Spicy butternut squash pizza with crispy kale
I actually can’t remember a time that pizza has been this good. I mean, bad pizza is very rare in the first place – I can only think of one time when I’ve had bad pizza, and that was a £1 cardboard-based pizza from the corner shop with a ‘cheese flavoured topping’ (err no, I’m not quite sure what I was thinking either…). Generally, all pizza is good pizza. But this. This spicy butternut squash pizza with crispy kale. This was something else.
I’m going to go ahead and say it was possibly the best pizza ever.
It’s tricky to determine what makes this pizza so amazing – a few simple toppings just come together in perfect harmony (I think I feel a poem coming on).
This spicy, crispy, cheesy pizza is topped with:
– hot Peppadew piquante peppers. Remember these things from my recipes before Christmas? I’m still putting them on everything – salads, sandwiches, quesadillas… there’s very little that can’t benefit from a few Peppadews. You can choose between hot and mild – I went for the hot ones (‘now even hotter!’), since I like to live on the edge.
– roasted butternut squash. I’ve always thought squash goes perfectly with a bit of heat – the spicy / sweet combo is utterly perfect.
– crispy kale. I can feel a new obsession coming on – I now fully understand why kale chips got so popular. As the pizza bakes, the kale crisps up and takes on the most amazing flavour! If you’ve ever roasted broccoli, it tastes a lot like that. I never knew kale could be so genuinely tasty (and not just in a ‘ooh look at me, I’m so healthy and I love kale’ kind of way, in an actually tasty way).
As you can see, none of the toppings on this pizza are particularly ‘out there’, but the combination just works so well. I even used a spicy chilli and tomato pesto instead of pizza sauce, for an extra kick – feel free to use a non-spicy pesto or just a plain tomato sauce if you’re a bit of a spice lightweight. The hot Peppadews give a lovely amount of heat on their own.
I worked on this recipe at lunchtime one day (as I always do, so there’s light for my photos), and it was pretty tough to save it for dinner. It was worth the wait though, and this spicy butternut squash pizza is definitely going straight in the regular rotation!
If you want to give this pizza a go, Peppadew® products are stocked in Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons,
Spicy butternut squash pizza with crispy kale
Ingredients
- 200 g diced butternut squash flesh (~ 1 1/3 cups)
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 350 g pizza dough (enough for a pizza measuring ~12 x 9”)
- 1 1/2 tbsp red pesto (I used a shop-bought tomato and chilli pesto)
- 120 g grated mozzarella and / or cheddar (~ 1 cup)
- 60 g hot Peppadew piquante peppers, roughly chopped (~ 1/2 cup)
- 15 g roughly chopped curly kale (~ 1/2 cup)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).
- Toss the diced butternut squash with a little oil and some salt and pepper, and spread in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast for around 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until soft and just starting to crisp up.
- Meanwhile, lightly spray a baking tray with oil. Roll or stretch the pizza dough out to the size of the tray.
- Spread the pesto over the pizza dough, and top with the grated cheese. Add the chopped Peppadew peppers, chopped kale, and the roasted butternut squash. Bake the pizza for around 30 minutes, or until the crust is crispy and the cheese is golden brown.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information about is for 1/3 of the pizza.
Love crispy, cheesy pizza? My pizza quesadillas are even crispier and even cheesier – there are two layers of cheese and veggies!
Colorful & inviting! Worth a try.
Yum!
this looks amazing!! i love putting veggies on pizza but get stuck in a mushroom and sweetcorn rut. will be trying this on saturday night for sure <3
To be fair, mushroom and sweetcorn pizzas are pretty amazing – but I think this is even better :) Let me know how you like it!
Kale on a pizza? Never would I ever have thought of that! Brilliance
It’s SO good!
I love this. Such a good way to sneak a bit of Kale into what would feel like a naughty meal!
Oh wow! This looks fabulous. I love the idea of using butternut squash on a pizza.
This is the most interesting pizza combination I’ve ever heard of! I love both butternut squash and kale and since they’re both quite healthy, I’d be interested in trying this recipe out :)
This looks absolutely scrummy! I love butternut squash and roast it often, but wouldn’t have thought of using it in this way! Thank you x
I am not always keen on pizza and avoid it for the most part unless it’s might meaty but this does look delicious and the toppings are just yummy
Looks delicious. A crispy pizza with crispy kale, thanks for the idea
loving this pizza, and it’s vibrant colour and flavours especially! haven’t ever made a squash pizza before but it looks like something i would love.
I totally need to make this. I’d love to use kale in more recipes. The peppers sound amazing too.
The best pizza ever huh? Well I so need to try it out for myself especially since I like to live life on the edge too haha!
I must admit both of the recipes looked great to me, I love homemade pizza!
Homemade is always so good isn’t it! :)
What an unusual combination. I would never have thought to add butternut squash to a pizza before but now I’m thinking it sounds amazing and I HAVE to try it.
You’re right it takes a lot to have a truly bad pizza but this combination sounds lovely x
This looks sooo good! Perfect way to add some more kale to our diet :)
I am a huge fan of butternut squash on pizza – but never thought of adding peppadews!
Oh delicious, deliciousness and I have all the ingredients to hand, hoorah! I love squash and kale together and, you’re right, a bit of heat just sets it all off so well!
You must have a very well stocked fridge!
And cupboards! I bought some of the peppers last week! My kale is looking a bit wilty though, I’ll have to pep it up a bit with a bath in icy water.
Three of my favourite vegetables! This sounds so wonderful. I need to veganize this <3
It would be really easy, just use vegan cheese :)
I LOVE butternut squash but I don’t think I’ve ever tried it on a pizza! I love that idea!
That looks so damn good and tasty! Will have to try this out.
I always stand by the fact that all pizza is good pizza, but this looks like especially good pizza. Plus, it has kale on it which means it is healthy!
This looks great! I love roasted butternut squash and often do a batch to use in different dishes so here’s on to add to the list :-) I would never have thought of kale on a pizza but I think you’ve tempted me into it.
Cooking a big batch definitely sounds like a good idea, it’s always a faff to chop it up and roast it from fresh each time! I need to get organised like you :)
I have printed this off, ive never ever thought to have butternut squash on my pizza x
Oh wow this sounds absolutely delicious! Might have to make this x
This sounds very tasty. Going to try making it.
This actually sounds like my idea of heaven, and I have all the ingredients at home too! Yum!
It’s obviously meant to be! ;)
This combination is certainly interesting, I have never been very fan of spicy things but this definitely looks tempting.
Oh my goodness, that butternut squash and kale pizza looks sublime! Right up my street. I’d just ass some goat’s cheese on top. Nom nom
Oooh yes that would be great. Always room for more cheese ;)
Oh my goodness – this looks AMAZING!
What a clever combination, I’d never have thought of putting butternut squash and kale on a pizza but will give it a try as you have bigged it up so much! I do love Peppadew peppers, so sweet and piquant.
Oh what a delicious, healthy pizza!
This pizza look so delicious!! Definitely a must try!
Oh wow this sounds like a delicious combination for a pizza! Totally need to try this! x
Definitely one of the best combinations I’ve tried! :)
Even more reason for me to try it then.. Wonder if I have everything in already to make it hmm. x
This sounds amazing! Healthy and indulgent at the same time!
This sounds so yummy scrummy! I am going to make it with my partner!
Oh my goodness, I’ve never thought of putting butternut squash on a pizza but WOW! This looks epic, as always lovely! H x
I’ve never thought of putting butternut squash on a pizza – good idea!
I love the color in that pizza. How good is butternut squash on a pizza? And a great combo with the kale.
Sweet potato is literally one of my favourite things. It’s epic in puree form on pizza! You must try it :)
Ooh, like instead of the sauce? Good idea!
Bookmarking this so I can make it tomorrow :)
Oh that pizza looks amazing Becca. I really, really want some. And everything is enhanced with a bit of spicy pepper I reckon ;)
This combo really does sound good. I agree that the sweet taste of roasted butternut squash works well with a little heat and I do adore peppadews! And crispy kale is definitely the only tasty way to eat it in my book!
I love Butternut Squash but have never thought to put it on a pizza, so really have to try this now:-)