Recipe

Deep Dish Pizza

A buttery, crisp-edged deep dish with a warm, spiced tomato sauce, stretchy mozzarella, and savory sausage. Cozy, bold, and built for feeding a table.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A golden deep dish pizza in a cast iron skillet with chunky tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and fresh basil on a wooden table

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Deep dish pizza is the dinner version of a group hug. It is thick, cheesy, a little dramatic, and somehow still the most reliable way to make everyone in the room wander into the kitchen like you rang a bell.

This one leans into warm spices, the kind that make tomato sauce taste deeper and rounder without turning the pizza into a dessert situation. Think a whisper of fennel, a pinch of smoked paprika, and just enough crushed red pepper to keep things interesting. The payoff is huge: crisp edges, cozy carbs, and a sauce that tastes like it had all day even if you did not.

Why It Works

Crisp, buttery crust: A simple dough pressed into an oiled pan fries slightly as it bakes, so the edges go golden and crackly.
Cheese-first layering: Mozzarella goes directly on the crust to protect it from sauce and keep the bottom from getting soggy.
Warm, spiced sauce: Fennel and smoked paprika make canned tomatoes taste richer and more “cooked” fast. You will have extra for dipping, which is never a tragedy.
Make-ahead friendly: You can prep the dough and sauce earlier, then assemble when people start hovering.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Fridge: Let slices cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you stack slices, tuck parchment between layers to keep the cheese from gluing everything together.

Freezer: Wrap slices tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen works great for late-night pizza emergencies.

Best reheating method (crisp bottom): Warm a skillet over medium heat, add the slice, cover, and heat 5 to 8 minutes until the bottom is crisp and the top is melty. Add a few drops of water to the pan before covering if the cheese needs help.

Oven method: Bake on a sheet pan at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes (or 18 to 25 minutes if frozen).

Common Questions

What pan should I use for deep dish?

A 12-inch cast iron skillet is my favorite for crisp edges and easy handling. A 9x13-inch metal baking pan also works if you want more of a party-slab vibe. In a 9x13, press the dough a bit more evenly across the bottom and only about 3/4 to 1 inch up the sides, then start checking for doneness around 25 to 30 minutes. If you use glass, add a few extra minutes and expect slightly less browning.

Why does the cheese go under the sauce?

Because deep dish is built like a lasagna with opinions. Cheese first acts as a moisture barrier so the crust bakes through, plus you get those molten pockets under the chunky tomato layer.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. After the first rise, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temp for about 45 minutes so it relaxes before pressing into the pan.

How do I keep the crust from getting soggy?

Three things: bake hot enough, layer cheese first, and do not overload with watery toppings. If you use mushrooms or spinach, cook and squeeze them dry first. Also, do not drown the pizza in sauce. Use what you need and save the rest for dipping.

Is the “spiced” part spicy?

Not unless you want it to be. The spice is more warm and savory than hot. Keep the crushed red pepper light, or skip it and let black pepper do the work.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

12-inch cast iron skillet or 9x13-inch metal baking pan
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon or spatula
Small saucepan (for the spiced sauce)
Box grater (if shredding your own cheese)
Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful for dough and doneness)

I started making deep dish when I realized it solves two problems at once: feeding a crowd and keeping me from hovering over a stove flipping things at the exact moment everyone wants to chat in the kitchen. You press the dough, pile it high, and then the oven does the heavy lifting while you pretend you are totally calm and not counting minutes in your head.

The warm-spiced sauce happened by accident. I was out of my usual Italian sausage seasoning, so I stole a pinch of fennel from the back of the cabinet and added smoked paprika because I could. It came out tasting like the sauce had been simmering for hours, and now I refuse to make it any other way. I also refuse to use it all on one pizza, because I have learned the difference between “generous” and “soupy” the hard way.

Deep Dish Pizza

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 2 hours to 2 hours 25 minutes

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

Dough

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 110°F)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan

Warm & spiced sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional, but great)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon sugar or honey (optional, if your tomatoes are sharp)

Filling

12 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 3 cups)
8 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
Or: 3 to 4 ounces sliced pepperoni (a generous layer, not a paperweight)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 small yellow onion, very thinly sliced and quickly sautéed (optional)
Fresh basil or parsley, for finishing

Instructions

Bloom the yeast. In a large bowl, stir together yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy. If nothing happens, your water may be too hot, too cool, or the yeast is old. Start over and save yourself heartbreak.
Make the dough. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, melted butter, and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured counter for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. (It should spring back when you poke it, not cling to your hands like it is trying to start a new life.) Add a tablespoon of flour at a time only if it is truly sticking everywhere.
Let it rise. Lightly oil the bowl, add the dough, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Make the warm-spiced sauce. While the dough rises, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in oregano, crushed fennel, smoked paprika, cinnamon (if using), and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds more. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and sugar or honey (if using). Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt.
Sauce note: This makes more than you need for one pizza. You want a thick blanket, not a swimming pool.
Preheat and prep the pan. Heat oven to 400°F. Generously oil a 12-inch cast iron skillet, including the sides. This is how you get those crisp, golden edges.
Using a 9x13 pan? Oil it well, press the dough evenly across the bottom, and only go 3/4 to 1 inch up the sides. Start checking doneness around 25 to 30 minutes, since it bakes a little differently than a skillet.
Press in the dough. Punch down the dough, then press it into the skillet, working it up the sides about 1 1/2 inches. If it keeps springing back, let it rest 10 minutes, then continue.
Layer like you mean it. Sprinkle about two-thirds of the mozzarella directly onto the dough. Add cooked sausage (or pepperoni). If using onion, make it paper-thin and give it a quick sauté (even 3 to 5 minutes) so it does not weep into the crust. Let it cool slightly before layering so it does not start melting the cheese on contact. Add the remaining mozzarella.
Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 cups of sauce over the top and spread to the edges. Save the rest for dipping or tomorrow's pasta problem. Finish with Parmesan.
Bake. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the center is bubbling. If the top is browning faster than the center is setting, loosely tent with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes. If you have an instant-read thermometer, consider 195°F to 205°F in the center a helpful guideline, not a law of physics.
Rest, then slice. Let the pizza rest in the skillet for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps it set so slices do not slump. Top with basil, slice, and serve.

A deep dish pizza cooling in a cast iron skillet with a slice cut out

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Deep Dish Pizza

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

New York Pizza Dough

Neapolitan Pizza

White Pizza Sauce

World’s Best Lasagna

Storage Tips

Common Questions

What pan should I use for deep dish?

Why does the cheese go under the sauce?

Can I make the dough ahead?

How do I keep the crust from getting soggy?

Is the “spiced” part spicy?

Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients

Dough

Warm & spiced sauce

Filling

Instructions