Roasted Honeynut Squash and Kale Pizza

Roasted Honeynut Squash and Kale Pizza made with Food 52’s pizza crust. So incredibly delicious! I promise you, if you like butternut squash, you will love this pizza. Hope you try it! It’s perfect for fall! 

Have you had a honeynut squash before?  They are sweet and nutty and besides being packed with more flavor than traditional butternut squash, the tiny Honeynut squash has more nutrients; it’s estimated that a single serving has twice the beta-carotene of an equal amount of butternut squash. The Honeynut is also a good source of vitamin A!

“At first glance, Honeynut squash just looks like a shrunken butternut squash. But it’s more than that—the sweet, petite squash has only been in existence for less than a decade and didn’t show up in farmers’ markets until two years ago!! Now its being grown at 90 percent of Northeast squash farms, with no signs of slowing down.”

If I remember correctly, I first discovered these guys last year at Trader Joe’s. They are delicious and flavorful and just a little sweeter than butternut squash. Although, sometimes they taste the same to me. 

I picked these up from my local Farmers Market and went to work. I personally love roasted vegetables on pizza so I knew this had to happen.

Roasted Honeynut Squash and Kale Pizza

If you know me, you know my love for roasted vegetables and this pizza. I’ve made it a few times (cough . . understatement) since April. Click here to see my Zucchini Ribbon Pizza. And with shaved asparagus.

I made the dough, roasted the honeynut squash and went to work! 

Print Recipe

Roasted Honeynut Squash and Kale Pizza

Click here for Food 52's crispy cheese pan pizza recipe. I made this pizza with no tomato sauce but you can certainly add some.

Prep Time16 hrs

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time16 hrs 20 mins

Course: Main or Starter

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crispy pan pizza, food52pizza, pan pizza, pizza, pizza crust

Servings: 4

Equipment

• cast iron skillet (recommended)

Ingredients

• pizza dough from Food 52's recipe
• 1 1/4 cups low-moisture mozzarella  grated
• roasted honeynut squash cubed
• baby kale
• crushed hot pepper flakes if desired
• finishing olive oil, pesto or balsamic glaze for garnish

Instructions

• To make the pizza dough, follow the recipe from Food 52 (linked above).
• About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4 to 5 inches from the top heating element). Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
• When you’re ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella (about 1 cup) evenly over the pizza dough. "Cover the entire crust, no bare dough showing—this will yield caramelized edges."
• Sprinkle on the roasted honeynut squash and baby kale over the top, arranging them however you'd like. Be careful not to pile on too much.
• Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for about 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown.
• "Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly, then as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy."
• Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes if desired and drizzle on a finishing olive oil, pesto or balsamic glaze over the top. Use kitchen shears or a pizza cutter to cut the pizza into slices, enjoy!