This french onion pizza is exactly what we need this December. A simple, no-fuss kind of dinner that could not be more comforting. Once you get the onions on the stovetop, they take about an hour to cook, but the process is completely hands-off (other than some stirring, of course). They get cooked with butter, thyme, bay leaves, sherry wine, and beef stock to give them the rich flavors of french onion soup. Combine those with lots of gruyere and mozzarella cheese? The perfect winter pizza.
I love creating new seasonal pizza combinations and this french onion pizza might just be my favorite yet. Last year, my winter pizza consisted of squash, kale, prosciutto, and creamy burrata. So delicious and definitely a must-make, but this year…we’re keeping things even simpler.
Onions cooked low and slow with all of the warm, inviting flavor of a french onion soup. Then piled on top of shredded gruyere and mozzarella cheeses (the gruyere being classic to the soup and adding lots of sharp, nutty flavor) and baked in a hot oven until golden and gooey.
Between the intensely flavored onions and the melted cheese, nothing else is needed.
Think of the best part of french onion soup…the toasted baguette topped with all that melted gruyere. The perfect spoonful is getting a bite of cheesy bread with the hearty onion soup pooling around it.
That’s exactly what this pizza tastes like. Except you don’t have to worry about finishing the bread too soon and only being left with brothy soup. Every bite has a little bit of everything.
Plus, it’s so extremely easy. You could of course make homemade pizza dough for this, but if you’re looking to make this on a busy weeknight or for a quick & fun weekend meal, skip the homemade and just buy some store-bought pizza dough. Works just as well!
PrintFrench Onion Pizza
pizzas topped with slowly cooked “french” onions and gruyere cheese
servings: 4-6
Ingredients
- olive oil, as needed
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 ½ lbs thinly sliced onions (approximately 4 large whole onions)
- 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp sherry wine
- ½ cup beef stock
- 4 (7oz) pizza dough balls (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ lb gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
- grated parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the butter and let melt. Add the onions, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with a generous pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the onions until soft and golden, about 40-45 minutes, stirring often. Add the sherry wine and beef stock. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for about 6-8 minutes longer, or until the liquid has reduced. Turn off the heat and let the onions cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, allow the pizza dough to sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes to take the chill off. Preheat the oven to 550°F.
- Roll each dough ball out into a 10” circle. Invert two sheet pans and dust them lightly with flour. Place the circles of dough onto the pans.
- Brush the dough with olive oil to coat the entire surface. Distribute the gruyere and mozzarella cheeses on top of the dough, leaving a ½” border for the crust. Top with the french onions.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted. Transfer the pizzas to a cutting board. Slice and serve immediately. Top with grated parmesan, any extra thyme leaves you have on hand, and more freshly cracked black pepper.
shop the dish: french onion pizza
