delicata squash, sage, and chorizo flatbread pizza
Nutty roasted squash is the perfect addition to gooey mozzarella, spicy chorizo, and crispy, herbal sage in this easy weeknight pizza recipe.
Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes
I like pizza and flatbreads for different reasons.
Pizza, to me, feels like a true entrée, something you dig into and get your hands a little greasy for. I don’t particularly like making it at home because the dough takes time and precision to get right, and even then, without a pizza oven you’re looking at an average pizza at best.
Flatbread, on the other hand, feels more like a snack or appetizer that can be served as a casual but hearty option for girls’ nights, football Sundays, and date nights in. It’s easy because the dough doesn’t need to rise or proof, so you can have something impressive on the table while remaining relatively effortless in the kitchen.
I guess flatbread is like pizza-lite.
If you really do prefer pizza, I urge you to simply use these directions on your favorite pizza dough. The squash is nutty and creamy, the chorizo spicy and savory, and the sage crispy and earthy. The toppings work in tandem to create a punchy autumnal flavor that is both familiar and a little new. Plus, it gives you a reason to buy one of those gorgeous delicata squash.
How do I cook with delicata squash?
Delicata squash is a small, oblong squash notable for its yellow and green-ish stripes. The slices resemble flowers and can be used for pretty fall presentations thanks to the slightly raised stripes along the outside. Better yet, the skin is edible, softening when roasted so that it can be eaten without issue. The inside, then, becomes buttery soft and tender, with a flavor similar to other winter squash like butternut or acorn.
To prep delicata squash, I recommend slicing the ends off and then cutting the squash in half. Use a large spoon to scrape the inner guts and seeds out as you would a pumpkin, scraping as much as possible so the squash is clean. Then, slice across the squash, yielding about 12 to 15 flower-shaped slices. From there, you can slice these in half or keep them whole (this is really user preference). I’ve found this to be the most efficient way to slice this squash.
If you can’t find delicata squash, don’t sweat it. This works fine with butternut, you will just have to peel the skin and dice the squash instead. You could use sweet potato as an absolute last resort, but I find these to be a bit more starchy than the super-soft delicata, which changes the essence of the flatbread a bit (I’m trying not to sound pretentious about this).
What is the most efficient way to make this flatbread?
The prep and cook time might look intimidating for something that I’m telling you is easy — the key to making this is to prep while you go. Here’s the best way to make this flatbread:
Crank the oven up to 425F. While this is preheating, prep the squash and slice the onions.
With the squash in the oven, throw together the dough. Using a food processor makes this a breeze and you should have a dough ball within minutes. Knead and roll the dough into 2 large ovals.
Pull the squash from the oven and transfer it to a plate. Use the same baking sheet for one flatbread and a second baking sheet for the other (or save the second dough ball in the fridge for later).
While the crust is browning, crumble the chorizo in a skillet. This should only take a few minutes. If you want the onions cooked down, soften those before crumbling the chorizo.
Remove the flatbread, oil it, then assemble it. Throw it back into the oven and bake until melty and crispy and golden.
Serve: Slice into triangles to serve.
Prepping delicata: Scoop all the innards out before slicing to avoid having to clean each individual slice.
delicata squash, sage, and chorizo flatbread pizza ingredients
delicata squash: You’ll only need one fairly small delicata squash here. Slice the squash into thin rounds about 1/4-inch thick and scrape the insides clean as much as possible. Leave the skin on — it gets soft when roasted. If you can’t find delicata, swap for butternut (but peel the skin off).
olive oil: You’ll need oil for a few things: The squash, the dough, and the flatbread. I’d advise against using other oils here, olive oil is best for all three.
salt and pepper: You can throw any spices you like onto the delicata, but note that the chorizo has plenty of spices in itself to carry the flavor of this flatbread. Salt and pepper are recommended as a baseline and are plenty for the squash.
flour: All purpose, nothing fancy.
warm water: Using hot water condenses the gluten, causing a more dense dough. Since you don’t have to worry about yeast, you can get away with using cold or warm water, but warm water will result in a more dense, crispy, and typical “flat” flatbread.
chorizo: Look for Mexican chorizo, which is sold as raw, seasoned pork in links. Spanish chorizo is cured and will be a very different taste and texture (like a charcuterie meat). I prefer chorizo sold in links to the chorizo sold by the butcher — I highly recommend seeking these out for the best, most moist chorizo.
mozzarella: The meltiest cheese and a good neutral base. I prefer using the fresh mozzarella packed in brine, but you can use shredded or sliced mozz instead.
Parmesan: For some salty umami on the base: If you want a more funky flavor, swap for gorgonzola. For something a little sharper, use white cheddar or provolone. You can also swap for similarly salty cotija, melty oaxaca, or spicy pepperjack.
onion: I like a good Spanish onion, but you can use yellow or even red here. I like the strong flavor of onion, but you can choose to sauté the onions ahead of time or even caramelize them for a deeper, more rich flavor. Adding them to the flatbread raw will result in the strongest onion flavor — and some crunch!
sage: I love crispy sage on my pizza! You can add this right way for super crispy sage (just make sure it doesn’t burn), or towards the end for something with more chew. If you don’t have sage, leave it out.
The squash will be fork-tender and browning on the edges. Slice them thin — about 1/4-inch — they will be easier to roast and eat.
Knead the dough using the heel of your hand until smooth, about 2 to 5 minutes.
delicata squash, sage, and chorizo flatbread pizza pairing options
I love serving flatbread when hosting casual get togethers: It’s enough to satisfy very hungry people, and a good snack for those who just want to nibble. You can also serve this for dinner as a quick pizza night! Here are pairing options for either scenario:
Crumble the chorizo for a few minutes until browned. Feel free to push it a bit more for crispy pieces, but remember it will continue cooking on the pizza as well.
I like a very crispy flatbread, so I prefer to almost entirely cook the crust beforehand to avoid doughy insides. It won’t be quite browned, but will start showing brown spots.
You can also add the sage in the last few minutes of cooking to avoid any over-cooked pieces — all of the other ingredients can be in there a pretty long time with no issue.