When an ingredient comes into season, you better believe I overdo it. Every. Single. Time. But seriously, that’s what we are supposed to do, right?! Eat local, eat seasonal. For our country, for our health.

The greatest part of this pizza is the pumpkin cream sauce. AKA the replacement tomato sauce. Garlic, thyme, homemade pumpkin puree, veggie stock, coconut milk. Simmer, simmer. Yes, please!

The crust – You can definitely buy store bought pizza dough and use that, but making your own dough is SO easy! You can find a recipe for flatbread in my blog post, found here.

The toppings – Originally, I made this pizza vegan, and I think I preferred it to the next one I made with mozzarella. The option is yours – leave out the cheese to have a completely vegan option (as seen below)!

Kale is another key topping here. As I always say, it is important to massage your kale before eating, and that applies to this recipe as well. Sprinkle it with some salt, drizzle with some olive oil and get in there with your fingers! It really helps to tenderize it and make it more pleasing to the palate.

Pumpkin – Along with the pumpkin cream sauce, I have also included roasted pumpkin chunks as a topping in this recipe. They add another layer and texture that does not disappoint and help give this ‘za it’s name!

This may just be a pizza recipe that you aren’t afraid to serve the kids!

Pumpkin and Kale Pizza

Serving Size: Makes 1 large pizza

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 300 g homemade or store bought pizza dough
• 1 pie pumpkin, seeds removed and sliced into 3/4-inch wedges (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and 3/4 cup sliced and cooked pumpkin chunks)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs of thyme, stem removed
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 2 leaves of kale, washed, dried and chopped roughly
• 125 g fresh mozzarella, sliced (optional)
• salt
• olive oil
• fresh basil for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place your pumpkin wedges onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until fork-tender, flipping halfway. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Peel the skin off and discard. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
3. Place half of your roasted pumpkin pieces into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Slice the other half of the wedges into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside.
4. Preheat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil followed by the minced garlic and thyme. Stir and let cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add in 1/2 cup of the pumpkin puree and the vegetable stock. Stir until combined and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Let simmer on a low heat until the cream sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
5. Place your kale into a bowl with one teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers to ‘massage’ the kale for one to two minutes. This helps to tenderize it. Set aside.
6. Flour your work surface and roll out your pizza dough. Spoon on the cream sauce and spread it onto the dough until fully covered, leaving a 1/2-inch border all the way around. Distribute your cooked pumpkin pieces and your mozzarella slices (if using) on top of your pizza. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, remove and add the massaged kale, and return to the oven for another 7-10 minutes or until crust begins to brown on the edges. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.
7. Top with fresh basil, if desired!

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WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

The puree from the store often includes preservatives, such as sugar and salt, so I prefer to avoid those additives by making my own. It’s the easiest thing to do, so if you were just thinking “Way too much work,” you’re wrong. Try it!

CHOOSING THE PROPER PUMPKIN

The most important part of this recipe is selecting the appropriate pumpkin variety. Those really big ones that you carve into on Halloween….No bueno. They are really bland in taste, and such a hassle to cut up due to their size. You CAN eat them, but they are not a good choice for pies or any other baked goods that include pumpkin. Your best bet is to find a Pie Pumpkin. They are sweeter and more flavourful and can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes.

I typically hold off on seasoning the pumpkin too much as one pumpkin usually makes a large enough batch to use in both savoury and sweet recipes, and each type of recipe would be seasoned differently. If you are making the puree solely for pie, pancakes, pumpkin spiced lattes, or anything on the sweeter end, you can definitely add some cinnamon and nutmeg to this recipe to jazz it up! On the contrary, you can grind some pepper and add some dried thyme or sage if you plan to use the puree in more savoury-type dishes, like soups or casseroles.

Like I said, pumpkin puree is really easy to make. The most challenging part is just getting your pumpkin cut up! So, grab yourself some sharp knives, and let’s roll!

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Yield: About 3 cups (depending on the size of your pumpkin)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pie pumpkin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut your pumpkin into 1-inch wedges and remove the seeds. Lay the wedges flat, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to coat all of the wedges and then bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping once halfway through. When you can easily pierce a fork through the pumpkin, they are done.
3. Let the wedges cool completely on the baking sheet and then remove the skin and discard. Place pumpkin into a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the puree if you wish to use it later.

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