Cheesy Deep Dish Pizza with Homemade Dough and Sauce

Photo byGwen Wren using Canva

This recipe makes a classic Chicago-style deep dish pizza with a crispy crust, gooey mozzarella, savory sausage, and zesty pepperoni, all baked to perfection in a cast iron skillet.

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, no worries! A deep casserole dish or a heavy-duty baking dish will work just as well to make this delicious deep dish pizza. Just follow the same steps, and you’ll still get that golden, crispy crust and gooey, cheesy goodness.

Cheesy Deep Dish Pizza with Homemade Dough and Sauce

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Toppings:

• 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot), crumbled and cooked
• 20-25 slices of pepperoni
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough:

• In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt.
• Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

2. Prepare the Sauce:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

3. Assemble the Pizza:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• Punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Roll out the dough into a large circle, about 14 inches in diameter.
• Grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet with olive oil. Carefully press the dough into the skillet, ensuring it comes up the sides about 1-2 inches to form a deep crust.
• Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the bottom of the dough.
• Evenly distribute the cooked sausage, pepperoni slices, bell pepper, red onion, and mushrooms (if using) over the cheese.
• Pour the prepared tomato sauce over the toppings, spreading it evenly.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and the grated Parmesan over the sauce.

4. Bake the Pizza:

• Place the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
• If the edges of the crust brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil during the baking process.

5. Serve:

• Once baked, remove the skillet from the oven and let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before slicing.
• Carefully slice the pizza in the skillet and use a spatula to lift each slice out.

6. Enjoy:

• Serve hot and enjoy the delicious, cheesy, and savory goodness of your homemade deep dish pizza!

Tips:

• For an extra-crispy crust, preheat the cast iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes before adding the dough.
• You can customize the toppings to your liking—add your favorite veggies, meats, or cheeses.