Bacon Pizza

My grandma was a big inspiration when it came to food. That said, our one area of disagreement was pizza. She was a staunch traditionalist who always wanted her pizza to taste like pizza. I, on the other hand, don’t discriminate and love unexpected and weird pizza toppings. Bacon and pizza are an unexpected combination we probably wouldn’t have agreed on, but bacon on pizza is so delicious that maybe I could’ve swayed her.

This isn’t your everyday tomato-and-cheese pie. Made with a soft and chewy pizza crust recipe and topped with a creamy made-from-scratch Parmesan cream sauce, smoky bacon, sweet caramelized onions and fresh spinach, it’s a symphony of flavors that nobody (other than perhaps my grandmother) will say no to. Bacon pizza is a fun, slightly grown-up twist for pizza night, perfect with a crisp salad and a bottle of red.

Bacon Pizza Ingredients

• Pizza dough: A simple homemade pizza dough requires active dry yeast, warm water, sugar, salt, canola oil and all-purpose flour.
• Caramelized onions: Made with thinly sliced onions, canola oil, salt and rosemary, the secret to perfectly cooked caramelized onions is patience. Don’t rush the process; let them cook low and slow.
• White sauce: A homemade white sauce, made with butter, garlic, flour, half-and-half and Parmesan, offers a creamy contrast to the salty bacon and sweet onions.
• Bacon: For the best bacon for pizza, cook the bacon until crispy and drain it well to prevent the pizza from being overly greasy. Baking bacon is one of the easiest ways to cook it—plus, you’ll preheat the oven if you make it right before baking the pizza.
• Spinach: Fresh baby spinach adds a little green to this indulgent, cheesy, meaty pizza recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the pizza dough

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water. Add the sugar and let it stand for five minutes. Add the flour, salt and oil, and beat until smooth.

Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 15 to 20 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: For seamless preparation, start the onions (Step 3) while waiting for the dough to rise so they’re done at about the same time.

Step 2: Shape and parbake the crust

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Punch down the dough, then press it onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 14-inch pizza pan (make sure to build up the edge slightly).

Prick the dough several times with a fork, then bake for six to eight minutes.

Step 3: Caramelize the onions

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir for six to eight minutes (or until softened).

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until deep golden brown. Stir in the rosemary.

Step 4: Make the sauce

Next, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook and stir for 1 minute, then add the flour, stirring until well blended.

Gradually pour in the cream, then bring to a boil. Cook and stir for one to two minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Assemble the pizza

To assemble, spread the sauce over the crust, then top with caramelized onions, bacon and spinach.

Step 6: Bake and serve

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden. Cut into wedges and serve.

Bacon Pizza Variations

• Add extra cheese: If you’re missing the stringy pull of mozzarella cheese, you can top the pizza with a few handfuls before baking. Sliced fresh mozzarella or crumbled goat cheese would also work well here.
• Use more toppings: Grilled zucchini, sliced mushrooms, sweet figs or shaved Brussels sprouts would taste great on this pizza.
• Double the meat: For a meat lover’s twist, add grilled chicken, sliced ham or cooked Italian sausage to this bacon pizza with spinach.
• Swap the sauce: If you are a red pizza sauce loyalist, you can use it in this recipe (or try the pizza with pesto). If you do this, we recommend topping the pizza with a little Parm or mozzarella so you don’t lose any cheesy creaminess.

How to Store Bacon Pizza

Store leftover bacon pizza in an airtight food storage container (or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil) and keep it in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can you freeze bacon pizza?

Yes! You can freeze fully baked or parbaked bacon pizza for up to three months. Wrap it tightly in two layers of storage wrap, followed by a layer of foil. No need to thaw frozen pizza before warming; just pop it in the oven directly from the freezer.

What’s the best way to reheat bacon pizza?

There are so many great ways to reheat pizza. While you can, of course, microwave bacon pizza, we find warming it in the oven is best so the bacon remains crisp. Reheat it on a sheet pan in a 350° oven until the cheese melts and the crust is heated through.

Bacon Pizza Tips

What’s the best type of bacon for pizza?

Since bacon is the main ingredient and dominant flavor on this pizza, splurge and choose the best bacon you can afford. A thick-sliced bacon will offer the most meaty flavor. Applewood bacon pairs especially well with caramelized onions. Whichever type you use, cooking and draining the bacon well is best for bacon pizza.

Can you use another type of crust for bacon pizza?

Absolutely. If you have a tried-and-true pizza dough recipe you love, feel free to use it in this recipe. You can take a shortcut and use a high-quality store-bought pizza dough too.

What can you serve with bacon pizza?

Serve this bacon pizza recipe with homemade breadsticks, a batch of spicy Buffalo wings and a fresh garden salad (for balance). Don’t forget a dessert pizza as a stunning grand finale.