuts on a perfectly crispy whole-wheat pizza crust for an incredibly delicious meal. It's perfect for pizza lovers who want a sweet & savory twist on regular pizza. Everyone who tries it can’t get enough!
Servings: 8 servings / slices
Calories: 256kcal
Ingredients
- 1 package of fresh whole wheat pizza dough or a whole wheat flatbread (I used the kind from Trader Joe's)
- 1½ Bosc or Bartlett pears thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated fontina cheese
- 2-3 oz gorgonzola cheese
- ⅓-½ cup chopped walnuts
Equipment
Instructions
- Spread out your dough on a baking sheet. Lightly brush 1 tsp olive oil on the dough. Top with fontina cheese, pear slices, gorgonzola and walnuts in that order.
- Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is slightly golden.
Notes
Gorgonzola Pizza Variations
- Caramelized Onions: Add some caramelized onions to the top of the pizza – they go wonderfully with the flavors of the gorgonzola cheese.
- Add Some Greens! To get even more nutrients, add some washed and trimmed arugula on top of the pizza. It will provide a burst of flavor and color.
- Try Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle some fresh rosemary or thyme on top of the finished pizza. It’s a beautiful way to enhance the flavors even more.
- Use Different Cheese: If you aren’t a fan of gorgonzola cheese, try feta cheese or goat cheese instead! Alternatively, you could try gouda or mozzarella, or omit the gorgonzola and use fontina cheese instead.
- Try a Different Fruit: Apples slices, or even peaches would work well with this pizza!
- Slice the pears as thin as you can. That way, the flavor of the pears melts into the cheese and adds a creaminess to the pizza.
- Watch your pizza to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Typically 10 to 12 minutes is all you need for it to cook perfectly. With pre-made pizza dough, it can overcook quickly and then the dough becomes too crispy and tough.
- Brushing the pizza dough with olive oil before adding the toppings and baking is critical to getting that golden brown crust!
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
This looks amazing. I’ve never had pears on pizza before, but I am all about adding new and healthy ingredients to pretty much everything, like putting kale in chocolate shakes (seriously). Love your blog! Keep up the good work!
-Elesha
Congrats for the successful pizza made at home and thanks for the recipe. Really walnut pizza is very delicious but making it it in home is something very difficult but you had done a great job the pizza looks awesome.
I love this flavor combination! Definitely going to give this one a try!
I love homemade pizza. There is nothing better! This is a recipe I am going to try. If it turns out as half as good as those pics look, my family will love it. Thanks for sharing. Glad I found your site!
I LOVE PIZZA!!! I love making my own pizza too, because I can control everything that goes in there – to make it as healthy as it can be! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂
I LOVE making my own “Healthy” version of pizza’s.. I make a salad with walnuts, pear and gorgonzola.. but it sounds eve more amazing on pizza! awesome idea!
This pizza looks fabulous! Definitely going to try it!
I love making my own pizza’s I will be making this one tonight! Thanks for the suggestion, looks delicious.
Gourmet Pizza at home – love it!
This is one of the best combos ever, can’t wait to try this pizza!
This looks delicious and so EASY to make! I have to try it.
I love this combo! Always looking for new pizza topping ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Oh this looks amazing- look at all that cheesey goodness in that picture. This is one of my favorites to order too! I love it when they drizzle with truffle oil too. (I’m excessive like that)
Believe it to not… this is one of my FAVORITE pizzas! (I also usually add some caramelized onion).
I have eaten this pizza at restaurants and have loved it! I’m totally trying your recipe over the weekend. Thanks Anjali for sharing 🙂
What an amazing combination of flavors! That’s the great thing about pizzas…you can do whatever you want!