Deep Dish Pizza
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This Chicago-style deep-dish pizza has it all: a buttery, flaky crust, lots of melted cheese, savory sausage, and that signature layer of sauce on top. It’s a fun one to make at home—and well worth it.
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is in a category all its own—unapologetically rich and layered, with a flaky, almost pastry-like crust. If you ask five Chicagoans what makes the perfect version, you’ll probably get five different answers. So, in the name of research, I ordered a few to try at home (some all the way from Chicago!). And as luck would have it, I also had a Chicago native staying with us while I was testing this recipe, so I had some built-in quality control. With his help, I think we got pretty close to the real deal.
What sets Chicago deep dish apart is its structure as much as its flavor. It’s baked in a deep pan, with a buttery crust that comes up the sides, creating a pie-like shell. The cheese goes in first, followed by the toppings, and then a layer of chunky tomato sauce on top. The dough itself is richer than typical pizza dough, thanks to the added oil, which gives it that tender, slightly flaky texture and helps it crisp and lightly fry against the pan as it bakes. It’s the kind of pizza you eat with a knife and fork—and every bite is worth it.
What You’ll Need To Make Deep Dish Pizza
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the crust.
- Salt and Sugar: Flavor the dough.
- Cream of Tartar: Just a bit helps keeps the crust tender rather than a chewy.
- Instant/Rapid-Rise Yeast: This gets the dough rising quickly and can be mixed straight in with the dry ingredients. If you’re using yeast packets, you’ll need slightly more than one.
- Corn Oil: Corn oil is traditional and gives the crust a subtle richness, but vegetable oil works too.
- Unsalted Butter: Using softened butter to grease the pan helps the oily dough cling to the sides much better than liquid oil or melted butter; also gives the crust a buttery flavor.
- Whole Tomatoes: Makes the classic deep dish pizza sauce; San Marzano tomatoes are best here. Drain well to keep the pizza from getting soggy.
- Sliced Whole-Milk Mozzarella: Stick with whole-milk and avoid part-skim so the cheese melts into a rich, gooey layer.
- Raw Italian Sausage: Since this goes on raw in small pinches, it cooks right in the oven and releases its flavorful juices directly into the pizza.
- Dried Oregano: A classic herb that adds that familiar savory aroma to the pizza.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: The freshly grated cheese goes on last to create a salty, savory crust on top as the pizza bakes.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and yeast. Add the corn oil and warm water, then stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass.
Step 2: Knead and rise. Knead briefly by hand for about 30 seconds just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, flipping to coat the top, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 5 to 6 hours.
Pro Tip: Don’t worry if the dough looks spotty or uneven; that’s normal for this high-oil dough, and it will smooth out.
Step 3: Make the sauce. Place the tomatoes and their juices into a colander in the sink to drain. Crush the tomatoes by hand to let the excess liquid and seed gel drain away, then set them aside.
Pro Tip: Removing as much water as possible from the tomatoes prevents the crust from getting soggy during the bake.
Step 4: Press the dough. Divide the dough into two halves. With floured hands, press the dough evenly across the bottom and about 1½ inches up the sides of two generously buttered 9-inch cake pans.
Pro Tip: If you have a 12-inch deep-dish pizza pan, you can bake the entire batch of dough in that single pan instead of dividing it into two smaller cake pans.
Step 5: Layer the toppings. Cover the dough with the sliced mozzarella, then scatter small pinched pieces of raw sausage over the cheese. Layer the crushed, drained tomatoes on top, sprinkle with the oregano and salt, and finish with the Parmigiano Reggiano.
Step 7: Bake, rest, and serve. Bake on the bottom rack in a 450°F oven for 25 to 35 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and the top is lightly browned. Let the pizza rest in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to set. Run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen, then carefully lift it out onto a cutting board and slice with a serrated knife.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the 10-minute rest after baking. Letting the pizza settle keeps the heavy layers of cheese and sauce from sliding off the crust when you slice it.
Deep-Dish Pizza Video Tutorial
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Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2¼ teaspoons instant/rapid-rise yeast
- ½ cup corn oil
- 1 cup warm water (see note)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pan
For the Sauce
- 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
For the Toppings
- 12 oz sliced whole-milk mozzarella (not part-skim)
- ½ lb (8 oz) raw Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of salt
- Heaping ¾ cup (3 oz) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and yeast. Add the oil and water and stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass.
- Knead briefly by hand—about 30 seconds, just until the dough comes together. It will be sticky. Do not overmix. Lightly oil a large bowl (you can clean and reuse the same bowl if you like), add the dough, flip it to coat the top with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled, 5 to 6 hours (this dough rises slowly because of the high oil content). Don’t worry if the dough looks spotty or uneven; that’s normal for this high-oil dough.(Alternatively, for a make-ahead option, let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before shaping so it’s easy to press into the pan.)
- Preheat the Oven: Set an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Generously grease two 9-in cake pans or one 12-in deep-dish pizza pan with the softened butter, coating the bottom and sides well. (Do not use oil, as the soft butter helps the pizza dough cling to the pan, making it easier to press out.)
- Make the Sauce: Place a colander in the sink and add the tomatoes and their juices. Let the juices drain. Crush the tomatoes by hand, allowing their excess liquid and seed gel to drain away. Set aside while assembling the pizza(s).
- Assemble: Divide the dough as needed (one portion for a 12-in pan, two for 9-in pans). Dust your hands with flour and press the dough evenly into the pan(s), working it across the bottom and about 1½ in up the sides, keeping the sides thinner than the base (aim for about ⅛-in thick around the sides and ¼-in thick on the base). Flour your hands as needed; this is an oily dough.
- Cover the dough evenly with the sliced mozzarella. Pinch off small pieces of the raw sausage and scatter them over the cheese. Scatter the crushed, well-drained tomatoes into an even layer over the sausage, then sprinkle with the oregano and salt. Finish with the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Bake on the bottom rack for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the top is lightly browned. If needed, rotate the pan once for even baking.
- After baking, let the pizza(s) rest in the pan(s) for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the cheese to set and the crust to firm up. Run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen it, then carefully lift the pizza out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board before slicing. A serrated knife works best. Serve with a knife and fork, if you like.
Notes
- Warm water helps activate yeast. The temperature should be about 110°F (43°C), but it doesn't need to be exact; just try to get it about the temperature of bath water.
- Don’t be tempted to overload the toppings or reduce the oil in the dough, or the crust won’t crisp properly.
- Freezing Instructions for Dough: After the first rise, divide it (if making two pizzas), wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before shaping so it’s soft and easy to press into the pan.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I think some of the prominent Chicago locations use corn meal in their crusts. May I suggest to you, not your readers, my corn meal crust recipe to have in your file.
CRUST
Pam regular or for baking, either one
1 1/2 cups non-chlorinated spring water at 115ºF
1/4 cup oil, not olive
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp table salt
1 package Platinum active dry yeast
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
3 cup King Arthur all purpose unbleached flour.
You know what to do with the dough to make a perfect crust.
Thanks Stuart!
Another great recipe!! I love your recipes, they always turn out perfectly!
Thank you!
Hi Jen,
My family so enjoys all of your wonderful recipes. I was looking at 12-inch deep dish pizza pans and they run from $15 to almost $100. Some appear to be non-stick and some do not. Do you have a preference?
Thank you from an appreciative reader in Savannah, GA.
Janie Hoven
Hi Janie, So glad your family enjoys the recipes! This is the one I have – it’s currently on sale. I’ve also used regular nonstick cake pans, and they work well. I don’t think you need to spend a lot.
Jenn, I LOVE and admire many of your recipes. You are my “go to” again and again. For this I thank you heartily.
But, in this case, this born-and bred-Chicagoan who has enjoyed many deep-dish pizzas over many decades must differ. The crust has to have cornmeal mixed into it. It just has to in order to provide that crunchy, flavorful and distinct difference.
The historic major Chicago-style pizza makers – Uno’s, Due’s and Gino’s East — all do. That’s what makes it! Lou Malnati’s I don’t believe uses cornmeal though their crust is buttery and very tasty; but I would argue not the iconic Chicago deep dish crust. Giordano’s crust has changed over the years. When they just had the one store on the SW side of town, the crust was delicious. Different but delicious: It was much more buttery, now it’s just flour-y.
Clearly, I have more to say on this topic than is needed. Take it for what it’s worth:) If you decide to give the cornmeal addition a try, I’d be curious to hear your comments.
Lastly, the frozen ones and/or half-baked ones you buy from the purveyors are not even close to what a restaurant-fresh pizza conveys. Not even close because I’ve tried — again and again Hope springs eternal, I guess. And buying a frozen one at the grocery store is not worth it.
That’s my two cents. Thanks for all you do for so many through “Once Upon a Chef”!
Would this dough cook well in a 12″ cast iron pan?
Hi Susan, I do think that would work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Will do! Thanks for responding so quickly.
Jenn, as a lifelong Chicagoan who has consumed a lot of deep dish over the decades from all the best places (Uno, Due, Malnati’s, Pequods, etc.), this recipe is the bomb for a home cook! Perfect flaky crust like the originals (their frozen, shipped products are okay, but crust is compromised to something resembling the consistency of a graham cracker crust). I now living in a place where I have to make my own deep dish because no restaurants do. I make mine Malnati-style, which is to place a solid “pancake” – 1/3 inch of raw Italian sausage – atop the cheese slices, then the crushed and drained tomatoes and Parm. (I use a 12 inch cast iron skillet and form the sausage layer in a 12 inch tart pan then flop that onto the base to avoid pressing down the bottom crust). Whether you go with a 9-, 10- or 12-inch pan, a CAST IRON SKILLET is perfect for this pizza and is what the restaurants use. You might have to increase cooking time a bit using cast iron vs. a cake pan. Also, if you use more cheese and/or the solid sausage, you might need more cooking time and increase the oven temp to 485-500 degrees.
Hi Jen! I haven’t tried this yet and intend to, but with all the bad hype about seed oils, I never use them. So do you think EVOO would work instead of corn oil or vegetable oil? Thanks, I love your recipes!!
Hi Cheryl, Glad you enjoy the recipes! While corn oil is traditional, olive oil will work; it will just give a very different flavor.
I’m from Chicago as well. When I moved away I was forced to make my own pizza. The Frugal Gourmet nailed it with his recipe on deep dish and I’ve been making it ever since. You have some extra ingredients in yours. I’ll give this a try and let you know. 🙂
Good morning,
Wondering if olive oil can be substituted for the corn oil?
Thanks, in advance.
Hi Marg, I like the flavor of corn oil here, but olive oil will work.
While I love deep dish once or twice a year, Chicago people usually opt in for tavern style thin crust (cracker crust?) pizza. Would love to see your take on that style!