Brussels Sprouts Pizza
intro
Crispy thin-crust pizza topped with caramelized brussels sprouts, nutty melted fontina, crispy pancetta, and tangy balsamic glaze—cozy, savory autumn comfort food perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Steps
Preheat Pizza Stone
Place the 12-inch cordierite pizza stone on the middle rack of your oven, then preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Allow the stone to heat for a full 20 minutes while you prep toppings—this high, sustained heat creates a crispy, blistered crust that resists sogginess from moist vegetable toppings.
Toss Brussels Sprouts
Place trimmed, halved brussels sprouts, diced pancetta, and thinly sliced garlic in the medium stainless steel mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, then toss thoroughly with the silicone-tipped tongs until every sprout half is evenly coated in a thin sheen of oil and seasoning.
Roast Sprout Mixture
Spread the oil-tossed sprout and pancetta mixture in a single, uncrowded even layer across the small stainless steel rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the oven’s top rack for 10 minutes, until sprouts are deep green with golden caramelized cut edges and pancetta is crisp and rendered. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Stretch Pizza Dough
Place the room-temperature pizza dough on the lightly floured surface of the acacia wood cutting board. Use your fingertips to press the dough outward from the center, stretching it gently into a rough 12-inch round with a slightly thicker 1-inch puffy rim for the crust. Avoid using a rolling pin, as this presses out the air bubbles that create a light, chewy crust texture.
Layer Cheese and Toppings
Use the boar-bristle pastry brush to spread the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil evenly across the center of the stretched dough, leaving the 1-inch crust rim completely dry. Sprinkle 3/4 of the shredded fontina cheese evenly over the oiled dough, then scatter the cooled roasted brussels sprout and pancetta mixture across the cheese, spreading toppings to the edge of the crust. Top with the remaining fontina, fresh thyme leaves, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
Bake Pizza Until Crisp
Lightly dust the pine wood pizza peel with a pinch of all-purpose flour to prevent sticking, then slide the peel under the fully topped pizza. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown with small charred blisters, cheese is fully melted and bubbly with light golden spots, and sprout edges are slightly crisped.
Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze
Use the pizza peel to carefully remove the baked pizza from the oven, sliding it directly onto the large matte cream ceramic serving platter. Immediately drizzle the 2 tablespoons of balsamic glaze in a thin zig-zag pattern across the top of the hot pizza, then sprinkle with extra fresh thyme leaves and optional red pepper flakes. Let rest 3 minutes before slicing to allow the cheese to set, preventing toppings from sliding off when cut.
Slice and Serve Hot
Use the sharp stainless steel pizza cutter to slice the rested pizza into 8 equal wedges. Serve immediately on the matching matte cream ceramic side plates, with the small glass ramekin of red pepper flakes set out for guests who prefer extra heat.
Tips
2.Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet when roasting brussels sprouts: spread them in a single layer with cut sides down so they caramelize and develop a nutty sweetness, rather than steaming and turning mushy or bitter.
3.Wait 3 full minutes after removing the pizza from the oven before slicing: this short rest allows the melted cheese to set slightly, so toppings stay in place instead of sliding off the slices when you cut and serve them.
OMG, I made this for our family dinner last night and even my kid who swears he hates all green veggies ate THREE slices! The caramelized brussels sprouts get so sweet and crispy, I added a little extra red pepper flake for a kick and it was chef’s kiss. Game changer for pizza night in our house, 10/10 would make again.
This was way easier to pull off than I expected for a medium difficulty recipe! 25 minute cook time is no joke, I had this on the table 35 minutes total from grabbing ingredients out of the fridge to sitting down. Used store-bought whole wheat crust to save time and it still tasted gourmet.
SO good. Brought this to a friend’s potluck last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe before they even finished their first bite. The balance of the salty melted cheese, sweet caramelized sprouts, and that little hint of balsamic? Unbeatable. Don’t skip the balsamic drizzle at the end, trust me.
I swapped the mozzarella for vegan cashew mozz and it worked perfectly! Such a fun, cozy fall pizza that feels fancy enough for date night but casual enough for a lazy Sunday on the couch. My only note is I’d cook the brussels sprouts a tiny bit longer next time to get them extra crispy, but that’s just personal preference.
Cooked this on my pizza stone out on the grill instead of the oven and it came out insane! The high heat made the crust perfectly charred and got the sprouts even more caramelized than they do in the oven. Whole family demolished it in 10 minutes flat.
Made this for our office potluck earlier this week and it was the first dish gone! I was a little nervous putting a veggie-forward pizza out next to all the chips and dips, but people went crazy for it. Even my boss who only eats plain pepperoni pizza had two slices.
Wait I’m a total beginner cook and I was worried the medium difficulty would be too hard for me, but I pulled it off! My roommates thought I ordered takeout from the fancy pizza place downtown. Pro tip: pre-shred your brussels sprouts with a food processor if you have one, saves so much chopping time.
Used a gluten-free cauliflower crust for this and it was chef’s kiss! I was worried the strong sprout flavor would overpower the mild crust, but the caramelization and balsamic made every bite perfectly balanced. This is going into my regular weeknight rotation for sure.
I added a handful of crumbled cooked bacon to mine because, well, bacon makes everything better, and it paired so perfectly with the sweet brussels sprouts. Don’t @ me, it was incredible. 10/10, will be making this all fall and winter long.
Made this for a casual brunch with my girlfriends last weekend and paired it with mimosas, it was such a hit! We cut it into small squares so it was easy to grab and mingle, and everyone was raving about how unique and tasty it was. Way more fun than your standard breakfast pizza.
Wait is this good for meal prep? I’m trying to prep easy lunches for the week and wondering if this holds up reheated, or if it gets soggy. The flavor sounds amazing so I want to give it a shot if it works for weekly lunches!
Used my homemade sourdough pizza crust for this and it was the perfect pairing! The tang of the sourdough cut through the sweetness of the caramelized sprouts and balsamic so nicely. My only tiny critique is I wish the recipe specified how thin to slice the brussels sprouts, I did 1/4 inch slices and that worked great for me.
Y’all, I used to literally pick brussels sprouts off my plate at Thanksgiving every year, so I went into this fully expecting to hate it. My partner made it for dinner last night and I am OBSESSED. The caramelization makes them taste totally different, no bitter weird flavor at all. I will never talk bad about brussels sprouts again, lmao.