Gorgonzola, Pear, and Walnut White Pizza

Imperial June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 1 large 12- to 14-inch pizza, 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Quick Ingredients

1 pound prepared pizza dough, brought to room temperature for 30 minutes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for shaping
1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina, for the peel or parchment
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
3 ounces gorgonzola dolce or regular gorgonzola, crumbled
1 medium firm-ripe pear, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup walnut halves, toasted and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Do This

1. Place the dough at room temperature for 30 minutes and preheat a pizza stone or steel at 500°F for 30 minutes.
2. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes, then cool and chop.
3. Mix the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper; toss the pear slices with lemon juice.
4. Stretch the dough into a 12- to 14-inch round on floured parchment sprinkled with cornmeal.
5. Brush with garlic oil, then top with mozzarella, gorgonzola, and pear slices.
6. Bake at 500°F for 11 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
7. Finish with toasted walnuts, honey, and thyme; rest for 2 minutes before slicing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Elegant but easy: It feels restaurant-worthy, but it uses simple grocery-store ingredients and prepared pizza dough.
Beautiful balance: Creamy gorgonzola, juicy pear, mellow mozzarella, earthy walnuts, and honey create a sweet-savory bite.
No tomato sauce needed: A quick garlic olive oil base keeps the pizza light, rich, and distinctly “white pizza” style.
Great for dinner or sharing: Serve it as a main course with a simple salad, or slice it smaller for an impressive appetizer.

Grocery List

Produce: 1 medium firm-ripe pear, 1 small garlic clove, fresh thyme, 1 lemon for juice
Dairy: Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, gorgonzola dolce or regular gorgonzola
Pantry: Prepared pizza dough, all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal or semolina, extra-virgin olive oil, fine sea salt, black pepper, walnut halves, honey

Full Ingredients

For the Dough and Garlic Oil Base

1 pound prepared pizza dough, refrigerated or fresh, brought to room temperature for 30 minutes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for dusting your hands and work surface
1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina, for the pizza peel or parchment
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced to a paste, about 1/2 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Toppings

6 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded or torn into small pieces
3 ounces gorgonzola dolce or regular gorgonzola, crumbled into small pieces
1 medium firm-ripe pear, about 6 ounces, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup walnut halves, about 35 grams

For Finishing

1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Gorgonzola, Pear, and Walnut White Pizza – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Warm the dough and preheat the oven

Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This makes it much easier to stretch without tearing or snapping back.

Place a pizza stone or pizza steel on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 30 minutes. If you do not have a stone or steel, place a sturdy rimmed baking sheet upside down on the rack and preheat it the same way.

Step 2: Toast the walnuts

Place the walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 4 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan every 30 seconds, until they smell nutty and look slightly deeper in color. Transfer them to a cutting board, let them cool for 2 minutes, then roughly chop them. Set the walnuts aside for finishing the pizza after baking so they stay crisp.

Step 3: Prepare the pear and garlic oil

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, grated garlic, fine sea salt, and black pepper. This will be the simple white pizza base, giving the crust flavor without adding a heavy sauce.

Core the pear and slice it into 1/8-inch-thick slices. You do not need to peel it. Toss the slices gently with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, then pat them lightly with a clean towel if they seem very wet. Thin, lightly dried pear slices bake more evenly and help keep the pizza from becoming soggy.

Step 4: Shape the pizza dough

Sprinkle a sheet of parchment paper or a pizza peel with 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina. Dust your hands with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Gently press and stretch the dough into a 12- to 14-inch round or oval, keeping the center about 1/4 inch thick and leaving a slightly thicker 1/2-inch border around the edge.

If the dough springs back strongly, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching. Avoid using a rolling pin if you can; hand-stretching keeps more air in the dough and gives you a lighter, puffier crust.

Step 5: Add the cheeses and pear

Brush the garlic oil evenly over the dough, leaving the 1/2-inch border mostly bare so it can brown. Scatter the mozzarella over the surface first, then dot the pizza with the crumbled gorgonzola.

Arrange the pear slices in a single layer over the cheese. A little overlap is fine, but avoid piling the slices into thick stacks. This helps the pears soften gently while the crust stays crisp.

Step 6: Bake the pizza

Carefully slide the pizza, still on the parchment if using, onto the preheated pizza stone, steel, or upside-down baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 6 minutes.

After 6 minutes, rotate the pizza 180 degrees. If using parchment, carefully pull the parchment out from under the pizza with tongs, then continue baking directly on the stone or steel for 5 more minutes. The total bake time is 11 minutes. The pizza is ready when the crust is browned in spots, the underside is firm, and the cheeses are melted and bubbling.

Step 7: Finish with walnuts, honey, and thyme

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let it rest for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts over the top, drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon honey, and finish with 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves.

Slice into 8 wedges and serve warm. The best bites will have a little mozzarella, a few crumbles of gorgonzola, a thin pear slice, crunchy walnut pieces, and a light thread of honey.

Pro Tips

Use firm-ripe pears: Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc pears all work well. The pear should smell sweet and yield slightly near the stem, but it should not be mushy.
Choose low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella releases more water and can make the center of the pizza soft. Low-moisture mozzarella melts beautifully while keeping the crust sturdier.
Add walnuts after baking: Toasting them first and adding them at the end gives you the best crunch and prevents any bitter, overbaked edges.
Go easy on the gorgonzola: Three ounces is enough to give bold, creamy blue-cheese flavor without overpowering the pear and honey.
Preheat thoroughly: A full 30-minute preheat at 500°F helps the bottom crust cook quickly before the pear releases too much moisture.

Variations

Prosciutto pear pizza: Add 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto after baking, just before the walnuts and honey.
Arugula finish: Toss 1 cup baby arugula with 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then scatter it over the finished pizza for a peppery contrast.
Milder cheese version: Replace 1 ounce of the gorgonzola with 1 ounce fontina for a creamier, gentler blue-cheese flavor.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This pizza is best eaten warm, shortly after baking, while the crust is crisp and the cheese is creamy. Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F for 7 minutes, or warm slices in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 5 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Avoid microwaving if possible, because it softens the crust.

To get ahead, toast and chop the walnuts up to 3 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Shred the mozzarella and crumble the gorgonzola up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate them separately. Slice the pear no more than 30 minutes before assembling, and toss it with the lemon juice as directed. For the best texture, assemble the pizza right before baking.

Nutrition (per serving)