How To Make Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
Introduction
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza is a hearty, cheesy, and saucy delight with a thick, buttery crust that holds all your favorite toppings. This recipe guides you through making an authentic deep dish pizza from scratch that’s perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 3 and 1/4 cups (406g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (60g) yellow cornmeal
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (1 standard packet)*
- 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) slightly warm water
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, divided (1/4 cup melted, 1/4 cup softened to room temperature)
- Olive oil for coating
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup)*
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- One 28-ounce can (794g) crushed tomatoes*
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 cups (about 16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese*
- 1/2 cup (45g) grated parmesan cheese
- Optional: 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- Optional: 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Step 1: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix briefly to combine.
- Step 2: Add the warm water (around 90°F/32°C) and 1/4 cup melted butter. Beat on low speed until the dough begins to moisten, then continue until it is soft, supple, and pulls away from the sides, about 4-5 minutes. Adjust texture with a teaspoon of water or a tablespoon of flour if needed.
- Step 3: Form the dough into a ball and coat lightly with olive oil in a greased large bowl. Cover tightly with foil and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Step 4: Flour a large surface and gently punch down the dough. Roll into a 15×12-inch rectangle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter on top, then roll lengthwise into a log. Cut in half and form two balls. Place back into the greased bowl, cover with foil, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Step 5: For the sauce, melt 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add grated onion, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes until onion softens and browns slightly.
- Step 6: Add minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for about 30 minutes until thick and fragrant. Set aside.
- Step 7: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Step 8: Remove one dough ball from the fridge. On a floured surface, roll it into a 12-inch circle. Press it into a 9×2-inch deep dish cake pan, trimming excess dough. Brush edges with olive oil for a golden finish.
- Step 9: Spread half the mozzarella cheese evenly in the pan, add pepperoni and bacon if using, then pour about 1 and 1/4 cups of sauce on top. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Repeat with the second dough ball.
- Step 10: Place pans on a baking sheet and bake for 20-28 minutes until crust is golden. You may loosely cover with foil after 15 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips & Variations
- Use room temperature butter for easier spreading and mixing when preparing the dough.
- Customize toppings to your preference, such as mushrooms, bell peppers, or sausage.
- If you prefer less sauce, use 3/4 cup per pizza and save the extra sauce for dipping or another meal.
- For easier cleanup, line your baking sheet with parchment paper under the pans.
Storage
Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through to maintain crisp crust and melted cheese.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I make the dough without a stand mixer?
Yes, you can mix and knead the dough by hand using a large bowl and wooden spoon, then knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Can I prepare the sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely. The sauce can be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
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How To Make Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 deep dish pizzas (9-inch each, 8 slices per pizza) 1x
Description
This recipe guides you through making an authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza with a rich, buttery cornmeal crust, homemade tomato sauce simmered with aromatic spices, and a generous layering of gooey mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Optional toppings include classic pepperoni and crispy bacon, creating a hearty and satisfying deep dish pizza experience right at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 3 and 1/4 cups (406g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (60g) yellow cornmeal
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) slightly warm water (about 90°F / 32°C)
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, divided (1/4 cup melted, 1/4 cup softened to room temperature)
- Olive oil for coating
For the Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- One 28-ounce can (794g) crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
For Assembly
- 4 cups (about 16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup (45g) grated parmesan cheese
- Optional: 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- Optional: 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Read Through and Prepare Pans: Read the entire recipe to understand the process fully. Prepare two deep dish 9×2-inch cake pans or 9-inch springform pans for the pizzas.
- Make the Dough: Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a very large bowl if mixing by hand. Mix briefly to combine.
- Add Liquids and Knead: Pour in warm water (90°F/32°C) and 1/4 cup melted butter. On low speed, mix until the dough is moistened, then knead approximately 4-5 minutes until soft, supple, and pulling away from the bowl sides. Adjust consistency with extra flour or water if needed.
- First Rise: Form the dough into a ball, coat a large bowl lightly with olive oil, place the dough inside, turning to coat all sides. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and let rise in a warm place 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Prepare Dough for Second Rise: Lightly flour a surface, punch down dough to release air, roll into a 15×12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup softened butter evenly over dough, roll lengthwise into a log, cut in half, form two balls.
- Second Rise: Place dough balls back in greased bowl, cover with foil, refrigerate for 1 hour until puffy while making sauce.
- Make the Sauce: Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add grated onion, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes; cook about 5 minutes until onion browns slightly. Add garlic, crushed tomatoes, and sugar, reduce heat to low-medium, simmer uncovered 30 minutes until thick and fragrant. Remove from heat and cool.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 425°F (218°C) to preheat before assembling the pizza.
- Roll Out Dough: Working with one dough ball at a time, roll on floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9×2-inch deep dish cake pan using fingers to press tight into edges, trimming excess.
- Assemble the Pizza: Brush dough edges with olive oil for sheen. Layer each pan evenly with 2 cups mozzarella cheese, add pepperoni and bacon if using, pour about 1 and 1/4 cups sauce on top, sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Repeat for second pizza.
- Bake: Place pans on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake 20-28 minutes until crust is golden brown. Cover loosely with foil after 15 minutes if browning too fast.
- Cool and Serve: Remove pizzas and cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers airtight in fridge up to 5 days; reheat at 300°F (149°C) for 15-20 minutes until warm.
Notes
- Warm water should be about 90°F (32°C) to activate yeast without killing it.
- Butter should not be hot when added to yeast mixture; let melted butter cool slightly.
- Use two deep dish 9×2-inch pans for authentic crust thickness and shape.
- Sauce can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for 2 days or frozen up to 2 months.
- Adjust sauce amount on pizza according to preference; less sauce yields leftovers.
- Baking sheet under pans helps catch any overflow during baking.
- Cooling pizza slightly before slicing allows cheese to set for cleaner slices.
- Reheat leftover pizza in the oven to maintain crust crispness rather than microwaving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Chicago style deep dish pizza, deep dish pizza recipe, homemade deep dish pizza, Chicago pizza, deep dish pizza crust, tomato sauce pizza, mozzarella pizza
