Easy Deep Dish Pizza Recipe

Name: Pepperoni Lovers Deep Dish Pizza
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 16 oz pizza dough (pre-rolled out, optional); 1 ½ c pizza sauce; 6.5 oz pepperoni (chopped); 1 ½ c shredded mozzarella; 4 oz fresh mozzarella (sliced); 3 garlic cloves (crushed); Olive oil for brushing your pan and the crust; Fresh Basil (about 5 leaves); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; Flour for dusting the pan and the dough

Make this fresh deep dish pizza recipe at home using pre-made dough and cut the process in half!

Pizza night is extra fun when you make homemade pizza, but I still love a good shortcut!

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We'll start with refrigerated dough for a simple pizza crust and let the toppings shine. There's nothing like a real Chicago deep dish pizza, but we're going to do our best!

✨ Here is why this pizza recipe is amazing:

Personalize your own pizza with your favorite toppings.
Kids love adding pizza toppings.
Fun for a pizza party.

🥫 Ingredients needed:

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

Refrigerated pizza dough (pre-rolled out, optional)
Pizza sauce
Pepperoni, chopped thick
Shredded mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Garlic cloves, crushed
Olive oil for brushing your pan and the crust
Fresh basil
Italian seasoning
Flour for dusting the pan and the dough

🔄 Substitutions

Try adding different toppings like peppers, onions or olives for a supreme pizza.
Use a garlic sauce and spinach to make a white pizza
Try making your own homemade pizza dough.
Use Italian sausage rounds instead of pepperoni.
Serve with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.
Add crushed tomatoes on top for that Chicago-style pizza flavor.

🍕 How to make Deep Dish Pizza at Home

Preheat oven to 400°F and remove your pizza dough ball from the refrigerator. You will want it to come to room temperature before using it. This should not take more than 30 minutes.

Step 1: Brush cast iron skillet with olive oil and dust with flour.

Step 2: Place the dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides, about halfway up. If you need to roll the dough before adding it to the skillet, make sure to use a floured surface.

Step 3: Brush the top of the dough with olive oil and crushed garlic, but do not add toppings yet.

Step 4: Bake for 18-25 minutes or until the crust is golden. While the crust is baking, chop the pepperoni on a cutting board and separate it into two equal piles.

Step 5: Once the crust is golden brown, remove it from the oven and add tomato sauce evenly.

Step 6: Top with half the chopped pepperoni and half the shredded mozzarella cheese. Then, add the remaining chopped pepperoni (optional to save a little bit to sprinkle on top before baking) and spread the remaining shredded mozzarella.

Step 7: Add the fresh mozzarella to the top of the pizza, placing the circles in an even layer.

Step 8: Add fresh basil and sprinkle Italian seasoning evenly on the pizza. If you reserved any pepperoni, add it now.

top with mozzarella slices seasonings and basil

Step 9: Bake the pizza in the hot oven with the toppings for 8 -10 minutes or until all the layers of cheese have melted.

TIP: To get the toasted spots on your cheese, let the pizza cook under the high temperature of the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Be sure to check often so it doesn't scorch.

Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before slicing and pulling apart. The rest time will ensure that the toppings and gooey cheese don't spill onto the plate.

Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes if desired, and enjoy!

❄️ Storage Tips

Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.

♨️ Reheating Instructions

Reheat pizza in a microwave, 30 seconds at a time, or in the air fryer for 2-4 minutes at 350°F.

📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

What is the best pan for homemade deep dish pizza?

This recipe uses a 10" cast iron skillet pan, but any kind of pan that is deep dish can be used.

Where can I Buy Pre-made Pizza Dough?

Refrigerated dough can be purchased in most grocery stores. You can sometimes find pre-rolled dough from the bakery at your local grocery store. Many stores have this option if you ask. As an alternative, Walmart bakery has an excellent pizza dough sold by the bag and you can roll it out yourself. Trader Joe's also has refrigerated dough in two flavors. Many pizza joints will also allow you to purchase pre-made pizza dough as well if you ask.

Make this Recipe

Pepperoni Lovers Deep Dish Pizza

This easy cast iron skillet pizza is deep dish with a tall crust and full of flavor. Use pre-made pizza dough and make it whenever you have a craving!

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings servings

Calories 499 kcal

Ingredients

16 oz pizza dough pre-rolled out, optional
1 ½ c pizza sauce
6.5 oz pepperoni chopped
1 ½ c shredded mozzarella
4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
3 garlic cloves crushed
Olive oil for brushing your pan and the crust
Fresh Basil about 5 leaves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Flour for dusting the pan and the dough

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F
Brush cast iron skillet with olive oil and dust with flour.
Note, if you did not purchase pre-rolled pizza dough, you will first need to dust a working space with flour and roll out your pizza dough to be used in your cast iron skillet.
Press pizza dough into the bottom of the skillet and up the sides, about halfway up is fine. Brush pizza with olive oil and crushed garlic, do not add toppings yet. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until the crust is golden. While the crust is baking, chop the pepperoni, divide into two small piles and set aside.
When the crust is golden brown, remove from the oven, add pizza sauce and spread evenly. Top with half of the chopped pepperoni followed by half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Add the remaining chopped pepperoni (optional to save a little bit to sprinkle on top before baking). Spread the remaining shredded mozzarella followed by the fresh mozzarella, place the circles evenly apart and add the fresh basil. Sprinkle the italian seasoning evenly on the pizza and add any leftover chopped pepperoni.
Bake the pizza with the toppings for 8 -10 minutes or until all of the cheese has melted. To get the toasted spots on your cheese, let pizza cook under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before slicing and pulling apart. The rest time will ensure that the toppings and cheese don't spill out onto the plate.

Notes

For this recipe I used a 10" cast iron skillet pan, any deep dish pizza pan can be used.

Pizza Dough: I used pre rolled out dough from the bakery at my local grocery store, most have this option if you ask. As an alternative, Walmart bakery has an excellent pizza dough sold by the bag and you can roll it out yourself. Most pizza joints will allow you to purchase pre-made pizza dough as well.

Toppings: be creative with the toppings of your choice, I used a pepperoni stick and chopped it as it builds better for the deep dish pizza layers.

Store leftover pizza in an airtight container no longer than three to four days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 23gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1617mgPotassium: 312mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 588IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 259mgIron: 3mg

Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.