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Delicious baked deep dish pizza with a from-scratch crust that is full of fresh baked flavor and ready to be topped however you like this hearty pizza pie!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Table of contents
Homemade Deep Dish
Deep dish pizza is a type of pizza that originated in Chicago and is known for its thick, buttery crust and generous toppings. It is a delicious and satisfying meal that can be enjoyed at home, especially when it is baked fresh.
One of the main reasons deep dish pizza is so delicious when baked fresh at home is that it allows you to customize the toppings to your liking. You can choose your favorite vegetables, meats, and cheeses and layer them on top of the crust to create a pizza that is perfectly suited to your tastes.
Another reason deep dish pizza is so delicious when baked fresh at home is that it is made with high-quality ingredients. The crust is typically made with butter or olive oil, which adds a richness and depth of flavor to the pizza. The toppings are also typically fresh and flavorful, which enhances the overall taste and enjoyment of the dish.
Finally, deep dish pizza is delicious when baked fresh at home because it is cooked to perfection in a hot oven. The heat of the oven allows the crust to become crispy and golden brown, while the toppings become hot and melted. This creates a mouthwatering combination of textures and flavors that is hard to resist.
Overall, deep dish pizza is a delicious and satisfying meal that is perfect for a cozy night in. When it is baked fresh at home, it allows you to customize the toppings and enjoy high-quality ingredients, all while being cooked to perfection in a hot oven.
How to Make Deep Dish Pizza
To make this recipe, you will need:
- Warm water
- Active dry yeast
- Olive oil
- Honey
- All-purpose flour
- Marinara sauce
- Pepperoni
- Shredded mozzarella
- Grated parmesan cheese
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:
- Proof yeast. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water and yeast until just combined. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow it to sit for about 3 minutes, or until foamy.
- Mix & rise. Whisk in the olive oil and honey until the added ingredients are mixed into the yeast mixture. Gently whisk in the four until no pockets of four remain and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes to work the dough and yeast. Place the dough back into the bowl and allow it to rest for 15 minutes covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make & bake pizza. Roll the dough out into a disc and place it in an oiled 9-inch cast iron skillet. Top the pizza with marinara sauce followed by mozzarella, pepperoni, and parmesan cheese.Bake the pizza for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, and dough is puffy and golden brown on the sides.
- Enjoy! Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks For Perfect Deep Dish Pizza
Try garlic butter crust. To do this, simply combine 3 Tbsp of melted butter and 2 tsp of garlic salt. Brush this mixture onto the pizza dough before adding your toppings for a delicious garlic flavor!
Make it thin crust. For a thinner crust, you can split this dough into two pizzas or use a larger cast iron.
How to freeze deep dish pizza dough. You can freeze this dough for up to 3 months. Simply wrap it in plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge. When you are ready to use it, allow it to thaw in the fridge, or a bow of warm water if you are in a hurry.
How to store deep dish leftovers. You can store this pizza in the fridge for up to 3 days after it has been cooked.
Add honey! This pizza crust is soft and a tiny bit sweet because of the honey. I found that the sweetness paired wonderfully with the sweetness of the tomato sauce and the savoriness of the cheese and pepperoni.
Load it up! You can add layers and layers of flavor to this deep dish pizza – we’re just adding the toppings for one layer of toppings – but a traditional Chicago-style deep dish pizza will have a couple of thick layers of cheese and sauce – more like a pie than a pizza! This recipe can be seen as a base recipe – one for you to build your own favorite deep dish combination off of! Go wild trying your own customization!
FAQs
pizza is done when crust is browned around the edges and puffy in the middle, cheese is melted and bubbling hot. For more toppings, you will need to increase cook time, so a dense pie can cook through! Start at 20 minutes for a basic pizza, and for additional toppings, keep in mind you’ll likely need to add more time.
A lot of people like the flavor of a bit of cornmeal in deep dish pizza – if you’d like to add this without overpowering the dough flavor, you can dust the dough in cornmeal instead of flour for a bit of a different texture and flavor, as well as some nonstick properties.
Uncooked dough can be frozen for up to four months, then thawed overnight in the fridge when ready to cook.
What to Serve With Deep Dish Pizza
Deep dish pizza is great with lots of hearty appetizers like Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers, Air Fryer Potato Chips, and Air Fryer French Fries – but it’s also great with fresh easy salads like Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad, Easy Creamy Cucumber Salad, and Garden Vegetable Greek Salad!
Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
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Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ½ cup pepperoni
- 1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water and yeast until just combined. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow it to sit for about 3 minutes, or until foamy.
- Whisk in the olive oil and honey until the added ingredients are homogenous with the yeast mixture.
- Gently whisk in the four until no pockets of four remain and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes to work the dough and yeast. Pace the dough back into the bowl and allow it to rest for 15 minutes covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll the dough out into a disc and place it in an oiled 9-inch cast iron skillet. Top the pizza with marinara sauce followed by mozzarella, pepperoni, and parmesan cheese.
- Bake the pizza for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, and dough is puffy and golden brown on the sides.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
