Mushroom Bacon White Pizza
(Butternut Squash Crust — Gluten-Free, Thin & Crispy)
Savory, umami-forward white pizza designed to balance the natural sweetness of a thin, crispy butternut squash crust. Built specifically for a baking steel.
Recipe Details
- Yield: 1 large 14-inch pizza or 2 thin 12-inch pizzas
- Tags:
Pizza, :gluten_free: Gluten-Free,
Bacon
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Crust
- 460 g cubed and roasted butternut squash, mashed smooth (measured after roasting)
- 90 g tapioca starch
- 70 g potato starch
- 2 egg whites
- 2½ tbsp olive oil
- 1¾ tsp fine salt
White Sauce
- ½ cup (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1–2 tbsp bacon fat (or olive oil)
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1–2 tsp Truff Hot Sauce (or your favorite umami hot sauce)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste (often unnecessary)
Toppings
- 8–10 oz mushrooms (cremini or button), thinly sliced
- 4–6 slices bacon
- Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
- Optional: grated Parmesan or provolone
Method
Crust
-
Roast the squash Roast butternut squash at 425°F / 220°C until fully tender and lightly browned.
-
Measure and dry Weigh 460 g of squash after roasting. Mash until smooth. If the mash looks glossy or wet, press gently in a clean towel to remove excess moisture.
-
Make the dough Mix squash, egg whites, olive oil, and salt until combined. Add tapioca and potato starches and mix into a very thick paste.
-
Roll thin Roll dough between lightly oiled parchment to ~2 mm thickness. Remove top parchment.
-
Par-bake On a fully preheated baking steel (top rack, 525–550°F), bake with parchment for 7–9 minutes, until set.
-
Flip and finish Remove parchment, flip crust directly onto the steel, and bake 2–3 minutes more. Set aside.
Toppings
-
Cook the bacon Cook bacon until just crisp. Chop and reserve the fat.
-
Sauté the mushrooms Cook mushrooms in bacon fat over medium-high heat until all moisture is gone and mushrooms are lightly browned. Salt lightly at the end.
-
Make the white sauce Mix cream cheese, bacon fat, garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt (if needed) until smooth and spreadable.
Assemble & Bake
- Brush the crust lightly with olive oil.
- Spread a thin, even layer of white sauce.
- Add a light layer of mozzarella.
- Top with mushrooms and bacon.
- Finish with remaining mozzarella (and optional Parmesan or provolone).
- Bake at 475–500°F for 3–5 minutes, just until the cheese melts.
- Rest 1–2 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Keep toppings light and dry to prevent scorching on the steel.
- Low-moisture mozzarella is essential for clean melting.
- Bacon provides most of the salt; adjust only after baking.
- Optional finish: cracked black pepper or chopped chives.