Smoked Applewood Bacon and Gouda Pizza with Caramelized Onions

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-16 · Updated 2026-05-16

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A homemade pizza topped with smoked applewood bacon, melted gouda cheese, and sweet caramelized onions on a crisp crust. This Italian-inspired pizza recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs pizza dough, smoked applewood bacon slices, gouda cheese shredded for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 25 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

14 ounces pizza dough
6 smoked applewood bacon slices
8 ounces gouda cheese shredded
1 large yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cornmeal for dusting

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 475°F with a pizza stone or baking sheet inside. Meanwhile, thinly slice 1 large yellow onion. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until golden and caramelized.
Step 2: In the same skillet, add 6 slices smoked applewood bacon cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until crisp, then remove and drain on paper towels.
Step 3: Roll out 14 ounces pizza dough on a floured surface to a 12-inch circle, dusting the baking peel with 1 tablespoon cornmeal. Transfer dough to the preheated stone.
Step 4: Evenly spread caramelized onions and scattered bacon pieces over the dough. Sprinkle 8 ounces shredded gouda cheese and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves on top.
Step 5: Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving.