Here's a homemade kale pizza recipe that's indulgent, with crispy bacon and gooey fontina cheese. The crispy kale on top gives you a serving of veggies so you don't have to feel guilty about anything!
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I could never cook in a pizza joint, (but I used to wait tables in one) because I am such a Virgo perfectionist with the ingredients. I have to have every ingredient in every bite. I am so meticulous, it would just take me too long to crank out the orders.
But in the comfort of my own kitchen, I am an artist and the crust is the canvas. This kale pizza is magically gooey from the fontina, sweet from the onions, salty and crunchy from the bacon and crispy from the kale. What more could you want?
This is essentially a white pizza recipe, because we are not using any sauce. But if you wanted to really kale things up, you can add kale pesto as a base.
If you would like to know how to make a kale pizza at home that is perfect in every bite, please join me in this slightly irrational but highly rewarding quest.
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Ingredients you'll need
- Pizza crust: I did not make my own crust. I find that the pre-made one at Trader Joe's works well for me. If you would like to make your own, you can find great recipes from Smitten Kitchen and or Food Network.
- Red onions: I love the extra sweetness from red onions, especially when they are caremelized!
- Balsamic vinegar: This adds even more sweetness and a bit of acid to the onions, which perfectly balances the flavor of the pizza.
- Bacon: Use your favorite bacon here, any type of wood smoke will work.
- Mozzarella and fontina cheeses: I love this combination of cheeses for this kale pizza (and most any pizza, really.) The mozzarella gives you that gooey cheese pull, and the fontina adds creaminess and nuttiness.
- Kale: Kale on pizza is a revelation! Any type of kale will work, be it Tuscan or curly. We'll cook it down so the texture really doesn't matter, then it will get crispy on top in the oven.
- Garlic and crushed red pepper: Lots of garlic to flavor the kale and the crushed red pepper adds a bit of heat to cut through the richness of the cheese.
- Pecorino romano cheese: Grate this sheep's milk cheese on top, it has a bit more bite than parmesan. If you can't find it, parmesan cheese will work, too.
How to make kale pizza
Step 1: Cook the bacon
Preheat the oven according to the instructions on your pizza crust.
Dice bacon, fry it in a deep skillet, and drain on a paper towel.
Step 2: Caramelize the onions
Drain off bacon grease, and in the same pan add the sliced onions and sauté until they get soft and just start to brown around the edges.
At the last minute, add a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar. This will sweeten and caramelize them to a divine level.
Step 3: Cook the kale
In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
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Add the chopped garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Once garlic has softened and become aromatic, add kale.
Stir the mixture, then pour about ยผ cup of water into the pan and cover. Allow kale to steam and soften and the water to cook away - about 5 minutes.
Season kale with salt, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Pat with additional towels to absorb excess moisture.
Step 4: Grate the cheeses
I always prefer to grate my own cheeses. See tips below.
Step 5: Assemble the kale pizza and bake!
Prepare dough as instructed by packaging or recipe. Add caramelized onions as your base instead of a sauce.
Then top with mozzarella and fontina and add the bacon.
Finally, add the kale to the pizza. Cook on center rack in oven as directed by your crust recipe. The kale will get crispy on top as it cooks.
Remove pizza from oven and top with shaved pecorino-romano cheese.
Variations
- If you'd like to add sauce to your kale pizza, try this Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce or sun dried tomato pesto.
- Make it vegetarian by eliminating the bacon.
- Add roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, or Italian sausage.
- Kale pizza is delicious topped with a fried egg!
Serving Suggestions
Start with a Tricolore Salad or a Peach Salad with Prosicutto, both perfect complements to the Italian flavors in this kale pizza. Finish your meal with Chocolate Pots de Crème or a Coffee Granita.
Kale Pizza Tips
- I find that some store-bought pizza crusts takes longer to cook than what it says on the packaging. I just wait until the edges get a light golden brown, and the cheese starts to bubble. You know what a pizza crust is supposed to look like when it's done.
- I always prefer to grate my own cheese with a box grater. Pre-grated cheeses tend to dry out and are coated with anti-caking agents that can make melting more difficult.
- Don't season the kale with salt until after it is cooked. It has so much volume at the beginning, you risk over-salting it. Once it has cooked down, you'll be better able to judge the amount of salt you need.
More kale recipes
- This Kale Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pecans is a perfect way to welcome fall.
- For an easy dinner, try Apple Cider Chicken. It's hearty without being heavy, and the apples and kale are your built-in side dish.
Recipe
Kale Pizza with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
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Ingredients
- 3-4 slices bacon
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 oz kale chopped
- 1 onion thinly sliced into rings
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup grated fontina cheese
- 1 pizza crust homemade or store-bought
- pinch crushed red pepper
- balsamic vinegar
- pecorino-romano cheese grated
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven as directed by your pizza crust packaging or recipe.
- Dice bacon, fry it, and drain on a paper towel. Drain off grease, and in the same pan add the sliced onions and sauté until they get soft and just start to brown around the edges. At the last minute, add a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar. This will sweeten and caramelize them.
- In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Once garlic has softened and become aromatic, add kale. Stir the mixture, then pour about ยผ cup of water into the pan and cover. Allow kale to steam and soften and the water to cook away – about 5 minutes. Season with salt, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Pat with additional towels to absorb excess moisture.
- Prepare dough as instructed by packaging or recipe. Add caramelized onions as your base then top with mozzarella, fontina, bacon, and finally the kale mixture. Cook on center rack in oven as directed by your crust recipe.
- Remove pizza from oven and grate pecorino-romano cheese on top before serving.
Notes
- I always prefer to grate my own cheese with a box grater. Pre-grated cheeses tend to dry out and are coated with anti-caking agents that can make melting more difficult.
- Don't season the kale with salt until after it is cooked. It has so much volume at the beginning, you risk over-salting it. Once it has cooked down, you'll be better able to judge the amount of salt you need.
- Use a nice deep skillet for this recipe. You only need one, but it has to accommodate bacon, then onions, then a whole mess o' kale.
- You don't need a pizza stone or anything expensive and fancy. A good non-stick pizza pan will work just fine.
Nutrition
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