Caramelized Onions and Gorgonzola Pizza

Name: Caramelized Onions and Gorgonzola Pizza
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound (450 g) store-bought pizza dough or homemade, at room temperature; 1½ pounds (680 g) yellow onions, halved lengthwise, then sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; sea salt, to taste; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 6 ounces (170 g) fresh mozzarella, torn into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, or low-moisture mozzarella, shredded; 3 ounces (85 g) gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, cold; ½ cup (60 g) raw walnuts, roughly chopped; 1½ teaspoons (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, picked from stems

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A sophisticated pizza with sweet, deeply caramelized onions balanced by tangy gorgonzola, creamy mozzarella, crunchy toasted walnuts, and fresh thyme. The slow caramelization brings out the onions' natural sweetness, while the blue cheese adds pungent complexity—a combination that feels restaurant-worthy but is entirely manageable at home.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 40 min
Makes: 1 pizza (2 large slices per person)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) at least 20 minutes before baking; if using a pizza stone, place it on the lowest oven rack now
Allow pizza dough to come to room temperature for 30 minutes if it's been refrigerated—cold dough resists stretching
Toast the walnuts while the onions caramelize (see step 2)
Have all toppings prepped and ready before shaping the dough

1
Toast the walnuts
- Spread the chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- This step can happen while the onions start cooking.
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Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and turn light golden; no burnt smell
Tip: Toast walnuts before the onions to avoid having two things on the stove; even 1 minute of burning makes them bitter
2
Caramelize the onions
- In a large 12-inch skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- Stir to coat evenly.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30–35 minutes.
- The onions will first release moisture and soften (5 minutes), then gradually turn golden and collapse into a jam-like mass.
- In the final 5 minutes, stir more frequently to prevent sticking and deepen the caramel color.
- Onions are ready when they're a deep amber-brown, smell sweet and caramelized (not burnt), and a spoon leaves a trail on the pan.
- Season with a pinch of black pepper.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly.
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Ready when: Onions are deep amber-brown, smell sweet and caramelized, and reduced to about 1 cup
Tip: Resist the urge to rush or crank the heat—slow and steady is the only way to true caramelization. Fast cooking yields pale, unsweet onions
3
Shape and dress the dough
- Lightly dust your work surface and pizza peel or baking sheet with flour.
- Gently stretch the room-temperature dough into a 12- to 14-inch round, working from the center outward and letting gravity help.
- If it resists, let it rest for 2 minutes and try again.
- Transfer to the peel or baking sheet.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) and rub across the surface, especially the edges, to crisp them during baking.
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Ready when: Dough is stretched to an even ¼-inch thickness with a thicker rim for the crust
Tip: Cold dough tears easily; room temperature dough stretches like a dream. If it keeps shrinking back, it needs another 5 minutes of rest
4
Top the pizza
- Spread or scatter the caramelized onions evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border for the crust.
- Distribute the mozzarella pieces or shreds over the onions.
- Scatter the gorgonzola crumbles on top—don't mix it in; let it sit on the surface so it melts into pockets of flavor.
- Sprinkle the toasted walnuts and fresh thyme evenly across the entire pizza.
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Ready when: All toppings are distributed; no bare patches of dough
Tip: Use cold gorgonzola straight from the fridge—it holds its shape and distributes more evenly than softened cheese
5
Bake the pizzaOven 475°F / 245°C
- Place the pizza in the preheated 475°F (245°C) oven on the lowest rack if using a pizza stone, or in the middle rack if using a baking sheet.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown on the bottom and edges are puffed and crispy.
- The mozzarella should be melted and lightly bubbling, and the gorgonzola should have softened into creamy pockets.
- Rotate the pizza halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
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Ready when: Crust is golden brown; mozzarella is melted and bubbly; bottom is crisp and sounds hollow when tapped
Tip: Don't open the oven door for at least 10 minutes—oven spring happens fast, and you want to let it happen undisturbed
6
Cool and serve
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 2 minutes.
- This allows the cheese to set slightly so slices hold together.
- Slice into 4 large wedges and serve warm.
- The caramelized onions, creamy melted cheeses, and toasted walnuts create a sophisticated flavor balance that's best enjoyed fresh from the oven.
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Ready when: Pizza is cool enough to handle and slice cleanly
Tip: If you wait longer than 3 minutes, the pizza will firm up and become harder to slice cleanly

Good to know

Tips

Caramelization is patient work—medium heat and occasional stirring for 30 minutes yields deeply sweet, complex onions. High heat produces burnt-tasting onions, not caramel.
Fresh mozzarella is creamier and more delicate than low-moisture mozzarella; if the pizza looks soupy before baking, you've used too much fresh mozzarella or it wasn't drained well. Use a slotted spoon to lift it from whey.
Gorgonzola adds funk and pungency—if you prefer a milder blue cheese flavor, reduce the amount to 2 ounces (55 g) and supplement with extra mozzarella.
Stretch the dough gently and let gravity do the work. Forcing it causes uneven thickness and tough, chewy results.

Make ahead

Caramelize the onions up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat before topping the pizza. Toast the walnuts up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Prep the toppings the morning of baking, but assemble and bake the pizza within 2 hours of shaping the dough for best results.

Storage & reheating

Leftover pizza keeps in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until the crust is crispy and the cheese is warm, or in a toaster oven for 5–6 minutes. Do not microwave, as the crust will become tough. Unbaked pizza dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Substitutions

gorgonzola cheese, crumbled → Cambozola, Danish blue, or other blue-veined cheese. Cambozola is milder and creamier; Danish blue is sharper. Use the same weight.
raw walnuts, roughly chopped → Toasted pecans or hazelnuts. Pecans are sweeter; hazelnuts are nuttier. Toast the same way and use the same weight.
fresh thyme leaves → Fresh rosemary (use half the amount, 0.75 teaspoon) or fresh sage (same amount). Rosemary is more assertive; sage is earthy. Adjust to taste.
store-bought pizza dough or homemade → Pre-made pizza crust or focaccia base. Use a 12-inch crust. Bake at the same temperature, reducing time to 8–10 minutes since the crust is already partially cooked.