Butternut Squash and Beet Pizza with Ricotta

A delicious vegetarian pizza made completely from scratch in only an hour! Homemade whole wheat dough is the base for pureed squash sauce, roasted beets, torn basil, and fresh ricotta.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 489kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

2 cups butternut squash diced
4 cloves garlic peeled
3 tablespoon olive oil divided
2 beets scrubbed and diced
8 ounces ricotta cheese
Fresh basil torn, to taste

For the whole wheat crust:

1 cup warm water should be warmer than lukewarm but not hot
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast or one ¼ ounce (7 g) packet
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Crush the garlic cloves with the back of a chef's knife. Toss the garlic and butternut squash in a tablespoon of the olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Transfer to one of the baking sheets. Do the same thing with the beets. Put both of the baking sheets in the oven and roast for approximately 20 minutes or until the squash and beets are fork tender.
While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the dough. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and olive oil in a large bowl, and let it sit for 5 minutes. This allows the yeast to puff up a little bit. Add the flour and sea salt and mix until everything comes together.
If the dough seems too dry, add a tablespoon of water. If it is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour. Form the dough into a ball then divide into two smaller balls. Let them sit, covered with a clean dish towel, on the counter for 15 minutes.
Once the vegetables are finished roasting, transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender. Add the last tablespoon of olive and blend until smooth. You may need to add a small amount of water to promote blending.
Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll out one of the dough balls to a 10 to 12-inch circle. Cover the other ball of dough with plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer for later use.
Transfer the crust to a baking sheet or pizza stone coated with olive oil or nonstick spray. Brush with olive oil and then spread the butternut squash sauce on top. Top with the roasted beets, clumps of ricotta cheese, and freshly torn basil to taste. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Enjoy warm!

Notes

This recipe yields two balls of pizza dough. You can double the recipe for the sauce and toppings if you are making pizza for a family or larger crowd. Otherwise, wrap the leftover ball of dough in plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer or later use.

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