Caramelized Onion Melty Cheese (Printable)

Crispy dough with sweet caramelized onions and a blend of melted cheeses creates a flavorful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 lb fresh pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
02 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting

→ Caramelized Onions

03 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/2 tsp sugar
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

→ Cheese & Toppings

10 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1/2 cup shredded fontina or Gruyère cheese
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

→ Assembly

14 - 1 tbsp olive oil for brushing crust
15 - Fresh arugula or basil leaves for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 475°F and place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside to heat thoroughly.
02 - Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and sugar. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized. Stir in black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to parchment paper.
04 - Brush dough lightly with olive oil. Spread caramelized onions evenly over the base. Sprinkle mozzarella, fontina or Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses over the onions. Top with thyme if desired.
05 - Carefully slide pizza with parchment onto preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
06 - Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh arugula or basil if desired. Slice and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The onions become candy-like and concentrated, turning ordinary pizza into something people will talk about weeks later
  • That cheese blend creates these incredible pockets of gooey contrast against the sweet onions
  • Its the perfect excuse to linger in the kitchen with a glass of wine while the onions do their slow dance
02 -
  • Rushing the onions is the mistake everyone makes the first time, but that slow transformation is where all the flavor lives
  • A pizza stone makes a huge difference for that crispy crust, but a preheated heavy baking sheet works surprisingly well too
03 -
  • Use parchment paper to transfer the pizza, it's much easier than trying to slide it directly onto the stone
  • If your onions are browning too fast, turn down the heat and add a splash of water

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