My easy and authentic Deep Dish Pizza recipe walks you step-by-step through making this classic at home. Enjoy a buttery, cornmeal-kissed crust, a thick savory tomato sauce, plenty of melted cheese, and pepperoni (or your favorite toppings).
We love pizza for dinner and are always adding new variations to the rotation. From pizza burgers to pizza bites, any pizza-inspired idea is welcome. But this deep dish pizza is my favorite — I’m from the Chicago suburbs, where deep dish is a proud tradition. It’s surprisingly simple to prepare at home and tastes restaurant-quality, with the advantage of being totally customizable.
Why You’ll Love This Pizza Recipe
- Authentic flavors: The combination of butter and cornmeal in the dough and a thick, seasoned tomato sauce delivers a classic Chicago-style profile.
- Fully adaptable: Make it plain cheese, add pepperoni, or pile on vegetables and different cheeses to suit everyone’s preferences.
What Makes a Pizza “Deep Dish?”
A deep dish pizza has a thicker, sturdier crust often made with cornmeal, which gives a slightly crunchy texture. The crust includes butter for richness and is typically pressed into a deep pan to create about an inch of depth for generous layers of cheese, toppings, and a thicker tomato sauce that won’t make the crust soggy.
What You’ll Need
Gather the following ingredients. Check the ingredient list below for exact amounts used in this recipe.
Deep Dish Pizza Dough
- All-purpose flour — base of the dough. Substitute half with whole wheat if preferred.
- Cornmeal — use fine-ground cornmeal, not polenta.
- Instant yeast — adds rise without proofing first.
- Sugar — a small amount helps activate the yeast; honey can be used instead.
- Salt — fine sea salt or table salt.
- Warm water — comfortably warm to the touch but not hot.
- Unsalted butter — adds flavor and richness to the crust.
- Olive oil — for greasing the pan.
Tomato Sauce
- Crushed tomatoes — fire-roasted adds extra depth.
- Garlic — fresh, minced for best flavor.
- Italian seasoning — or a mix of dried oregano and basil.
- Salt and pepper — to taste.
Toppings
- Mozzarella cheese — shredded.
- Edam cheese — Gouda or extra mozzarella can substitute.
- Parmesan cheese — freshly grated for the top.
- Pepperoni — about 1/2 cup sliced (adjust as desired).
- Fresh basil — for garnish.
Topping Ideas
Deep dish is forgiving — choose from a wide range of toppings. Try vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, or artichoke hearts; meats like bacon, sausage, or chicken; or experiment with cheeses and alternate sauces such as pesto. For a lighter option, skip the sauce, brush the crust with olive oil, and layer tomato slices and fresh mozzarella with basil.
How To Make Deep Dish Pizza
Plan for some hands-on time to make the dough and sauce, but the steps are straightforward and rewarding.
- Make the dough. Combine flour, cornmeal, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Gradually add warm water and melted butter and mix until the dough starts to form.
- Knead. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Let it rise. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot about 1 hour or until doubled.
- Make the sauce. Simmer crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Preheat and roll. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a deep pan and roll out the dough to fit, pressing it up the sides.
- Layer cheese. Spread shredded mozzarella and Edam over the crust.
- Add sauce. Spoon the tomato sauce over the cheese.
- Finish and bake. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, top with pepperoni, and bake 15–20 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Let rest 5–8 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Tips
These practical tips make the process easier and help yield a crisp, non-soggy deep dish pizza.
- Use a deep pan: A 12-inch deep-dish pan or cast-iron skillet works well. A cake pan with 2-inch sides is a fine substitute—grease it thoroughly.
- Follow the dough recipe: Regular pizza dough may be too light to support the deep layers. The butter and cornmeal in this dough help create the right structure and texture.
- Simmer the sauce: Thick sauce prevents excess moisture from seeping into the crust.
- Pre-bake if needed: For extra-crisp results, pre-bake the crust at 450°F for about 10 minutes before adding toppings.
Serving Suggestions
Pair deep dish pizza with a crisp salad to balance the richness — a Mexican street corn salad or an avocado-tomato salad are great choices. For colder nights, serve with a warm bowl of soup. Finish the meal with simple desserts like cream cheese brownies or pecan pie brownies.
How To Store Leftovers
Keep leftovers tasting great with these storage tips:
- Refrigerator: Store slices in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the whole unbaked assembled pizza wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 3 months; bake from frozen following the same baking steps. Or freeze baked slices in sealed bags for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Reheat slices on a baking sheet at 425°F until warmed through and the cheese is melty.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Chopped Steak
- Boursin Pasta
- Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
Deep Dish Pizza Dough:
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1¼ cups warm water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- Olive oil, for greasing
Tomato Sauce:
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Toppings:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded Edam cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sliced pepperoni
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the dough. In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Gradually add warm water and melted butter, mixing until the dough comes together.
- Knead the dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Let it rise. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until doubled.
- Make the sauce. In a saucepan combine crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat.
Assemble the Pizza:
- Prep. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-inch deep-dish pan or cast-iron skillet with olive oil.
- Prepare the crust. Punch down the risen dough, roll it out, and press it into the prepared pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly.
- Layer the toppings. Spread shredded mozzarella and Edam evenly over the dough, then pour the tomato sauce over the cheese.
- Add parmesan and pepperoni. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the sauce and arrange pepperoni slices on top.
- Bake. Bake 15–20 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Let cool 5–8 minutes before slicing.
- Serve. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 76 g |
Protein: 44 g |
Fat: 54 g |
Saturated Fat: 32 g |
Sodium: 2248 mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values will vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.