This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Butternut Squash Sausage and Ricotta Pizza is perfect for fall! Topped with creamy ricotta mixed with fresh herbs, mozzarella cheese, spicy Italian sausage and sweet roasted butternut squash. A delicious fall dinner or appetizer!
Fall and winter are the perfect times of year to make homemade pizza. It’s finally cool enough to where turning on the oven doesn’t make the whole house feel like a sauna. There’s plenty of options when it comes to making homemade pizza. There’s the classics like this Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza. Or if you’re more adventurous try this Brussels Sprouts and Ricotta Pizza.
Whenever I can, I love to incorporate seasonal ingredients into my pizza recipes like I did with this Butternut Squash Sausage and Ricotta Pizza. The roasted butternut squash adds a hint of sweetness that pairs perfectly with the salty ricotta cheese and spicy Italian sausage.
Ingredients Needed to Make Butternut Squash Sausage and Ricotta Pizza
- Butternut squash
- Spicy Italian turkey sausage
- Ricotta cheese
- Garlic powder and red pepper flakes
- Fresh sage and rosemary
- Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
- Pizza dough
- Pepitas
How to Make Butternut Squash Pizza
To make the pizza, start by tossing the squash together on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast it until it’s for tender. While the squash roasts, cook the turkey sausage, crumbling it with a fork as you cook it. Remove the sausage from the pan and onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess grease.
In a small bowl stir together the ricotta, fresh herbs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. On a sheet pan or pizza stone coated with olive oil, form the pizza dough into a good sized circle, oval or rectangle. It doesn’t have to look perfect. Spread the ricotta mixture onto the dough. Top it with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, the sausage and butternut squash and pepitas.
Bake the pizza in the oven at 500° F. for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and top it with extra chopped fresh sage and rosemary.
Tips and FAQ
Time Saving Tips:
- Buy a bag of butternut squash that’s already been peeled and diced.
- Buy pizza dough from the grocery store or a local pizzeria instead of making the dough. I almost always buy my pizza dough at Whole Foods.
- Cook the sausage ahead of time. I cooked the sausage for this pizza a couple days in advance.
- Roast the butternut squash ahead of time. You can do this a day or two in advance as well.
Tips for Puffy Pizza Crust – Let your dough come to room temperature before working with it. This usually takes 1-2 hours. Instead of using a rolling pin to form the dough, use your hands. Make sure the edge/crust of the pizza is a little thicker than the middle. Bake the pizza at a high heat. 500° F. is what I usually bake mine at.
What can I use instead of ricotta cheese? Goat cheese can be used instead of ricotta. The flavor will be more tangy, but it will still taste great. Be sure the goat cheese is soft before trying to spread it. You can also skip the ricotta and take a tablespoon or so of olive oil, mix in the herbs and spices and spread it over the pizza dough.
Butternut Squash Sausage and Ricotta Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 cup peeled and diced butternut squash
- 1 link spicy or sweet Italian turkey sausage casing removed
- 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons pepitas unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. and line a baking sheet with foil. Dump the butternut squash onto the pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss until coated and then place it in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until fork tender. Once the squash is finished roasting, turn the heat up to 500° F.
- While the squash roasts, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking oil and add in the Italian sausage with the casing removed. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to crumble the sausage. Once it's cooked through, remove it from the skillet and onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess grease.
- In a small bowl combine the ricotta, spices, herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Stir together until combined.
- Remove the squash and foil from the baking sheet and add enough olive oil to the pan so that the bottom is coated. Place the pizza dough on the pan and use your hands to stretch and form it into a oval or rectangle.
- Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Sprinkle on the mozzarella and Parmesan, then top it with the crumbled sausage and roasted squash. Sprinkle on the pepitas and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with extra chopped herbs if desired and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Pizza Recipes
Sausage, Apple and Thyme Breakfast Pizza
Spinach and Artichoke Dip Pizza
We thoroughly enjoyed this pizza for dinner tonight. I added caramelized onions to the toppings. Easy enough to make vegetarian by omitting the sausage. Great and easy recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pizza Kathleen and thank you for trying it out!