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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.

A slice of deep dish pizza on the end of a spatula

DEEP DISH PIZZA RECIPE OVERVIEW

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 the trend 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 the straight dough method, meaning all of the ingredients are mixed together in one step. This dough results in a thick, flaky crust.

All ingredients in a bowl
Ingredients being mixed in a bowl
Ingredients being mixed in a bowl, mixture is getting thick

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.

Kneading dough by hand on the countertop
Kneading dough by hand
Dough after being kneaded in a round ball

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 a short video showing exactly how I knead dough).

Butter heavily spread on the bottom and sides of a round baking pan
Ball of kneaded dough placed in the buttered pan

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

Mixing tomato sauce in a bowl
Homemade tomato sauce on a spoon

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

Pizza dough spread with your fingers in the bottom of the pan
Spreading the pizza dough up the sides of the baking pan
Sprinkling shredded mozzarella over the dough

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.

Cooked crumbled sausage sprinkled over the mozzarella
Tomato sauce spread over the tops of the toppings
Fully assembled deep dish pizza ready to be baked

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.

Baked deep dish pizza being sliced

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.

A slice of deep dish pizza on the end of a spatula
Yield: 3-4 servings

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Proofing Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

This makes one 9-inch (23 cm) deep dish pizza. You can use the dough the same day or refrigerate it up to 4 days to increase the flavor.

Ingredients

For the Homemade Dough *or use a store-bought dough

  • ½ teaspoon instant or quick rise yeast
  • 150 grams (⅔ cup) warm water, not hot
  • 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 220 grams (1 ¾ cups) bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 35 grams (¼ cup) ground cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 56 grams (4 tablespoons) butter, room temperature, unsalted or salted (divided)

For the Tomato Sauce

  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • 235 grams (1 cup) crushed tomatoes
  • 14 grams (1 tablespoon) olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Fillings

  • 226 grams (2 cups) fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
  • 25 grams (¼ cup) parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • fillings of choice, like cooked meats and chopped vegetables (pre-cook any vegetables that release a lot of liquid, like mushrooms, before adding to the pizza) *see Notes section for amounts

Instructions

Prep

  1. Prepare the fillings (cook the meats and chop/cook the veggies). Set aside.

Make the dough

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the yeast (½ teaspoon), warm water (150 grams/ ⅔ cup), and sugar (large pinch). Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes until you see some bubbles and foam.
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients for the dough including the yeast/water mixture, bread flour or all-purpose flour (220 grams/ 1 ¾ cups), ground cornmeal (35 grams/ ¼ cup), kosher salt (1 teaspoon), and a portion of the butter (28 grams/ 2 tablespoons). Stir together and then use your hands to squeeze and pinch the dough all over to make sure all of the flour is hydrated.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a clean countertop and knead it by hand for 4-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. You can add a bit more flour as needed if the dough is overly sticky however, you do want it to stay soft and moist.
  4. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread about 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan, cake pan, or cast iron skillet including up the sides. Add the kneaded dough to the pan and spread the remaining tablespoon of butter over the top of the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Alternately, you can refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  5. While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C and make the tomato sauce.

Make the tomato sauce

  1. Finely mince the fresh garlic (2 cloves).
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the tomato sauce ingredients together including the minced garlic, crushed tomatoes (235 grams/ 1 cup), olive oil (14 grams/ 1 tablespoon), Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon), granulated sugar (¼ teaspoon), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (⅛ teaspoon).
  3. Taste the sauce. If it tastes acidic, add a pinch more sugar to balance it out. Set aside.

Assemble the Pizza and Bake

  1. After the dough has rested, use your fingers to press the dough out into the pan and up the sides about 2 inches (5 cm). Spread the mozzarella cheese (226 grams/ 2 cups) over the dough. Add the meat and veggie fillings on top of the mozzarella. Spread the tomato sauce on top of the fillings. Then finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese (25 grams/ ¼ cup).
  2. Place the pan on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take the cover off the pan and bake for another 20-25 minutes until hot all the way through. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing the springform pan (if using) and slicing.

Notes

Suggested amount of meat and veggies: In general, I suggest about ½- ¾ pound of cooked meats or 1 ½ cups of chopped vegetables. When adding the fillings to the crust, fill it up until about ½ inch (3.75 cm) of crust is visible.

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© Baker Bettie