Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
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Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
This Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza recipe is everything you love about Thanksgiving dinner, but on a pizza! It’s packed with all the holiday favorites, like savory roasted veggies, tender chicken, and a touch of sweetness from cranberries—making it the perfect way to enjoy Thanksgiving flavors in a whole new way! Gluten-free Option.
If your Thanksgiving spread could use a little shake-up, I’ve got just the thing—Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza! It’s like Thanksgiving dinner on a pizza, with all those cozy flavors we love, like roasted veggies, tender chicken, and a sweet pop of cranberries. It’s the perfect way to add something fun and delicious to your holiday table.
The homemade crust is topped with a smooth + creamy garlic parmesan sauce. This pizza is all about those amazing textures and bold flavors—creamy mozzarella, crispy candied bacon, crunchy chickpeas + more, all piled on top of a golden crust (gluten-free option). And you can easily swap the shredded chicken for leftover turkey after Thanksgiving!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
- Ingredients for Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
- Ingredients
- Make The Perfect Pizza Crust Every Time!
- More Topping Ideas
- Can I Double the Dough? Can I Freeze The Dough?
- Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza Recipe Q + A's
- More Thanksgiving Recipes to Try Next!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
Pizza is a regular feature in my 'What To Eat This Week' series because it's such a universally loved option that always hits the spot. Check it out HERE if you ever need a little help with your weekly meal planning!
Why You’ll Love This Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
- All your Thanksgiving favorites in one delicious slice
- A sweet pop of cranberries for that perfect holiday touch
- Crispy, cheesy, and full of flavor—what’s not to love?
- The perfect balance of soft, chewy, and crispy textures in every bite
- The ultimate way to enjoy leftovers or add a fun twist to the holiday spread!
Ingredients for Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
There are three components to this pizza: the homemade dough, the garlic parmesan sauce and the toppings. Start by making the dough first, as it needs time to rest. then make the sauce and toppings, assemble bake and enjoy!
Ingredients
PIZZA CRUST:
If you haven't made homemade crust before, it's easy to do and so worth it. This simple recipe uses a few pantry staple ingredients to make a super chewy and crisp pizza crust. Here's what you need to make it:
- All-purpose flour. I use organic flour from Bob's Red Mill.
- WARM water. Ensure that it's warm and NOT HOT.
- Raw honey. You can sub with organic brown sugar or cane sugar. All of the sugar will be consumed by the yeast.
- Rapid-rise yeast. Also called instant yeast.
- Sea salt.
GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE:
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce. See the recipe HERE!
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
You can of course use any toppings you like on this pizza. I love to use seasonal flavors that make sense on a Thanksgiving table like:
- Mozzarella cheese. You could also use more parmesan, asiago or another melty cheese. A mixture of cheeses also works well!
- Cranberries. You can only find fresh cranberries during the holidays, so take advantage of this healthy berry! It adds tartness to the savory pie.
- Shredded chicken. See my shredded chicken recipe.
- Candied bacon. Making your own is super easy, you can follow my recipe here!
- Kale. Chopped + destemmed.
- Fresh spinach. Chopped.
- Roasted broccoli or broccolini. Slightly chopped.
- Butternut squash. For the best flavor roast it beforehand!
- Roasted chickpeas. See my roasted chickpeas recipe!
- Extra virgin olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite high-quality EVOO. My fave tried and trusted brand is California Olive Ranch.
- Italian seasoning. Homemade or store brought.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR BAKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PIZZA!
Here, I’ve curated a list of baking + cooking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite dishes, especially with Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza recipe. Everything from my fave pizza pans, graters, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Make The Perfect Pizza Crust Every Time!
When it comes to making the perfect pizza crust, it only really takes a FEW HACKS/TRICKS for this to happen.
Here’s How:
- Make sure that your oven is preheated and is HOT!! This ensures that everything bakes evenly and cooks pretty fast to avoid anything that could possibly cause your pizza to be soggy or undercooked (like the dough!).
- Never EVER use cold dough! Using cold dough changes the hydration and makes it more aggressive to stretch and work out. This isn’t good for your crust at all.
- Always, Always use a Pizza Sheet Pan. For a crispy pizza, I suggest using a pizza pan with holes to allow the crust to bake through nicely. I used the AirBake Pizza Pan.
- DO NOT over-roll dough! When following the step of rolling out the dough slightly to flatten it, never roll out the dough too much! Be sure to follow the steps of stretching it out with your hands the rest of the way.
- Never add TOO MUCH sauce! This step is super imperative (trust me, I learned the hard way!) and it’s such truth. Never add all the sauce entirely to avoid a soggy middle or crust.
- Pre-cook any toppings that might require a longer cook time! This is especially true for certain veggies (and of course meats) that require a longer cook time that the allotted short amount of minutes that an actual pizza takes to cook. That way you aren’t trying to overcook your pizza because the toppings aren’t fully cooked.
There you have it—these tried and true tips/tricks will get your pizza coming out crisp and perfect every time! Do you have any additional tips that have worked for you besides these?
More Topping Ideas
If you're looking to spruce up your pizza with more toppings, or if you're catering to both vegetarians and meat-eaters, here are some additional ingredients you might like:
- Leftover turkey
- Caramelized onions
- Sun-dried tomatoes or herb roasted tomatoes
- Artichoke hearts
- Arugula
- Mushrooms (such as cremini, portobello, or shiitake)
- Olives (black or green)
- Roasted Garlic Olive Oil Dip (it's so yummy drizzled atop)
- Feta cheese or goat cheese for added tanginess
Can I Double the Dough? Can I Freeze The Dough?
Yes! It's easy to double or triple this homemade pizza dough recipe. You can even freeze the dough before rising. Simply stick it in an oiled air-tight bag or container and into the freezer for up to six months. When you're craving some kale pizza, defrost the dough in the fridge overnight. Then let it come to room temperature for about half an hour before rolling, topping, and baking.
Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza Recipe Q + A's
If you have leftover pizza, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can reheat the pizza in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes until heated through.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use this recipe for Easy Gluten-Free Pizza Crust.
For a crispy pizza (especially on the bottom), I suggest using a pizza pan with holes to allow the crust to bake through nicely. I used the AirBake Pizza Pan. Also remember not to add too much sauce.
No worries! You can use cranberry sauce or dried cranberries as a substitute. Just make sure the sauce isn’t too runny if you’re going that route.
Of course! Regular crispy bacon works just as well if you prefer that over candied bacon.
More Thanksgiving Recipes to Try Next!
If you loved this Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza recipe and want more holiday meal inspiration then try these next:
- How To Make the Best Charcuterie Board
- Homemade Vegan Stuffing
- Southern-Style Cornbread Stuffing
- Leftover Turkey Southern Collard Greens
- Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
- Fall Harvest Apple Bacon Crostini
- Hot Honey Garlic Dinner Rolls
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Best Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
Ingredients
PIZZA CRUST:
- 2 ¾ cups organic all-purpose flour (See Notes for GF option!)
- 1 cup WARM water (Ensure that it's warm and NOT HOT)
- 1 tablespoon organic raw honey (You can sub with organic brown sugar or cane sugar)
- 1 packet rapid-rise yeast (That's 2 ¼ tsps!)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE:
- ½ cup Easy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed
- 1-2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1-2 cups Easy Shredded Chicken
- 1 cup chopped Candied Bacon
- 1 cup organic kale, chopped
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 cup roasted broccoli or broccolini, slightly chopped
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash
- 1 cup Roasted Chickpeas
- 2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
TO MAKE THE PIZZA CRUST:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (with a dough hook attachment), mix together the warm water, honey, and yeast (you might need to use a whisk to ensure that everything combines together well). Let is sit for at least 5 minutes, until yeast begins to activate and foam.
- Slowly add the flour and salt (on low speed!), until fully incorporated and a soft dough is formed. NOTE: if dough is too sticky, add ½ cup of additional flour at a time).
- Now, increase the speed to medium-high and knead the dough for about 5 minutes in the mixer.
- Once done, add the dough onto a floured surface and slightly roll out the dough until it’s flat enough to form a flat circle the rest of the way with your hands, about 11 inches in diameter. Lightly grease your pizza pan with extra virgin olive oil and place dough on one end of pan, evenly pressing it and flattening it out to fit the entire pan. Gently use your finger to stretch dough until pan is fully covered and gently pinch the edges of the dough together to form the crust.
- NOTE: You can also make + knead the dough in a large bowl without the need for an electric mixer. It might take a bit more arm strength---however, after a few minutes of kneading the dough, it should be elastic.
TO MAKE GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE:
- Simply follow my recipe for the Easy Garlic Parmesan Sauce.
ADD THE TOPPINGS + BAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and place top rack into the middle of oven. NOTE: be sure to use a great pizza pan to ensure that your crust is crispy and not soggy.
- Generously sprinkle the chopped kale or spinach or broccoli atop followed by the rest of the toppings you choose to use (excluding the mozzarella + cranberries), leaving a bit of crust bare for the edges. Now add the pieces of sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and top with the fresh cranberries as the last step.
- Lightly brush the tops of the edge of the crust with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to ensure that it becomes a nice golden brown and drizzle another Tablespoon atop the pizza ingredients followed by sprinkles of Italian seasoning, if using.
- Transfer the pizza pie to the hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or so, until the mozzarella has melted (and becomes bubbly) and the crust is crispy and golden brown.
- Once done, allow pizza to rest/cool for a few minutes (about 2-3 minutes) so that the cheese sets before cutting into generous slices, using a pizza cutter.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- PIZZA CRUST: For a crispy pizza (especially on the bottom), I suggest using a pizza pan with holes to allow the crust to bake through nicely. Check out my Amazon Shop for a great option!
- STORAGE: Leftover pizza is best kept tightly wrapped in foil paper, refrigerated for 3-4 days for optimal freshness.
- GLUTEN-FREE CRUST: To make your pizza crust GF, see my Easy GF Pizza Crust recipe.
- GREENS: If preferred, you can always add greens to the mix like Spinach, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, or Collard Greens to the pizza.
- TOPPINGS: For additional Thanksgiving inspired topping ideas, see post!
Nutrition
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Should we not add any oil to the dough mixture?
Can you please add Gram measurements so your viewers can have a choice?
Hi! No, you don't need oil for the dough! Also, if you tap on the little function of the recipe card that says "Units in Metrics" you should see things pop up in grams. 🙂