One of the best memories I’ve shared with my in-laws so far is sitting elbow-to-elbow around a crowded couch in their basement, soda cans and napkins sprawled all over the coffee table, everyone eating pizza. All 9 of us.
Yes, 9.
John has six siblings and he’s the oldest, and every time we get together with his family we joke that it’s like chasing a tornado. You don’t know where it’s headed and how long it will stay and everyone seems to be pulling to go their own direction at every turn. Thankfully they’re not the destructive tornado type, more the “come in make things a little messy and love on you” type. The kind I prefer.
One thing John’s family does very well is pizza. One of the best times I recall was on one of the kids’ birthdays. The birthday boy got to decide what was for lunch and he picked pizza – smart kid.
In true Shultz style we all made our own personal pans since the chances of 9 hungry bellies agreeing on one flavor was slim. I’m OK with that. I’m a “heavy on the sauce, pile on the veggies, light on the cheese” type. John loves pepperoni, lots of it. Abby prefers more adventurous types like BBQ chicken, and the other half of the group seems to be all about the cheese.
Clearly, personal pans were the best option.
So we all crowded into the kitchen, narrowly missing each other at each turn, flour covering the counters, each one pulverizing his or her own plot of dough. Sauce and spoons left red little dots everywhere and stray cheese and toppings looked like edible confetti exploded all over the floor.
Twenty minutes later our (very) personalized pizzas were out of the oven, onto plates and under the weight of swiftly-moving knifes and forks working feverishly to cut fresh slices before the cheese lost its elastic stretch.
Andy Griffith was on, eyes glued to the screen when not shoveling in steamy bites of pepperoni and veggies and crust. Amidst the chaos I couldn’t help but look around and feel thankful that I was a part of this little group, this family.
A lot of people complain about their in-laws, and maybe rightfully so, but I kind of have it good. Any family that does personal pan pizzas and soda on a Sunday afternoon is the kind of family for me.
Typically I prefer a very standard veggie pizza, but after buying some goat cheese and flat breads for another recipe I couldn’t help but do a little experimenting.
Crispy thin flatbreads smeared with creamy, tangy goat cheese and topped with piles of sweet caramelized onions. As is this pizza is stellar, but add a little balsamic drizzle and we achieve perfection. Don’t even get me started on when we add fresh basil…
Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 10-inch flat bread or small pizza crust (I used Flat Out brand, whole wheat – use gluten-free for GF eaters)
- 1 medium white onion (cut into thin rings)
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil or butter (for sautéing)
- 3 ounces goat cheese
- 1 splash milk
- Fresh basil or arugula (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and position a rack in the middle of the oven. If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven as it preheats.
- Sauté onion in butter or olive oil over medium heat until soft, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep in the moisture if they begin to look dry – add a splash or two of water if they’re getting too brown. Set aside once cooked.
- Once oven is preheated, brush flatbread with olive oil and place on the pizza stone or a baking sheet and “pre-bake” to crisp for about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, spoon goat cheese into a bowl and add a splash of milk or water to thin so it’s spreadable. Whisk until smooth.
- Remove flatbread from oven and spread with goat cheese and top with onions – I used all of the onions but use less and reserve the leftovers if you prefer.
- Place back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges appear crisp and the onions and goat cheese have warmed through.
- Slice and serve with desired toppings. I opted for a balsamic reduction and fresh basil.
Beth says
Love this recipe! I used shredded gruyere. When there is a surplus of onions I carmalize and freeze them for treats like this.
Yum! So glad you are enjoying this, Beth. Love your tips as well! Thanks!
Laurie says
My husband thought he did not like goat cheese – until he ate this pizza! It’s my new favorite, as well. We used garlic naan for the crust, and it was perfectly delectable! Thank you for sharing!
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Laurie. So glad you enjoyed!
Leah says
I made this with a gluten-free crust, herbed goat cheese, and I added prosciutto. I topped it with fresh basil and a balsamic reduction and it is easily the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life! So so yummy! Thank you for this recipe.
Sounds amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Leah!
Emily D'Emidio says
This came out lovely! My flatbreads were on the small side, so I ended up making two individual portions instead. I feel like a fruit would have taken this over the top for me to perfection, just to cut through some of the richness – next time I’ll try it with figs or roasted strawberries or black cherries.
Those additions sound incredible! Thanks for sharing, Emily!
Trish W says
Delicious! I made this with a fathead pizza crust in the shape of a flatbread. I did top with homemade pizza sauce 1st, then the caramelized onions and then crumbled goat cheese. Yum! It was beautiful and delicious with the arugula on top and a drizzle of reduced balsamic. Great option for low carb this way–thanks for the winning combination of goat cheese, onions and arugula!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Trish! Thank you for sharing! xo
partha says
Superb recipe . We have made . Among all pizza types we made ,kids and everyone loved this simple recipe
Sneha says
One of the first recipes I made off this site a few years ago! Definitely recommend with a crispy crust, I think I picked up some from Whole Foods that made this a quick meal on a weeknight even with all the caramelizing, very worth it.
Kellie says
Wonderful combination of flavors. I used gluten free prepared pizza crusts and Indian Style flatbread both from Trader Joe’s. Also topped with smoked chicken thighs we had leftover. Next time I make them planning to add portobello mushrooms.
Emily says
This pizza is delicious! We used fresh pizza dough for the crust and added fresh basil and a balsamic reduction on top. We will definitely be making this again!
Thanks, Emily!!
Abby says
Absolutely loved this recipe. I didn’t want to decide between arugula and basil so I added both. I will definitely be making this again.
sabrina says
wait is this plant-based?
Hi Sabrina,
No, it is not. Sorry for any confusion! Some of the older recipes on our site are vegetarian, but not plant-based. All newer recipes are plant-based.
Tyler says
I just made this with ciabatta flatbread crust from Trader Joe’s and I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten
Yummmm
Redhed says
I used a pizza stone, followed the preheating instructions and prebaked the flatbread for 5 minutes. The namebrand flatbread came out super hard, barely able to cut it. The flavors were great, but the crust was horrible. I’m going to try again, maybe not prebake.
shan says
Do you think spinach would work with this receipe? Should I sautee the spinach?
I think that would be a delicious addition! You could either sautee, or simply sprinkle it on top!
Jessica says
For some reason it will only let me put 3 stars but it’s DEFINITELY a 5!!
I love this recipe!! It inspired me and I tweaked it this time… I made this with red onion (not caramelized), lemon infused goat cheese that was on sale at Ralph’s and when I reduced the balsamic I added pomegranateand mango vinegar to it! So delicious :)
Zia Catalina says
I had to modify this recipe so I could use what I had on hand. I used French bread, so this turned out to be a very individualized meal, similar to mini pizzas. On half of the mini pizzas I used thinly sliced tomato (thin, so they would warm up within the suggested amount of time). I topped all pizzas with balsamic glaze and whole basil leaves. They were delicious, and I am certain the original recipe tastes just as wonderful. I will make this again! The changes I want to make next time: cut the onion rings in half (to make the eating process less messy), and tear the basil and combine with the goat cheese (so it is part of the spread and won’t fall off the top of the pizza while taking a bite).
K says
So going to try this. Adding bacon and going to throw the pizza in the smoker to cook
Sounds delicious! Let us know how it goes in the smoker!
Anita says
I made this today and loved it. I made exactly as receipt with one exception; I added mushrooms whice are 0 smart points. Really gave it a meaty flavor.
kungaa joseph says
I used to make the same thing years ago; same flatbread too. I loved the caramelized onions. And the goat cheese is so good. I did find a vegan alternative that is just as good and will use it.
Jillian says
Hi, what is the vegan alternative?
Erin Sanders says
Made this last night and it was AMAZING!!! I did add an Arugula & Basil salad on top and drizzled the balsamic vinegar reduction on top. Perfection :) I love…LOVE your recipes! I have tried six so far, and all of them have been outstanding!
Sheelagh says
Great flavours. I make this with a soda bread base. Still very few ingredients and very quick. Just knock up your soda bread dough and roll out as quickly as possible and continue as per this recipe.
Arvind Srinivasan says
This pizza was perfect; it was last night’s dinner and I’m making it again for tonight. There were no survivor slices.
Julia says
I´m cooking this tonight to eat while we watch the game =)
Hope you loved it, Julia! xo
Sebastien Gagnon says
I love the site and was looking for recipe. I stubble on the pizza until I saw Goat Cheese! Am I missing something.
Jenny says
I just made this. It was really good. I wish I had the balsmic vinegar I was out. I was also out of fresh basil so I topped with fresh chopped spinach. I also used my homemade pizza crust. Can’t wait to try it again with the balsamic.
Manthan Gandhi says
This was fantastic!! My wife and I loved it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Katey says
We made something very similar last night, but with fig spread. So relish. We also made your watermelon margaritas and the grapefruit spritzers… Yum! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful creations!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
Awwww, what a great story. Jason and I are a family of 10 (parents, grand children, spouses, etc.) so it can get quite crowded here too. Thankfully, we don’t make personal pizzas – we just eat what we’re served.
No, but really, this caramelized pizza is the best. And I can’t resist anything involving goat cheese!
Sarah says
This looks amazing. It looks like my platonic ideal of pizza. And the photos of heaven.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Perfection! My husband would love these — he has a soft spot for caramelized onions :)
Hannah @ Not From Concentrate says
Wow this is totally mouth-watering! I’m with you on all of it – I LOVE pizza and I’ve been wanting to branch out lately! this just made it’s way to the top of next week’s menu!
Suzanne @RollWithIt says
Goat cheese and caramelized onion are my favourite combo on pizza! Love the balsamic glaze-nice touch!
Jennifer says
That looks amazing!
xo Jennifer
Belinda @themoonblushbaker says
single pizzas are the only way to go with my greedy family! this way at least we keep our hands on our own pizza; we have been known to fight over it. Love the onions it is like French onion soup
Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen says
This pizza looks so good! I am totally in love with caramelized onions. Good thing it’s personal sized because my family would never go for it. I can just make them “boring” pizza.
Tieghan says
I am on of 7 so I totally no what you are talking about with the elbow to elbow eating and full on craziness. It is fun though!
I love this pizza. Caramelized onions are so good an typically the only way I really enjoy onions. Plus, I really love the basil and balsamic drizzle. YUm!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Oh my goodness, what a huuuuge family! I can only imagine how much fun that must have been growing up. Also, this pizza looks magical!
Kristi says
That pizza looks absolutely delicious. I’m all about the caramlized onions. Raw onions just don’t do it for me anymore after I started caramelizing the onions.