Spicy Chorizo Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese and Arugula
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We’ve come to learn that some foods, like this chorizo pizza, really can make life better. Caramelized onions, chorizo, and goat cheese are a delicious three ingredients that can’t be beat. It’s an easy pizza recipe for weeknights, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
If you’ve ever wondered if you can put chorizo on pizza, the answer is a definite YES. In this recipe, we combine the bold flavor of chorizo with caramelized onions and goat cheese for that perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and creamy.
We use our homemade pizza dough recipe, but you can use store-bought dough or crust. We layer on a simple homemade pizza sauce that comes together in minutes. Once you make it once, you might never buy store-bought again.
When building the pizzas, make sure to distribute the toppings evenly so you get a bit of each taste in every bite. When they come out of the oven, top them off with some fresh arugula to balance out the rich flavors.
It’s an easy pizza recipe for weeknights, or anytime you feel like spending less time cooking and more time kicking back.
Chorizo pizza ingredients
To make the homemade pizza sauce, you’ll need just a few ingredients, most of which you’re likely to have in your pantry. It’s just tomato sauce, garlic, a bit of sugar, balsamic vinegar, oregano, and sea salt.
Here’s what you’ll need for the chorizo pizza:
- Olive oil – for sautéing the onions.
- Onions – large cooking onions sliced into rounds for making caramelized onions.
- Sea salt – a little bit of salt with the onions helps with the caramelization process.
- Pizza crusts – we use our homemade pizza dough recipe, but you can use a store-bought or pre-made pizza crust in a pinch.
- Chorizo – we use dry chorizo that slices up like salami or pepperoni.
- Goat cheese – creamy, tangy goat cheese crumbles are the perfect addition to this bold pizza.
- Baby arugula – for topping, adding a fresh and peppery pop of flavor.
How to make chorizo pizza
This is a quick and easy chorizo pizza recipe. It’s perfect for weeknights, or anytime you’re after some big bold pizza flavor. Here’s how to make it in a few simple steps:
- While your oven preheats, make the pizza sauce. Simply add all the ingredients to a small pot on the stove, stir, and simmer it until it thickens.
- While the sauce simmers, start your caramelized onions. Add the onions to a pan with a pinch of sea salt and cook until soft and golden brown.
- Now build your pizzas! Place your dough directly onto a baking sheet, spoon on some sauce, and layer on caramelized onions, chorizo, and goat cheese.
- Bake until the pizza is hot and bubbling, and the crust turns golden. Top it with some arugula and a drizzle of olive oil.
Recipe FAQS
What’s the best way to cook pizza?
If you have a pizza stone, we find that’s the best option to cook it on. If not, a baking sheet or cast-iron skillet works perfectly well, too.
What type of chorizo is best?
There are a few types of chorizo sausage out there but we use dry chorizo that’s similar to salami or pepperoni. It’s generally spicy, garlicky, and dark red. Look for it at most grocery stores or butcher shops.
Do you cook chorizo before putting it on pizza?
In this recipe, we use a dry or cured chorizo which doesn’t require cooking. If you’re using fresh chorizo, that’s often used on pizza de chorizo Mexicano, it needs to be cooked first.
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Definitely! While we love the tangy taste of goat cheese, this pizza works well with traditional mozzarella cheese and parmesan, too.
Can I make the pizza sauce ahead of time?
Definitely! You can make it up to 3 days ahead and store it in your fridge. The sauce recipe will actually make more than you need for the pizzas, so you can use it again or store it in the freezer for later.
How long do leftovers keep in the fridge?
Store any leftover pizza in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat it, pop it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.
What to serve with chorizo pizza
This chorizo pizza makes a complete meal that ticks all the boxes. It’s perfect on its own, or with a big salad. Try it with a sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes for a little added heat!
Salads that go well with chorizo pizza
- Bacon Kale Caesar Salad
- Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Glaze
- Sweet Potato Salad with Maple Brown Butter Vinaigrette
If we’re serving a crowd, we make a few different types of pizzas for a nice mix of flavors.
Chorizo Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
The Sauce
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 small garlic clove (very finely minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
Chorizo Pizza
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 large onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 2 12-inch pizza crusts
- 10 ounces chorizo (sliced thinly)
- ¼ cup goat cheese (or more)
- 2 handfuls baby arugula
- A drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Add the pizza sauce ingredients to a small pot with high sides and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until it has thickened. Whisk the sauce every few minutes while it is cooking. When it starts to splatter a lot, cover the pot halfway with a lid. DO NOT cover it all the way, or the sauce won't thicken.1 cup tomato sauce, 1 small garlic clove, 1 ½ teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, ¼ teaspoon oregano, Optional: ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 pinch sea salt
- While the sauce is boiling, make the rest of the pizza. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and brown, about 15 minutes.2 tablespoons cooking oil, 2 large onions, 1 pinch sea salt
- Put the pizza dough onto 2 large baking sheets and spread the sauce on both. Top with the caramelized onions, chorizo, and goat cheese.2 12-inch pizza crusts, 10 ounces chorizo, ¼ cup goat cheese
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the pizza is hot, bubbling, and the crust is golden. When the pizza has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and top it with some arugula and a drizzle of olive oil.A drizzle of olive oil, 2 handfuls baby arugula
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Delicious! I swore I would not be one of the people who change about everything that you created. One tiny change – I swear. I made my own dough. I have an easy recipe. I have made pizza before and thought my sauce was great until I did yours. Adding the balsamic vinegar was a game changer for me – YUM. Thanks – a keeper.
Hi Kristen, this looks delicious so I’m keen to try it with fresh pizza dough from my new Panasonic bread maker. Just wondering if there is any particular reason you use brown onions over red onions? I find the red ones have much more flavour when fried down so I’m interested to know if there was any specific reason for using brown/yellow.
We use yellow/brown onions because they are more common and we always have some in our fridge. But red onions will work just as well!
This sounds just as wonderful as your other super pizza recipes I have made. Yum: roasted Brussels Sprouts and blue cheese, summer Caprese among many others. Can’t wait to make this. Question: smoked or fresh chorizo?
So happy that you like the pizza recipes! For this one, I use cured chorizo – the type that you can slice and eat.
Love this pizza! I only have it once in a while but when I do I just enjoy it sooooo much 🙂
I have a wood pizza board/paddle I move the crust to after I have it rolled/stretched out. I then build the pizza on the board. Before I move the dough to the board I sprinkle some corn meal on it which allows the pizza to slide off into the oven..
I always use the parchemin paper and take it off half way thru. I cook my pizza on a pizza stone, 550 degree for 9 minutes almost on top of my oven. I finish with broil for the last min. Delicious!!
Good call on the parchment!
Wow!! This is the best pizza I’ve ever made and actually probably had anywhere. It’s so worth doing the tomato sauce base and the onions. I also used some buffalo mozerrella on the pizza before it went into the oven (not too much though – I hate pizzas drowning in cheese) but other than that I followed the recipe and it was so good I scoffed the lot in record time 🙂
I’m so happy you liked it! Spicy chorizo rules the world, doesn’t it?:)
Wow, this looks great – I have two chorizo sausages in the freezer so I’m cooking this tonight!
FWIW, I’ve never had an issue with pizza bases sticking to my pizza stone – I just sprinkle flour over the cold stone before putting it in the oven and heating it up. I prepare the pizza on a largish chopping board scattered with flour and then slide it straight on to the stone in the hot oven – really not sure why you’d need a tool (even if it’s less than $20) to do this for you, but each to their own.
Btw Kristen, I love your recipes – just on this page alone I have pinned 4 other recipes I want to try 🙂
I’ll have to try flouring the cutting board next time. I don’t know why but the pizza always seems to stick to mine. Maybe I don’t add enough flour. 🙂
I sprinkle a small amount of finely ground corn meal onto the tray before laying the stretched dough down. I believe this is a traditional Neapolitan thing. I also love the added crunch.
That’s a great idea!
The best way to get pizza on a stone is to buy what is called a pizza peel – basically the wooden paddle looking thing that pizza places use to do the same thing – take pizzas in and out of the oven – less than $20 solves the problem. There is a simple trick to using them – rub flour into the top of the peel and then sprinkle a little more all over it. Put your dough on top and add your toppings. It also helps to give the peel a little shake every ten or so seconds while you’re building your pizza, so as to keep the moisture from transferring to the flour between the pizza and the peel. Then when ready, ‘shimmy’ the pizza off of the peel and onto the stone (that little shaking motion). When it’s done, you just slide the peel under the pizza and lift it out, as it was a big spatula!
Hey Mig,
I had thought that might be the only solution to my pizza sticking problem. My place is so tiny that I cringe at the thought of having to store anything other than absolute necessities. I think a pizza peel might have to be considered a necessity though. Thanks for letting me know!
A cookie sheet with no sides could be used instead of a peel and can be used for other things.
That’s a great idea!