This deep dish cast iron skillet pizza has a thick, crisp, and chewy crust that’s piled high with Italian sausage, pepperoni, marinara sauce, and cheese. Use homemade dough or store-bought dough, choose your favorite toppings. A few tips, high heat, and the magic of a cast iron pan make this the best deep dish pizza recipe ever!
This is a great recipe and one of the best most authentic Chicago pizza I ever made…
– Donovan
How to Make Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza | 1-Minute Video
There’s just nothing better than sinking your teeth into a thick slice of cast iron skillet pizza! With its signature crisp, chewy crust and generous toppings, each slice is flavorful, satisfying, and delicious. There’s no need to dine out in a pizzeria, because this easy recipe means that you can make your own meat-lover’s deep dish pizza whenever the craving strikes!
What is deep dish pizza?
A deep-dish pizza is exactly what it sounds like: instead of baking on a flat pan or stone, the pizza cooks in a deep skillet (cast iron is the best!). This gives the pizza crust high edges, creating a cavity in the center for plenty of cheese, tomato sauce and toppings!
Another distinction between pan pizza and deep dish pizza: the way in which the toppings are layered. On a regular, flat pan pizza, the dough sits right under the tomato sauce and the cheese is sprinkled on top. With a cast iron skillet pizza (or deep-dish pizza), the cheese goes onto the dough first, and the sauce is added on top. This prevents the crust from getting soggy.
Making Pizza in a Cast Iron Skillet
A cast iron skillet is my top choice for baking a pizza! Cast iron heats up quickly, retains and evenly distributes heat better than any other material, and yields a pizza crust with “crunch.” The sturdy cast iron skillet is easy to pull in and out of the oven, is easy to clean, and doesn’t burn the bottom of the pie.
I recommend a classic 12-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe, which is the perfect size for a 16-ounce ball of pizza dough. I like the Staub cast iron skillets or the Lodge cast iron skillets — kitchen staples that you can use every day and that will last you a lifetime. If you’ve got a cast iron skillet in your house, there’s no need for a pizza stone!
Some folks like to preheat the skillet in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes before adding the dough to the pan (just like I do with my cast iron cornbread). You can certainly add this step if you like; however, I don’t think it’s necessary. Instead, I prefer to work with a skillet that’s not dangerously hot when assembling my pizza, and the crust still comes out beautifully every time.
How do you keep pizza from sticking to a cast iron skillet?
Well-seasoned cast iron skillets are naturally non-stick. That said, in order to ensure that your pizza does not stick to the pan, coat the skillet with oil and then sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of cornmeal.
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to make a homemade cast iron skillet pizza. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Pizza dough: use a ball of store-bought dough for convenience (often found in the deli section at the grocery store), or make your own homemade dough.
- Olive oil and yellow cornmeal: for coating the skillet so that the pizza doesn’t stick.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese: two different types of cheese gives this pizza a delicious depth of flavor.
- Italian sausage and pepperoni slices: cooked, crumbled sausage and slices of pepperoni make this a meat-lover’s dream! You can add your favorite veggies, include different meats like ham or bacon, or keep it simple with just cheese. The beauty of making your own deep dish pizza at home is that you can completely control the toppings!
- Marinara sauce: pick a high-quality store-bought sauce or make your own at home.
- Oregano, parsley, basil and crushed red pepper flakes: optional garnishes.
How to Make Pizza in a Cast Iron Skillet
Yes, you can use cast iron instead of a pizza stone to cook an amazing homemade deep-dish pizza! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the easy step-by-step process:
- Coat the skillet with oil and cornmeal, then place the rolled out pizza dough in the skillet. Press the dough about 2 inches up the sides of the pan.
- Sprinkle with 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella.
- Add the sausage and pepperoni.
- Spread marinara sauce over top, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in a 450° F oven for 23-25 minutes, or until the crust and cheese turn a deep golden brown.
- Let the pizza rest in the skillet for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like basil, parsley, and oregano for a bright touch of flavor at the end, and add crushed red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat.
What to Serve with Cast Iron Pan Pizza
This hearty, satisfying homemade cast iron skillet pizza pairs nicely with light, fresh sides. Try serving a slice with a simple green salad dressed in balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette, with a tomato, cucumber and onion salad, or Italian appetizers. Channeling Pizza Hut? Don’t forget a side of cheesy breadsticks!
Storage Tips
Serve the pizza warm, straight from the skillet! If you have leftovers, you can keep them wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Deep Dish Pizza
Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Arrange the pizza slices on the baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the pizza reaches the desired temperature, about 10 minutes. You can also reheat slices in a covered skillet over medium heat for 3-6 minutes.
Tips for the Best Cast Iron Pizza Recipe
- The Sauce: Use a high-quality store-bought marinara or pizza sauce, or make your own at home. The sauce is a significant component of the pizza, so you want it to be rich, flavorful, and delicious!
- The Best Cheese: I use shredded mozzarella and freshly-grated Parmesan for this pizza, but other good options include sliced fresh mozzarella or a shredded Italian cheese blend.
- Cook the Italian sausage without casings, breaking it up in the pan. This makes it easy to crumble over the pizza in an even layer. You can prepare the sausage in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two before assembling the pizza.
- Room Temperature Dough: If your dough is in the refrigerator, let it sit on the counter and come to room temperature for 60 minutes before trying to roll or shape it. The warmer dough is much easier to work with.
Awesome! I added the thin sliced bell peppers and onions on top of the meat, put all the mozzarella in the pie because that’s how Lou Malnati’s does it, dried basil inside, dried oregano on top with the Parmesan. I see no reason to order from the restaurant again, this is outstanding.
– Sean
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Deep Dish Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
Ingredients
- Pizza dough for 1 (14-inch) crust, store-bought or homemade (about 16 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup pepperoni slices
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh oregano, basil, or parsley, to taste
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- If the pizza dough was refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes – 1 hour before shaping.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet with oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll the pizza dough into a 14-inch circle. Place the dough in the prepared skillet, pressing the dough about 2 inches up the sides of the pan.
- Sprinkle with 1 ½ cups of the mozzarella. Add the sausage and pepperoni.
- Spread the marinara sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella.
- Bake until the crust and cheese are golden brown, about 23-25 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with oregano, basil and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza Recipe Variations
- Store-bought pizza dough: for a shortcut, you can purchase a 16-ounce ball of fresh pizza dough at the grocery store. That will be the perfect amount of dough for this recipe.
- Homemade dough: if you prefer to make the dough at home, this is my favorite easy recipe. You will not need all of the dough for this recipe, so you can weigh out 16 ounces and freeze the extra for another day.
- Add veggies: feel free to make it a veggie pizza or “supreme pizza” with thinly-sliced bell pepper, mushrooms and onions.
- Different meats: use any combination of meats that you prefer. Good options include diced ham, cooked bacon, or the Italian sausage and pepperoni shown here.
More Pizza Recipes to Try
French Bread Pizza
35 minutes mins
Flatbread Pizza
15 minutes mins
Homemade Mexican Pizza
40 minutes mins
This recipe was originally published in May, 2021. It was updated in January, 2025.
Awesome! I added the thin sliced bell peppers and onions on top of the meat, put all the mozzerela in the pie because that’s how Lou Malnati’s does it, dried basil inside, dried oregano on top with the Parmesan. I see no reason to order from the restaurant again, this is outstanding.
Yay! That’s such great praise, Sean. Thanks for your note — glad you enjoyed it!
I must have missed something because my crust came out soggy. Any ideas?
Hi Dan, sorry your crust was soggy. Did you put the cheese on before the sauce?
This is a great recipe and one of the best most authentic Chicago pizza I ever made. Here is what I did for the sauce seen from a CP tictoc, I opened a small 8oz can of sun organic sauce and then added 1 tsp dry basil,oregano, parsley and garlic powder. And 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and mixed well and let rehydrate for 30 minutes.
Thank you for the inspiration
Thank you for the feedback, Donovan! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Thank you as this recipe is a BIG HIT for our family! So easy to put together with pre-made crusts. We browned up some great Italian sausage and sautéed mushrooms, chopped garlic and banana peppers. Lots of pepperoni along with the cheese and sauce to finish the prep work. Absolutely Delish!
Thank you for trying it out! We’re so happy you enjoyed it.
If I use my 12” lodge cast iron skillet how many packs of Betty Crocker pizza crust mix should I use? One or two? I don’t have access to fresh pizza dough. Thanks!
Hi Karen! We haven’t tested this recipe with Betty Crocker mix and can’t say for sure. We think it yields one 12-inch pizza. So, we would probably stick with one. Hope this helps!
A lady I know at the beach has owned and run a restaurant for over 40 years. They make and sell lots of pizzas. This is how she says to heat up left over pizza.
Put pizza on a flat pan. Uncovered.
Put pizza into Cold oven
Turn oven to 450
When “ding” goes off that preheat is complete, take out the pizza.
It’s perfect.
That’s a great tip, Debbie. I’ll have to try it next time!
The pizza was awesome chicken nuggets my granddaughter loved thank you for giving us these recipes Susan Roberts
The pizza was awesome my granddaughter loved the McNuggets thank you for the recipes
Thank you, Susan!
Made this tonight… store bought dough, used turkey pepperoni, added red and green bell peppers and onion… VERY nice! With a a side salad.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Scott!
This recipe was awesome! My family does not want to order takeout pizza ever again, they just want this recipe!
Thank you so much, Tracy! I’m glad to hear that your family approves! 🙂
Excellent work on this article.
I mostly do sourdough pizza, will have to do a yeast recipe just to try it out.
Have been making pizza for 10 plus years.
But, thanks for the excellent t work on this…
Thanks, Lurch! I bet it would work well with your sourdough pizza crust, too. That sounds delicious!
Loved, Loved it… My bread machine made the crust and the rest was history!! Thanks for the Great Recipe!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Angie!