You don’t have to be in Chicago to enjoy Chicago-style deep dish pizza! Follow my tutorial and flavor guide to make this windy city classic recipe at home.
DEEP DISH PIZZA RECIPE OVERVIEW
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Components Used:Lean Dough Master Recipe
- Techniques Used: Straight Dough Method for Yeast Bread
Chicago-style pizza is a vacation staple when you’re visiting the Midwest! This type of pizza is unlike any other kind of pizza – it’s prepared in a pan with tall sides providing ample space to top with layers of cheese, fillings, and tomato sauce.
And now you can make it at home! This easy-to-follow tutorial includes step-by-step instructions to bring a Chicago staple to your kitchen, no matter where you live.
PIZZA FILLING IDEAS & MORE
The options for deep dish pizza fillings are endless! In the chart below, I include ideas for meats, veggies, and cheeses, but this is by no means a comprehensive list. I hope this inspires some incredibly delicious deep dish flavor combinations!
MEATS
- Italian Sausage
- Pepperoni
- Bacon
- Meatballs(any kind like beef, pork, or chicken)
- Rotisserie Chicken
CHEESES
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Pecorino
- Ricotta
- Feta
- Goat
- Cream Cheese
VEGETABLES
- Mushrooms
- Red or Sweet Onions
- Fresh or Pickled Jalapeños
- Bell Peppers
- Banana Peppers
- Spinach
- Green, Black, or Kalamata Olives
- Artichoke Hearts
- Garlic
HERBS & SPICES
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Fennel
- Oregano
- Basil
MY FAVORITE DEEP DISH PIZZA FLAVORS
Pizzas are so versatile and it’s always fun to mix and match ingredients to create your own flavor combination. If you’re not sure what flavors go well together, think about what’s typically on your favorite kind of pizza – this is always a great place to start.
For best results, I recommend using mozzarella cheese as the first layer on top of the dough regardless of what pizza flavor you choose. Other types of cheese can be added in addition to this.
Chicago Classic:Along with the tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, add lean sausage and pepperoni. As you cook the sausage, separate it into thick chunks instead of small crumbles.
Ultimate Veggie:You can’t go wrong with any variety of vegetables but here is my favorite combination: mushrooms, green peppers, garlic, onions, spinach, and black olives.
Greek Pizza:Along with the tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, add spinach, feta, garlic, kalamata olives, and red peppers.
Kansas-Style:It may sound odd but my husband’s hometown of Lawrence, Kansas (where I went to college!) started thetrend of using a smear of cream cheese as a pizza topping. With Italian sausage and sautéed onions, the addition of cream cheese is the ultimate in pizza decadence.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA RECIPE
MAKE THE PIZZA DOUGH
For this pizza dough, we use thestraight dough method, meaning all of the ingredients are mixed together in one step. This dough results in a thick, flaky crust.
In a large bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients with a spoon or rubber spatula. Once the ingredients are mixed in, switch to using your hands to pinch the dough all over to ensure all of the flour is hydrated.
Move the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it. Knead it by hand for 4-5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic (here’s ashort videoshowing exactly how I knead dough).
Use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread about a tablespoon of softened or melted butter on the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan, cake pan, or cast iron skillet. Place the kneaded dough into the pan and spread another tablespoon of butter over the top of the dough. This will ensure a buttery crust.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Alternatively, you can refrigerate for up to 4 days (make sure the pan of dough is tightly wrapped with plastic wrap). While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
You can absolutely use store-bought pizza dough in place of the homemade dough. Butter the pan and top the dough with butter as instructed.
MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE
Finely mince the fresh garlic and add it to a bowl with the rest of the tomato sauce ingredients. Give it a taste and if it tastes sour, add a pinch more sugar to balance it out.
If you’re short on time, use a store-bought sauce like one of my favorites,Rao’s Classic Pizza Sauce.
ASSEMBLE THE PIZZA AND BAKE
After the dough has rested, use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom and about 2 inches (5 cm) up the sides of the pan. This will be a thick crust. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the dough.
Add your favorite toppings like meats and vegetables on top of the mozzarella. Spread the sauce on top of the fillings and finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and additional mozzarella if desired.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take the cover off the pan and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the side crust is golden brown and the pizza is hot all the way through. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing the springform pan (if using) and slicing.
FAQ
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEEP DISH PIZZA AND PAN PIZZA?
Both deep dish pizza and pan pizza are made in a cast iron skillet, cake pan, or springform pan. However, a deep dish pizza (unlike pan pizza), has tall sides to contain the thick layer of fillings.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEEP DISH PIZZA AND CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA?
The recognizable difference is that the tomato sauce goes on top of the filling and cheese layers in Chicago-style deep dish pizza.
MAKE-AHEAD DEEP DISH PIZZA
This Chicago style deep dish pizza recipe is easy to make-ahead – all of the components can be made a few days before you plan to assemble and serve.
Dough:Place the dough into the buttered baking pan, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to assemble, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let it sit out at room temperature for at least an hour, then continue with the recipe as written.
Sauce:Make the tomato sauce and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 2 months.
Fillings:Pre-cook the meats and vegetables for the filling and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you enjoyed this Chicago style deep dish pizza recipe, you might like to try these other delicious pizza recipes.
- Homemade Calzones
- Easy Pizza Dough
- Skillet Pan Pizza
