This Apple Cheddar Pizza layers sweet sauteed apples, deeply caramelized onions, sharp cheddar, and crunchy walnuts over a crisp crust — sweet, savory, and ready for the oven in about 20 minutes once your onions are done.
Working on this recipe was quite an internal struggle for me. I knew I wanted to do an apple cheddar pizza, and I kind of thought I wanted to add walnuts too. But a little voice kept nagging at me: "Add caramelized onions! Caramelized onions!"
I tried to resist, because I don't want you guys to think I have to add caramelized onions to everything I make. (Note: of course I have to add caramelized onions to everything I make, because caramelized onions are delicious.) But then, as I was getting ready to make this, I realized we had an extra onion sitting all lonely and sad on the counter. Obviously, the universe was talking to me. So yeah, it's another recipe with caramelized onions—if you're not a fan of them, you may need to go read a different vegetarian food blog.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Apple. Braeburn, Fuji, or Honeycrisp all hold their shape and bring the right amount of sweetness once they're sauteed. Avoid soft varieties like McIntosh, which tend to turn mushy.
- Yellow onion. Sliced thin and cooked low and slow until deeply caramelized. A sweet onion works too if that's what you have on hand.
- Butter. Used to saute the apples for extra richness. Swap in a plant-based butter to make this pizza vegan-friendly.
- Maple syrup. A splash of pure maple syrup is stirred into the apples at the end of sauteing to help them caramelize slightly and deepen the sweet-savory flavor. Honey works in a pinch if you're not strictly vegan.
- Prepared pizza crust. Use your favorite store-bought crust, a par-baked flatbread, or even naan for a quicker, thinner-crust version. Baking it on a perforated pizza crisper pan helps the bottom of the crust crisp up.
- Aged cheddar cheese. The sharpness balances the sweetness of the apples and maple syrup. A younger, milder cheddar will work, but you'll lose some of that contrast.
- Walnuts. Roughly chopped walnut halves and pieces add crunch. Pecans are a great substitute if that's what's in your pantry.
Helpful Tips
Make the onions in advance. Caramelizing onions properly adds real time to this recipe, so if you want to shortcut dinner, make a big batch over the weekend using my tutorial on how to caramelize onions and keep them in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. From there, this pizza comes together as a genuinely quick weeknight dinner: saute the apples, top the crust, and bake—about 20 minutes, start to finish.
Be patient with the caramelization. Real caramelized onions take low heat and time—anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on your stove. Stir occasionally at first, then more frequently as the onions start to brown, and resist the urge to crank the heat to speed things up; you'll just scorch them.
Watch your walnuts if your crust bakes hot. If the instructions on your pizza crust call for a temperature higher than 375°F or a bake time longer than 10 minutes, toast the walnuts separately on the stovetop and scatter them on after the pizza comes out of the oven instead of baking them the whole time.
Slice the apples thin and even. Thin, uniform slices saute faster and more evenly, and they'll cook through in the short time the pizza is in the oven.
Don't skip the seasoning on the onions. A pinch of salt and pepper while the onions are cooking rounds out their sweetness and keeps the whole pizza from tasting one-note.
Variations
- Make it vegan. Swap in a dairy-free cheddar-style shred and plant-based butter, and you've got an entirely vegan version of this pizza.
- Try a different cheese. Gruyere, fontina, or a crumbled blue cheese all pair beautifully with sweet apples and caramelized onions if you want to switch things up from cheddar.
- Add some greens. A handful of fresh arugula tossed on right after baking adds a peppery bite that cuts through the richness.
- Swap the nuts. Pecans or candied walnuts both work well in place of plain chopped walnuts.
- Add fresh herbs. A few fresh thyme leaves or a light sprinkle of chopped rosemary brings a savory, fall-appropriate note.
- Make it your own with the crust. Try a whole wheat crust for more fiber, or a gluten-free crust to make the whole pizza gluten-free (just double-check your cheese and crust brands to be sure).
Serving Ideas
This pizza is filling enough to be dinner on its own, but a simple green salad on the side rounds out the meal nicely—something like this shaved fennel salad plays well with the sweet-and-savory flavors here. A cup of soup or a glass of hard apple cider (or just plain apple cider, non-alcoholic works too) makes a cozy fall pairing as well.
If you love the caramelized onion flavor in this pizza, you'll probably also love it in a caramelized onion pasta—worth keeping in your back pocket for another night.
This also makes great party food. Cut it into small squares instead of full slices and serve it as an appetizer at a fall gathering—it disappears fast.
Storing & Freezing
Leftover pizza keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store slices in an airtight container or wrap tightly in foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melty again and the crust has crisped back up. A microwave will work in a pinch, but the crust won't be as crisp.
This pizza doesn't freeze particularly well once fully assembled and baked—the apples release moisture as they thaw, which can make the crust soggy. If you want to plan ahead, freeze the caramelized onions and sauteed apples separately in airtight containers for up to 2 months, then thaw and assemble a fresh pizza when you're ready to bake.
More Vegetarian Recipes to Try
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet large
- Pizza crisper pan or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- salt + pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (Braeburn, Fuji, or Honeycrisp work well)
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 large prepared pizza crust
- 1 c. shredded aged cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onion and cook until caramelized, stirring every 5 minutes or so at first and then, as the onions begin to brown, more frequently. This could take from 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on your stove. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to temperature indicated on pizza crust package.
- Wipe skillet clean; add butter and melt over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add apple slices and saute for about 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in maple syrup and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
- Top pizza crust with caramelized onions, shredded cheese, apples, and walnuts. Bake for time indicated on package or until cheese has melted.
Courtney Rae Jones says
Caramelized onions are delicious and should be added to everything 🙂
I think I might make this for my family as an appetizer for our vegetarian christmas dinner. I know my dad would LOVE it. Awesome recipe, thank you! xo
Kiersten says
For Christmas?! That is pressure! I hope it turns out well, or I'll feel really bad. 😉
Daria says
I definitely have to try this! As it is every autumn, I'm up to my neck in apples (like five kinds of them), onions, and walnuts - pros of having two gardens - or cons - since after a while you don't know what to do with them, because there is too much! So I think this may be very useful recipe;)
Kiersten says
You have apple trees? FIVE KINDS of apple trees?! Oh, I am jealous. 🙂 I keep trying to convince my husband that we need an apple tree in the backyard. (He is not yet convinced.)
Daria says
It's in the oven:) Smells delicious! About apple trees: It's definitely worth it! Juice extractor or another such "thingy" and you can do almost everything: juices, smoothies, cookies, pastries. Everything. We have too much, but I think that having one small apple tree would be great for you (all - husband included:)
Lauren says
Made this tonight and it was really good! I used your method for carmelizing onions and it really tested my patience, but they turned out really well!! I have lots of leftovers to look forward to!! Thanks for a great recipe!
Kiersten says
Yes, it does take a little bit of patience to caramelize those onions! 😀 But I'm glad it was worth it!
heather @ heatheromade says
you're speaking my language. i think you'll like/love this one that i make... it of course has caramelized onions - yummm
http://heatheromade.blogspot.com/2012/06/goat-cheese-flatbread.html
Kiersten says
Ooh, that looks GOOD. I love naan pizza!
mrsheartly says
Made this last night. All I can say is yummm! nom nom nom
I mean how can you go wrong with caramelized onions, apples and cheese? You can't!
Kiersten says
You really can't, can you? 🙂 Glad it was a success!
Cathryn says
I made this tonight, using your caramelized onion post as well. Utterly perfect!! I won so many brownie points!!
Kiersten says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😀
Lana says
I can't believe how good this was!!! I had extra old smoked cheddar I threw on top...no maple syrup but I had coconut palm sugar...an earthy flavor to resemble the maple syrup I didn't have. Amazingly good pizza....I will try it again on naan bread....to prevent myself from eating an entire pizza.....because it is that good! Paired with some white wine would have been wonderful. I think some moist turkey meat shreds would also go very well with the flavors....good-bye leftover turkey dinner...(kidding)....but this will be a great addition! Yum!
Kiersten says
Ha! I love doing pizzas on naan too. Portion control is a good thing. 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Dianah says
This sounds delicious! Does this pizza not require any sauce? And what kind of salad would make a good side? Thanks!
Kiersten says
Nope, you don't need a sauce! 🙂 I think a kale salad on the side would be perfect--something with a light dressing, like a maple vinaigrette.
Stevi says
Just found this recipe on Pinterest and made it yesterday. We absolutely loved it! Lucky for us we have enough stuff to make two so we can have it again this week. I love onions as well so I am totally on board with all the caramelized onions:) my husband was a little sceptical that there was no sauce on the pizza (he is weird) , but he ended up loving it. Thanks for giving us a new favorite recipe:)
Kiersten Frase says
I'm so happy to hear it was a hit--even without sauce! 🙂
Monica says
I found your 50 Vegetarian Pizza post and landed on this gem!! You have totally made my day... my whole life!!!! Your pictures are beautiful and your ideas are GRAND. I can't wait to try every single one... lol. I'm addicted to pizza and since I'm only a 6mo old vegetarian, I'm in dire need of beautiful ideas like this!! <3
Xoxo,
Monica
Marti says
It works really well for me