Delicata Pizza with Ricotta and Bacon

Jump to Recipe·Leave a Review

This delicata squash pizza is a delightful combination of earthy sage, savory squash, creamy ricotta cheese, and crispy bacon. It's the perfect pizza for fall.

delicata squash pizza on parchment paper with knife

Delicata squash is one of the easiest winter squashes to cook with. Its smaller size makes it both simple to handle and quicker to cook, while its edible skin means there's no need to spend time peeling.

Winter squash is one of my favorite vegetables to grow in my garden because it can be stored for months after harvesting. But I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy it so that it tastes and feels fresh well into the fall and winter. This pizza fit the bill. It may sound out of the ordinary, but most good things are.

🍕 Why You'll Love This Pizza

The tender delicata squash melts into the rich and creamy ricotta, perfectly contrasting the crisp pizza crust. Each bite offers a mix of textures, beautifully balancing soft and crunchy elements.
Every ingredient shines. From the earthy sage to the tangy balsamic and the drizzle of sweet honey, each element plays its part, creating an addictive blend of sweet, salty, and savory flavors.
This pizza captures the essence of fall. With seasonal squash, aromatic sage, and a touch of honey, you'll enjoy the flavors of autumn in every slice.

For more winter squash recipes, check out my recipes for:

Jump to:

🍕 Why You'll Love This Pizza
🥓 Ingredients
🧄 Substitutions & Variations
🔪 Instructions
🔥 Top Tip
🍳 Equipment
🥡 Storage
🤔 FAQ
🍹 Pairing
📖 Recipe
🍂 Related Recipes
💬 Comments

🥓 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this delicata squash pizza:

Key Ingredients

Pizza dough - Either store bought or homemade pizza dough made with your favorite recipe. You'll need enough dough for one large pizza, about 1 ½ pounds for a thick crust, or 1 pound for a large thin crust pizza.
Delicata squash - Delicata is a quick-cooking squash with edible skin, which makes it a great topping for slicing, roasting, and topping a pizza.
Ricotta cheese - Riccota cheese creates a creamy, cheesy base for this white pizza.
Bacon - Crispy chopped bacon adds a salty and savory crunch to the pizza.
Parmesan - For extra cheesiness.
Sage - Fresh sage leaves add earthiness and depth.
Balsamic vinegar and honey - For some tang and sweetness to finish the pizza after baking.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

🧄 Substitutions & Variations

Try another winter squash instead of delicata, such as thin slices or small peeled butternut squash cubes. But really, most winter squash would work fine here.
For variations on the toppings, consider substituting prosciutto for the cooked bacon, adding a few handfuls of arugula after cooking the pizza, using crumbled feta or goat cheese instead of parmesan, and adding some chopped sundried tomatoes and sliced garlic.
Skip the bacon to make it vegetarian.
Instead of balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses is a flavorful alternative with an equivalent level of tanginess.

🔪 Instructions

a delicata squash being cut on a cutting board

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Slice the delicata squash in half lengthwise.

Step 2: Scoop out the seeds.

Step 3: Cut each half into slices.

sliced delicata squash on a baking sheet

Step 4: Place squash on a baking sheet and toss with oil and salt.

Step 5: Place bacon slices on a second baking sheet. Put both baking sheets in the oven and cook the bacon for about 15 minutes or until crispy and the squash for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Step 6: Roll out the pizza dough on parchment paper until it is about 14 inches wide.

Step 7: Spread the ricotta across the pizza dough.

delicata squash added to pizza with ricotta

Step 8: Top with the roasted delicata squash slices.

Step 9: Top with chopped sage leaves, parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. Carefully lift the parchment paper with the pizza and transfer it to the heated pizza stone or sheet.

Step 10: Bake the pizza for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden. Meanwhile, crimble up the bacon. When the pizza is done, remove it from the oven and top with crumbled bacon, balsamic vinegar, honey, and additional salt to taste.

🔥 Top Tip

If you want a crispy crust and evenly cooked pizza, don't skip preheating your pizza stone or baking sheet in the hot oven before cooking your pizza.

🍳 Equipment

Pizza stone - A pizza stone preheated in the oven helps your pizza cook evenly and achievea crispy crust. Here are a few of the best pizza stone options. But if you don't have one handy, use a baking sheet instead.

🥡 Storage

Leftover pizza can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, or tightly wrapped in foil, for up to three days. Reheat the pizza using your preferred method.

🤔 FAQ

Do you eat the skin on a delicata squash?

Yes, the skin is thin, tender, and completely edible.

Do you refrigerate delicata squash?

No, you do not need to refrigerate delicata squash.

Are delicata squash hard to cut?

Delicata squash is one of the easiest winter squashes to cut open. Its thin skin and softer flesh allow a sharp knife to slice through without trouble.

Is ricotta good on pizza?

Ricotta is an excellent cheese for pizza. Its creamy quality makes a wonderfully cheesy base for a white pizza, and it becomes gooey when baked.