This Caramelized Date, Goat Cheese, and Sausage Naan Pizza has everything you love in a gourmet pizza: a crisp naan base, creamy goat cheese, sweet caramelized shallots, garlic, and Medjool dates, and a fresh peppery arugula finish. This recipe comes together in 30 minutes and is perfect to serve at your next dinner party or patio dinner. Plus, you get to customize it by using any sausage of your choice for the protein.
(Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Natural Delights. All opinions are my own; I never feature a brand that I don't love!)
Table of Contents
Why you'll love it
- Savory + sweet perfection: Creamy goat cheese and your favorite sausage pair beautifully with sweet Medjool dates and honey.
- Quick and easy: This easy naan pizza recipe is ready in just 30-minutes, and requires minimal prep with no fancy dough-making.
- Elevated but accessible: It's fancy enough to impress but uses simple, pantry ingredients like Medjool dates, pistachios, and naan.
- Perfect for entertaining: This pizza is stunning and always a hit-perfect for sharing with friends and fam!
Is it healthy?
While pizza might not scream "health food," this naan pizza brings a surprisingly balanced nutrition profile to the table.
- Medjool dates can support our health in a number of different ways. They're a natural source of fiber, which can help support gut health, regular digestion, and regular blood sugar levels. Plus, they're rich in essential nutrients like potassium and magnesium, making them a smart choice for heart health, pregnancy nutrition, and overall wellness.
- Arugula adds a fresh dose of greens, vitamin K, and calcium.
- Pistachios add plant-based protein and healthy fats that support blood sugar control and heart health. Recent research also suggests that pistachios support brain function and gut health, making them a nutrient powerhouse!
- Goat cheese brings creamy, tangy richness to the pizza, and it also gives it a boost of protein and calcium.
So in short, yes. Pizza can totally be part of a balanced lifestyle. As a registered dietitian, I would always recommend pairing this with a big salad or roasted veggies to add even more fiber into your meal.
What are Medjool dates? Are they healthy?
Medjool dates have been super popular, especially with Tiktok-viral recipes like Date "Snickers", Date Bark and Date "Sushi".
Many people don't know this but Medjool dates are actually considered a fresh fruit, not a dried fruit. Since they're a fruit, all their sugars are naturally occurring, meaning there are no added sugars. They're also a source of potassium, iron, and satiating fiber. Overall, they have 16 essential vitamins and minerals!
When it comes to picking out Medjool dates, I always like to buy a pack of Natural Delights Medjool dates online or at my local grocery store. I'm using Medjool dates for this recipe because they tend to have a sweeter and softer texture that pairs perfectly with the sausage, goat cheese, and crunchy elements like the pistachios.
What ingredients do you need?
Here's everything you'll need to make your caramelized date naan pizza:
- Naan bread: A soft, chewy flatbread usually found in the bakery or deli section-plain, whole wheat, or garlic varieties all work. If you can't find naan bread, you could swap it for a plain frozen pizza crust or pita bread.
- Goat cheese: Creamy and tangy, goat cheese spreads easily when softened and adds richness to every bite.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: For that classic, melty cheese pull-whole milk mozzarella melts like a dream.
- Italian sausage: Use cooked and crumbled sausage-mild or spicy, whatever you prefer. Plant-based alternatives work great too!
- Olive oil: Just a tablespoon to help caramelize everything.
- Shallot: Shallots are similar to onions but sweeter and milder. Feel free to swap 1 shallot for ½ small yellow onion if you'd like.
- Garlic: Adds bold flavor, we're slicing thin to avoid burning it while cooking.
- Natural Delights Medjool Dates: Soft, rich, and naturally sweet-find them in the fresh produce section.
- Fresh arugula: A peppery leafy green that adds a pop of freshness right before serving.
- Honey: A light drizzle at the end adds the perfect sweet finish. If the dates are sweet enough for you, feel free to omit the honey.
- Chopped pistachios: If you have time, we always recommend roasting the pistachios before chopping to bring out this ultra nutty flavor. You can also buy pistachios that are pre-roasted.
- Flakey sea salt: Just a pinch of finishing salt really brings out all the flavor profiles-both sweet and savory!
How do you make this caramelized date naan pizza?
Step 1: Preheat your oven
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Step 2: Caramelize the aromatics
In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Sauté the shallots and garlic until softened and fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Add the sliced Medjool dates and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until caramelized and glossy. Set aside.
Step 3: Build the base
Lay the naan flat on your prepared baking sheet. Spread each with a layer of softened goat cheese. Then top with mozzarella, cooked sausage, and that delicious caramelized shallot-garlic-date mixture.
Step 4: Bake it
Once assembled, pop your naan pizza in the oven at 400°F for 12-15 minutes. You'll know they're ready when the cheese is bubbly and the edges are golden brown.
Step 5: Top and serve
As soon as they're out of the oven, top with fresh arugula, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with pistachios and flakey salt. Slice it up and serve warm!
Can I cook this naan pizza in the air fryer?
Yes! To cook in the air fryer, assemble the naan pizzas as directed. Carefully add to a large air fryer basket and air fry at 350ºF for 6-8 minutes, or until the naan is crisp on the edges. You may need to cook one at a time if you don't have stackable racks for the air fryer. Once it's cooked, finish with toppings and enjoy!
Recipe tips and tricks
- Serving: Slice into halves or quarters and serve warm as a main dish with a side salad, or cut smaller for an easy appetizer or party flatbread.
Troubleshooting: If your goat cheese is hard to spread, warm it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. - Scaling: You can easily double the recipe for a crowd by using 2 sheet pans and assembling 4 naan pizzas at once. You can also prep the caramelized date mixture and sausage ahead to save time.
Customize it your way
This naan pizza is your canvas. You get to choose what sausage you want to use to make it your own.
- Sausage of your choice: Any sausage you like will work here! Whether it's Italian pork sausage, sliced chicken sausage, plant-based crumbles, apple chicken sausage, or turkey sausage. Pick what fits your taste preference and lifestyle!
You could also customize it further by adding crushed red pepper for extra heat, roasted red peppers for extra veggies, or swap arugula for chopped spinach on top.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prep the caramelized date mixture and cook the sausage (if it's not already cooked) up to 1 day in advance. Just store everything in the fridge and assemble the naan pizzas fresh when you're ready to bake. Easy and stress free!
How to store and reheat this naan pizza
If you're serving a crowd, we highly doubt you'll have any extras. 😉 Buuut if you do, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days!
Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes to bring back the crispiness. If you're in a hurry, a quick 30 second zap in the microwave works too, though the crust won't be as crisp.
You can also enjoy it cold straight from the fridge-trust us, it's tried and true!
Need more help with recipes for your busy schedule?
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Naan Pizza with Caramelized Dates, Goat Cheese, and Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 Natural Delights Whole Medjool Dates, pitted and sliced (about 1 cup)
- 2 large pieces of naan bread, (8.8 ounce package)
- 4 ounce goat cheese log, softened (let sit at room temp for 10 minutes or microwave for 10 seconds)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cooked sausage of your choice, (about 6 ounces-Italian pork sausage, sliced chicken sausage, plant-based sausage crumbles, sliced apple chicken sausage, or turkey sausage)
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ cup roasted and shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- Flakey sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a large (~18x13") baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the sliced Medjool dates and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until everything is golden and caramelized. Remove from heat.
- If using raw sausage (such as ground pork sausage), cook it in the same skillet after removing the date mixture. Cook until fully browned and no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks.
- Place the naan on the prepared baking sheet. Spread softened goat cheese evenly over each piece, then sprinkle with half of the mozzarella (¼ cup) amongst both naans. Add the crumbled cooked sausage, followed by the caramelized shallot, garlic, and date mixture. Finish with the remaining mozzarella on top.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the naan are golden brown.
- Let the pizzas rest on the pan for 3 minutes after baking. Then top evenly with arugula, honey, chopped pistachios, and a sprinkle of flakey sea salt. Slice into triangle pieces and enjoy warm!
- Store any leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
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