Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
Sink your teeth into this authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza! Made with a flaky, buttery crust, melty cheese, and chunky homemade tomato sauce, this deep-dish pizza is the ultimate at-home pizza!
Deep dish pizza, also referred to as Chicago-style pizza, was invented in Chicago with various pizza parlors staking claim to the pie at early as 1926.
High-edged pizza crust topped with melty cheese, pepperoni or Italian sausage, and a chunky tomato sauce, this is truly a one-of-a-kind pizza pie.
Traditional Pan Pizza vs. Deep-Dish
Often confused with thick crust pizza, there are a few notable differences between a traditional pan pizza and a Chicago-style deep-dish.
- Pan: Traditional pizza cooks up on a pizza stone or a flat pan while deep-dish climbs to towering heights in a high-edge pan such as a cake pan or cast-iron skillet.
- Dough: Unlike traditional pizza dough, deep-dish features a laminated dough (similar to croissants) with butter folded in for a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth finish.
- Assembly: Traditional pizza pies follow the assembly of crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings. Chicago-style deep-dish pizza follows the assembly of crust, cheese, toppings, and sauce.
How to Make It!
Let’s break down how to make this cheesy deep-dish pizza into the main parts; the flaky pizza dough, the chunky tomato sauce, and assembling the ultimate deep-dish pizza.
Make the Dough
For the most part, you are looking at basic dough ingredients to make this deep dish crust. A few notable ingredients include the cornmeal and additional butter.
- Dry ingredients: Flour, salt, yeast, and sugar are part of the base of the dough which is similar to most pizza doughs.
- Cornmeal: A unique addition to pizza dough, the cornmeal gives the dough a deeper yellow color as well as makes it a little crispier.
- Wet ingredients: Water, melted butter, and olive oil help bind the dough together.
- Butter: Additional butter is used in the lamination process making the dough buttery, flaky, and delicious.
To make the dough:
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.
- Add water and melted butter. Mix on low speed, using a dough hook, until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Knead the dough: Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Move to bowl: Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using a greased spatula, transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat the dough in oil; cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Rise: Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.
Laminating the Dough
The secret of this pizza dough is a process known as laminating the dough, which is similar to how you make croissants (although not nearly as involved or time-consuming). This creates a wonderfully flaky texture which is one of the key components to a great deep-dish pizza.
- Roll into rectangle: Turn the dough out onto a dry work surface and roll into a 15×12-inch rectangle.
- Spread butter on top: Using an offset spatula, spread the butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edges.
- Roll up the dough: Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder.
- Roll into rectangle: With seam side down, flatten the cylinder into an 18×4-inch rectangle.
- Cut the rectangle in half, crosswise.
- Form into a ball: Working with one half, fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Then pinch the seams together to form a ball. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
- Rise: Return the balls into the oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes.
Homemade Pizza Sauce
While the dough rises, make the pizza sauce. You will need:
- Butter: Used to cook the onion and garlic and helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Crushed tomato: Allows the sauce to be just a little chunky.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic add a depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar all add a little flavor to the tomatoes.
- Basil + Olive oil: Adds a fresh finish to the sauce.
- Melt butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Cook onion and seasoning: Once melted, add the onion, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally until liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and simmer: Stir in tomatoes and sugar and increase the heat to high. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook to reduce: Once simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Stir in basil and olive oil: Remove from the heat and stir in basil and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the Pizza
Before assembling these deep dish pizzas, gather up the toppings you plan yo use for the pie. I typically pull these toppings to make Chicago-style pizza:
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella is my go-to but you can also use fresh mozzarella, provolone, fontina, etc.
- Pepperoni: Optional, but a family favorite in our house!
- Sauce: You can use the homemade sauce described above or if you want to skip the homemade you can also use a store-bought pizza sauce.
- Parmesan: For topping at the end, optional but highly encouraged.
Directions
- Prepare for baking: Adjust the oven rack to the lower position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each.
- Roll out the dough: Transfer 1 dough ball to a dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch circle.
- Transfer the dough to the pan by rolling it loosely around a rolling pin and unrolling it into the pan.
- Press into the pan: Lightly press the dough into the pan, working the corners and 1 inch up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella cheese evenly over each pizza dough.
- Sprinkle on toppings: If you are using any meat or veggie toppings, add them now, on top of the cheese.
- Top with sauce: Spread 1¼ cups tomato sauce over the cheese (or toppings) and sprinkle 2 tablespoons parmesan over the sauce.
- Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Rest the pizza: Remove pizza from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
More Delicious Toppings to Try
While the most popular topping for pizza in the U.S. is pepperoni, Chicago’s most popular pizza topping is Italian sausage. Some other great toppings to add to your deep-dish pizza include:
- Meats: Sausage, bacon, meatballs, or chicken.
- Vegetables: Bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and artichokes.
- After baking toppings: Olives, fresh arugula, basil, and red pepper flakes.
Serving Suggestions
One of the most important things you need to do before serving this deep-dish pie, is allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This prevents your cheese and toppings from spilling out onto your plate when you serve.
Looking to make this deep-dish Chicago-style pizza a full meal? Here are some delicious sides to dish out with your slices:
Deep Dish Pizza FAQs
The reason for the sauce on top has to do with the longer bake time. Most Chicago-style deep dish pizzas take anywhere from 20-40 minutes to bake. If the cheese and toppings were on top, they would potentially burn and not be the melty, gooey deliciousness you expect from a fresh slice of pizza.
Yes, you can use a cast-iron skillet to bake a deep-dish pizza. For this recipe, I would suggest using a 10-inch pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet and add butter to the pan to coat it (can’t go wrong with a little extra butter here). Follow the same instructions for assembly and bake for 20-30 minutes at 425°F.
No, you do not need to preheat the cast-iron skillet to bake the pizza.
One of the best ways to test and see if the pizza has cooked all the way through is to test the temperature. Using an instant-read thermometer check the temperature in the middle of the pizza. Make sure you stick it all the way through to the base of the crust. You are looking for a temperature of 190°F.
Perfect Pizzas to Make Next
Ditch over-priced deep-dish pizza from the restaurant and make this authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza instead! Perfectly flaky crust topped with gooey mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and homemade chunky tomato sauce take this deep-dish pizza to the next level!
If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3¼ cups (406.25 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (79.5 g) yellow cornmeal
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons (2.25 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1¼ cups (312.5 ml) water, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon + 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (40 g) grated onion
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 ounces (793.79 g) canned crushed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) sugar
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Toppings:
- 1 pound (453.59 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
- Pepperoni
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed, using a dough hook, until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (You can easily make this by hand, mixing in the water and butter with a spatula and then kneading by hand.)
- Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using greased spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat the dough in oil; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Make the Sauce: While dough rises, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2½ cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Laminate the Dough: Turn the dough out onto dry work surface and roll into a 15×12-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border along the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten the cylinder into an 18×4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Working with one half, fold into thirds like a business letter; pinch seams together to form ball. Repeat with remaining half. Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Bake the Pizzas: Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer dough to the pan by rolling the dough loosely around a rolling pin and unrolling into pan. Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
- For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough. (If you're using any meat or veggie toppings, add them now, on top of the cheese.) Spread 1¼ cups tomato sauce over the cheese (or toppings) and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Equipment: Two 9-inch round cake pans (or 10-inch cast-iron skillets)
- Topping Options: See post above for topping substitutes or additions.
- Serving suggestions: Stretch the meal for guests by adding one of the following: Italian pasta salad / Caesar salad / Garlic bread / Shaved Brussels sprouts salad
- Freezing the Dough: You can freeze the dough during step #4. After shaping the dough into balls, instead of allowing them to rise, wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then rise at room temperature before proceeding with step #5.
- Leftovers: Store any leftover pizza in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Pizza can be reheated in the microwave, toaster oven, on a griddle, or in a skillet on the stove.
- Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Lauren Grant.
It’s in the oven now—hubs requested for every Father’s day! I have found over the years that removing any extra moisture is key. I sautee mushrooms ahead. Spinach is squeezed of excess water. Simmer the sauce until you don’t see any water pooling and you’ll have perfection!
Can you make a 14 inch pizza with the dough? if so, how would that effect cooking time?
This recipe looks amazing and delicious. Thank you!
Sooooo good. Just made it and the boyfriend ate over half himself. I used a cast iron skillet instead of the cake pans. So delicious. Thank you!
Can you make the dough in advance? Maybe do the first rise, laminate it and leave in the fridge overnight?
I think that would work okay!
Perfect recipe! I glad I try it out!
I just quit smoking and now spend plenty of my time in the kitchen making food. I usually not commenting but god damn I love your blog and all your recipes!
Please have a heart…no cussing please!
Just made a pie. The family loved it. I did a test run just to make sure the kids would eat it. It was a hit. Now I just need to figure out what toppings to do next time.
I wish the calorie count was included in the recipe. My wife is doing weight watchers….. the flour and butter really stack up the points. My wife said it was worth it!!!!
This recipe sounds
Amazing! I have no parmesan cheese
for the top Do you think some mozzarella would work ok?
Hi Mae, Sure! It’s not “traditional” but it will work!
I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s fantastic! I’m actually making it again tonight and went online to see if I could freeze the dough for the second pizza. And I promptly find a link to your blog which I’m always checking out for your baking recipes. Sure enough, someone else asked the same question and you answered:) Now we can enjoy the other one later on?
Do you think I could use this doughl kafir one 12″ pie?
wondering if i can make the dough the night before and leave it in the fridge until the following evening to cook it? will it have any effect on the pizza?
also, will a springform pan yield the same results as a regular cake pan?
Thanks!
Hi Kristen, I have not done that, but a few readers have mentioned that they have and didn’t have an issue. I think a springform pan would be fine as long as it’s the same size (9″).
Forgot to add I made the in my bread machine on the dough cycle. I do this for all my pizza crusts.
Love this recipe. The first time I made according to directions, the crust was soft. We live in the Chicago area and Lou Malnotis is our favorite place for Depp dish pizza there crust is cripsy. I made recipe again tonight and prebaked the crust I poked with a fork before baking for 10 minutes until very lightly golden allowed to cool and proceeded with recipe. YUM! Outstanding
Lou Malnati’s is also in the Indianapolis area. Their pizza is outstanding.
This recipe is AMAZING!! Can the dough be made in advance & frozen? I did make the pizza, cooked, cooled, wrapped tightly and froze w/ good results, but if possible I would like to have some dough in the freezer. Thanks for this recipe!!!
Hi Laurie, I’m so glad you enjoy it! I have never tried freezing this dough (although I routinely freeze my regular pizza dough). I think it should work; if you try it, please let me know how it turns out!
I have successfully frozen this dough several times. After you have two balls of dough and right before you would roll them out into circles, stop there and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. I then put them in a freezer bag for several months. When I needed them, I either took them out to thaw in refrigerator the day before, or I sped it up by placing the wrapped balls in lukewarm water to soak and thaw, placing them back I. Fridge after I roll them out into pans to make sure dough is nice and cold for baking.
Thanks for sharing! Lou Malnati’s is the best deep dish in Chicago and they deliver to other states (packed in dry ice). It’s quite expensive though! Their pizza is great because instead of using shredded mozzarella, they use mozzarella slices which gives a nice, thick layer of cheese. Similarly, they use Italian sausage that they form into a patty on the pizza (none of this crumble stuff) and it is amazing. One bonus? If you have someone coming over that’s allergic to gluten, you can order the gluten free version which is the sausage pizza with the sausage on the bottom that serves as the base for the pizza. Delicious! I love your blog so much. Thanks for sharing!
Sooooo good. Just made it and the boyfriend ate over half himself. I used a cast iron skillet instead of the cake pans. So delicious. Thank you!
My family loves this. I make it about once a month. I have even made extra dough and sauce and then froze them so they would be ready for a special lunch. They freeze great that way. Have you ever made an extra pizza and frozen it after it is baked? I would love to make a few and freeze them for my college boy? What do you think?
Hi Lori, Awesome to hear this has been such a hit with your family! I have not frozen baked and cooled pizzas. I think it would be better to assemble it, then freeze it and bake it.
I LOVE Chicago style deep dish pizza! I am from Milwaukee, WI and it’s only about an hour and a half drive to Chicago… When ever I would make the journey down there I would try to make the time to stop for some. Now I am living on the west coast and I have been craving some authentic Chicago style pizza for a while now. I just made this recipe today and LOVED it! I am used to the sauce being more on the sweeter side though, but it was still delicious.
I made a second batch to freeze and bake later. Would you recommend baking it from frozen or maybe sticking it in the fridge the night before to thaw before baking it?
Hi Nellie, I’m not sure if you meant that you made an extra batch of sauce or dough, or a whole pizza. If you assembled an entire pizza and froze it, I would bake it straight from the freezer; you may need to add some extra minutes to the baking time. If it’s just the sauce or dough, then I would put it in the refrigerator the day before you plan on using them.
Thanks for the quick reply! I assembled entire pizzas and froze them. I will try baking them from frozen and see how it goes :)
I’m going to make this in my cast iron skillet. Do you think I need to make any time adjustments? Thanks!
Hi Kel, No, no time adjustments are necessary.
OMG!!!! It was delicious. Great recipe……
Hi, there, Brown Eyed Baker!
We love your enthusiasm for Chicago Pizza.
Pics look great. Pizza looks delicious, and I’m sure it tasted great …
but you’re falling into the Cook’s Illustrated trap.
Laminated dough is NOT authentic Chicago deep dish.
Deep dish dough is much easier to make than that,
You don’t need to cook the sauce before you bake your pizza,
And lose the cornmeal. It’s a myth.
Get the REAL dish on Chicago Deep Dish @ RealDeepDish.com
Looking for a LEGIT recipe? Go to Deep Dish 101: Lesson 3
Happy Pizza-ing! :-)
excellent recipe !!!!Have been making since last year!!you can use the quick rise yeast and save some time because after dough rises it needs to be refrigerated with the butter layers .I put red peppers and Italian sausage in my sauce and use the can of crushed tomatoes for a thicker sauce!
Best pizza I have ever made!!!! Worth every minute!!! Thank you for this!!!
I lived in the US for 2 years, and since I got back to Brazil I’ve been craving for Chicago deep dish pizza! Love the recipe! Thanks!
Good evening, I love pizza also and want to learn to make my own. I am held back by fear of making crust. I can’t get it right. Biscuits. Nope. But I am willing to try this recipe but with a twist. In Chicago there’s Gino’s east and their crust is a cornmeal crust. That’s what I want to do. Any suggestions on adding cornmeal? If I’m going to jump in….
My family and I were in Pittsburgh this summer. Attended a pirates double header. Great visit downtown. Sorry we missed you. :-)
Brian
Hi Brian, Great to hear you enjoyed your time in Pittsburgh! Unfortunately, I’ve never made a pizza crust with cornmeal, so I can’t offer up any advice in that area.
Ohh my word! This was to die for! My husband and I made it over the weekend to go with some football watching! The crust is so buttery and tasty! We added some crumbled sausage with the pepperoni! I have been recommending this recipe to all of my cooking friends since making it!
I too suffer from the hear-“pizza”-want pizza disease,……. What a wonderful disease :) just found your site, great job. You have just earned another reader.
It’s one of my favorite pizza :) but on the top I also like to add Jalapeno. then it is fantastic taste ! a a little mustard
For those wondering if the crust can be frozen, it can. I got to the making-the-ball-of-dough stage and put it in the refrigerator overnight, planning to bake them the next night. When we discovered our A/C was out, that put the plan to fire up the oven on hold for a bit. I put both balls of dough in a ziploc and froze them. Finally got to bake them both last night after thawing in the fridge and both were great :-)
Hello! I have a question, is there anyway I can get around using corn meal ? by either substituting or even eliminating it? I have none and the closest grocery store is out of walking range! (the recipe looks lovely and I hope I get to try it!)
(p.s. laminating the dough is an amazing idea how could I have never thought of it!)
Hi Kat, Cornmeal is really instrumental in the taste and texture of the pizza dough, I would not recommend skipping it.
Hey! I’m making this big date night for my boyfriend this Friday. And I was planning on making regular (store bought pizza) but I feel like this would taste 8million times better, and with the looks of it, it fits into my schedule to prepare. But I was very curious on who actually has tried it and how it came out? (And their experience with it). Cause I feel like if anyone could mess this up it’d be me.
Next time you make this try and make a stuffed Chicago Style pizza. I had one from Beggar’s Pizza (some of the best thin crust pizza ever) and it was amazing. They make a Chicago style deep dish pizza and put a layer of dough on top of the sauce and then put some more sauce on top of the dough.
I was dying to make the deep dish and i tried tonight, i followed exactly your recipe (which was very precise and helped master the deep-dish) and it turned out great! thank you so much!!!
I think in Chicago pizzerias they par cook them before freezing. Not sure how long but I’d guess about half the normal cooking time.
SO good. Haven’c had chicago style since I lived there years ago. This was uh-maz-ing. Enough so that I have plans to make it again next week!
The recipe made a very yummy pie.
There is no–and never has been any–cornmeal in authentic Chicago deep dish pizza. The yellow color comes from food dye.
Same with butter–no butter.
Chicago deep dish depends on two factors: a very short knead and lots of oil (usually corn oil). Mix for 1 minutes and knead for 2–this is how the biscuit-like crust is created (you can still laminate, though, if you like, although the pizzerias don’t do this). Use the formula of 2 1/2-3 Tablespoons oil per cup of all-purpose flour.
Use a premium brand of ground tomatoes (like 6-in-1) and do not cook.
Made this yesterday & it turned out awesome! The crust takes a little more effort, but boy is it worth it. I love that I made them in cake pans. Do you think you could freeze a whole pizza before it is cooked?
Hi Barb, Although I haven’t done it, but I think it would be worth a try!
Hi Made this for the super bowl and everyone lived it. Made one sausage and peppers and one pepperoni/bacon/ham. This was the easiest pizza dough I ever made, has anyone tried it with a regular flat pizza? I usually do mine in a rimmed half sheet pan, but it is always a pain.
This is the best pizza I have ever made!!! We make frequent trips to Chicago and this pizza is even better than the stuff we pay alot of money for! Thank you very much for the recipe. My whole family LOVED it and that is quite a challenge!!!!
My dough wasn’t crisp and flaky – the top of the edge got crispy, but the rest of the dough was still soft and chewy. Do I need to leave it in the oven longer, or was it my preparation? I froze the dough and thawed it in the refrigerator the day I baked it.
Hi Tasha, The bottom should also be crispy… it could be due to freezing and thawing it, depending on the temperature when it went into the pan.
Just made this pizza. What a great recipe it was delicious. I made just one pizza today which is enough or two people. The great news is I have more dough to make another tomorrow. Ive been to Chicago and I’ve their deep dish pizzas and I’m so happy I have recipe to make at home now. Thank you
This recipe is taken directly from America’s Test Kitchen. It is really, really tasty. Also, try their Pan Pizza – tastes better than Pizza Hut’s Pan pizza with the same flaky, soft texture.
I cannot wait to make this pizza… My husband has never had a REAL deep dish pizza… Unfortunately he has visions of chain-pizza yuckiness when it comes to “deep dish”. I am hoping to make a believer out of him and this recipe looks awesome ( he loves butter)!
Ummm one word. Giordanos.
HI, I’m going to make your pizza later today, but i was curious about the butter in the laminating process. in this other recipe it said that you don’t want the butter to be TO soft or else it will get greasy, and thats bad.
Is that statement applicable here, or does it not matter?
Hi Alexis, You want the butter to be soft enough to spread, but not so soft that it’s almost melting, or you’ll have a mess on your hands.
I live in Chicago, and deep dish pizza wows me every time. Can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks great!
I normally dread the word “laminated” (croissants scare me!), but I reeeeally wanted this pizza and wouldn’t dream of skimping on the crust. It. Was. So. Easy. Pizza is in the oven right now, and I have no doubt it will be amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m vegetarian but omg- I need this exact pizza RIGHT NOW or people may get hurt. You’re amazing!:)
I wonder how the crust would turn out using a cast iron skillet?
Hi Tiffany, I have done one in there as a “test” and it’s great – gets nice and crispy!
I haven’t had Chicago-style deep dish pizza enough to develop a specific favourite way to top it, but I love white pizza with pineapple and black olives. I know it sounds a bit odd, but I’ve had a lot of people try it reluctantly while giving me weird looks and then love it.
I’ve made this twice and it hasnt come out quite right either time. pretty sure the first time was cause i didnt chill the dough (oops) and second time it didnt chill long enough. It may have also been my pans as i didnt have a 9in cake pan so I used my springform pan. (can’t find decent cake pans around here (Italy) unless you want to pay 3x the price in the US)
Trying this again tonight, the second round was better than the 1st and bought a good pan to try it in (found a nice one at the farmer’s market). Also giving it the time it needs in the fridge! Wish me luck.
I made this last night and it was incredible! I was surprised at how easy it was. I usually make my own dough, and this was as easy (possibly easier) and sooo tasty! It will now be in our rotation, for sure!
I’m going to try this today. But I’m going to use my own homemade sauce that I can every year. Can you give me an idea of how much sauce to use per pizza?
Hi Patricia, Per the recipe above, you use 1 and 1/4 cups of sauce for each pizza, so a total of 2.5 cups of sauce.
i made this tonight and it was absolutely amazing! thank you so much for a great recipe!
Thank you!! I never see recipes for deep dish pizza. My boyfriend and I went on our first vacation together last year, and we had a great deep dish pizza. I can’t wait to make this for him, it will be a great reminder of our trip.
I cold really go for a slice of that for breakfast right now!
I made this tonight and it was perfect. I made sausage (graziano) and mushroom, and sausage, mushroom, and pepperoni. I also added extra cheese (6 cups between the two pizzas instead of 4). The crust was fantastic, not too “cornmeal-y”. My husband is from Chicago and he introduced me to deep dish. This is a recipe I’ll make again and again when we can’t get back to get our favorite deep dish. We are freezing some of the extra baked pizza. I’m hoping the cheese won’t get too strange from freezing – but I’ll never know unless I try! Thanks so much for this tasty recipe.
YUMMO I just pulled it out of the oven right now…I hope it tastes as great as it looks….patiently trying to wait 10 min before cutting!!!
One quick note to mention when I made it…it not only came out great but I used my favorite quick rising pizza dough recipe and it was stellar…I used canned sauce and it was a bit too thin so I would change that for the 2nd time around!!
http://myadventuresincookingandbaking.blogspot.com/2010/02/quick-pizza-dough.html
if you changed the dough and the sauce, you did not make this recipe…
Question: Could I make this up until the form-the-ball part, then put the dough in the fridge, tightly wrapped until the next day? That’s how I usually do it, but this is a slightly different kind of dough than my traditional crust.
Hi Nichole, I think that would be okay, since it needs to be refrigerated anyway. It might raise a little bit, and if it does, just gently push it down before rolling it out. Let me know how it turns out!
Thank you so much for your fast reply! I’m going to make the dough tonight, like I usually do, so I’ll let you know tomorrow or so how it turns out :) Can’t wait! Bought my yellow corn meal yesterday. Seems like something I should have had on hand in the first place, lol. I’m excited to try a new dough.
hummmmm, I wonder how this does compare to actually Chicago pizza, being from Chicago and loving my Lou Malnati’s…I may have to try this. They say the secret to the Chicago style pizza is Lake Michigan water. I’ve had “chicago” style pizza in other parts of the country….doesn’t even come close to the original.
Oh…this is so “in the que” to make around here. Quick question about the crust…I know this recipe is for two pizzas but I want to make a deep dish pie with a double crust…where the top crust has sauce on top. (like Geno’s in Chicago) Do you know how I could modify to accomodate this? Would I just layer up the bottom crust the add the top crust like a pie and bake per your instructions?
Thanks for your wonderful blog…it’s a gem!
Hi Kathy, I’ve never heard of this. I guess you could try it the way you described. Let me know how it turns out – I’m intrigued!
The plot thickens….after much research online and finally, in a cookbook we purchased in Chicago about deep dish I found out more about this “double crusted pizza”. We used your recipe as inspiration but went in a totally different direction. The pizza is referred to as “stuffed crust” and if you go to Giordanos.com you can see a video of Jenny McCarthy making one of these fantastic pizzas. Basically, bottom crust-sausage-pepperoni-cheese-top crust and THEN sauce ON TOP of the crust and baked. The cookbook I used for reference is by Pasquale Bruno, Jr. and it turned out amazingly well…just in case you decide to do a Chicago pizza part II! Thanks again for the inspiration!
That sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing!
That pizza looks so good, I wanna marry it. *swoon* This HAS to go on my must make list because 1) pizza is my all-time favorite food evah and 2) deep dish pizza takes it to a whole new level of awesomeness. I never would have thought about it using a laminated dough, but that makes sense, given the texture. Aw, man. Now I want pizza for lunch. Thank you for the recipe!!
WOW! You have won my heart with this one. I too am a pizza addict. I MUST make this as soon as possible. My mouth is watering right now!
I make my own pizza every week – regular style – with homemade dough. But I WILL be trying THIS method for my pizza this Friday. I cannot wait!
I still remember the first time I had deep dish pizza (it was, actually, in Chicago). I think I was about 8 or 9. World revolutionized. I’ve always wondered how they got that flaky crust, and now I know! Even though I now live in Chicago, I feel like having this recipe at my fingertips is still going to be a great thing. =) Thanks for sharing!
Hi there! Thanks a bunch for accepting my friend request on Tasty Kitchen. I love what I have seen of your blog so far. Your pizza looks to-die-for and I can easily see myself making a ton of your recipes. Hope you had a great weekend and I look forward to seeing more of your recipes!
Love all the step-by-step pictures and feel like I could do this! My local deep-dish Chicago style pizza place has a Mediterranean pizza (feta, green olives, red peppers, and artichoke hearts) that I’d love to try with this recipe! Thank you so much. Love the blog. Making the creamy tomato-basil soup tonight. :)
My husband is going to LOVE this! Thanks, as always, for sharing.
Those slices look just gorgeous and so loaded with deliciousness. I’d be happy to have the two the recipe yields!
Oh, my! This pizza looks amazingly awesomely delicious. Just perfect!
I have been looking for a recipe like this deep dish pizza. I have always been making my pizza the second way you tested it, and I can’t wait to try it your original way with the cheese first. Your pizza looks soooo good! Thanks.
Exactly what I was craving! Thanks for sharing!
Do you deliver?? That looks amazing.
I was in Chicago just this weekend and, to my great sadness, Chicago pizza never happened. Guess what’s for dinner? Thank you! :-)
Hooray, I was hoping you would post this recipe! I am familiar with the pizza chain you mentioned and how ridiculous their prices have become…so I am all over this and seriously cannot WAIT to try it. Love deep dish pizza and yours looks fabulous!!
Yum ;) I haven’t had a deep dish pizza for awhile now ~ seems like thing flat breads are the thing now lol this pizza looks amazing just like something from pizza hut!
Thanks for sharing!
Where did you find that pastry mat? I love it!
Hi Lauren, It’s from King Arthur Flour – I love it!!
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/silicone-rolling-mat
I’m pinning it right now, it looks fantastic!!
I’m a thin crust pizza girl at heart, but this really does look delicious. My bf went to college in the Midwest and loves Chicago style pizza – I will definitely be making this for him at some point!
This pizza is so thick and crusty – looks so delicious!!! I just want to eat the entire cheesy dish :D
Great recipe!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Traditional Lemon Meringue Tart
I’ve made these before and LOVE them. Sadly, my hubby is not as much a fan but will thankfully eat whatever is in front of him. :)
Yummy!!!! This looks delicious!!
I KNEW there was a reason we were BFF’s! I was going to ask if you could switch the order of the toppings, and you answered it as soon as the thought crossed my mind! Not that i don’t trust you, but I also prefer a higher cheese to sauce ratio so I think I might need to try the amended version.
Aw YESSS! We always were like one mind :) No surprise that you like lots of cheese too!
I’ve been searching for quite a while for the perfect deep dish recipe to try out on the hubs. Thanks so much for this! I can’t wait to try the crust.
Oh my, this looks delicious! The crust sounds perfect for deep dish pizza! Can’t wait to try this.
I want to eat this RIGHT NOW! Thanks for sharing – this is definitely going on the meal list for this week or next. Mmmm……
I can’t wait to make this! A little piece of home :)
I LOVE deep dish pizzas and this recipe looks perfect!!
I like thin and crispy crust, but my hubby is in love with Chicago deep dish. We have a Chicago-based pizza store near us, and the pizza is good…but kind of pricey. I can’t wait to surprise him with this!
This looks amazing. I’m going to try it, however, can I freeze one of the balls of dough? There are only two of us at home and we could never eat two pizzas. If I can freeze it, how do I wrap the dough and how long can I freeze it?
Hi Susan, I think you would be okay doing this. I would chill the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes, then wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag. To thaw, put it in the refrigerator the night before or morning that you plan to use it. I would say the dough would be good for 2-3 months.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE SAUCE ON TOP! Love, a Chicagoan. :)
My mouth is watering! This looks fabolous!!!! My stomach is even growling! Just simply tasty!
Oh that looks so good! I have never had a deep dish pizza, but have always wanted to try it. Multiple trips have been made to Chicago and still no pizza (that’s just sad). So thank you for this recipe- I think it’s time I took matters into my own hands!
Straight up cheese and pepperoni for me. Boyfriend likes to add peppers, black olives, and mushrooms (shudder).
I just recently posted about the deep dish pizza I ate while in Chicago! Nice to know I can make it at home too. http://nextupwithj.blogspot.com/2012/03/next-up-breezing-through-chicago.html
Pizza is one of my favorite foods too. But I’m an admitted “yeast-killer”. I recently found a great deep dish pepperoni pizza at Aldi for $3.99. Probably about the same size as the one you paid $19 for.
Looks amazing!
Where can I find one of those mats w/ measurements you are using to roll the dough on???
Thanks!
Never mind…found it!
Sorry I got to you late! It’s from King Arthur Flour – http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/silicone-rolling-mat. I love it!
While I’m normally a thin crust type, this would be too good to pass up. I can see how crunchy and chewy that crust looks. A real crowd pleaser.
This looks so amazing! I am heading to Chicago for the first time this weekend and can’t wait to sample the deep dish!
Oh my goodness I am seriously drooling – this looks HEAVENLY.
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.com/
Oh my! This looks fantastic! I am from the Chicagoland area and will be making this asap! This pizza looks just like my favorite Chicago pizza and I can’t wait to try to duplicate it. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Hey Michelle–Another amazing recipe from you! Question: can I cheat and use already prepared bread dough? I would still do the laminating step with it. I would love to make this pizza for tomorrow night but with 4 kids, school schedules, and laundry to fold I don’t think I can pull off making the dough! Thanks!
Hi Nicole, You can, but it won’t taste the same and I’m not sure how similarly it will rise. It will just pretty much just be like pizza (bread?) dough in the round pan. Which still might be good! It’s just that one of the biggest things about the Chicago-style deep-dish is the buttery, flaky crust.
I ended up making the dough! Once I read the recipe I realized it wasn’t as hard as I thought. I really enjoyed the process and my family loved it! I also made your cream cheese brownies which were delicious! Thank you for all of your fabulous recipes!!!
Oh I’m so glad that you went ahead with the traditional dough and didn’t find it to be too difficult and loved it! Yay! Sounds like a fabulous dinner and dessert combo to me :)
next time you go to chicago, you MUST try Lou Malnati’s. It is by the best deep dish pizza in the city. The spinach and sausage (try them together!) are to die for.
Deep dish is the only way to go for me, and this looks amazing!! I’m sitting here working on my menu plan for the week, and I think I know one thing I’ll be adding :)
OMG I miss Chicago soooo much. This pizza looks like something I should try and make for my family who have never been there (and truely don’t understand what there missing out on”. This receipe looks pretty good and you did a great job of laying it out, maybe ill have to print it out to make this weekend!
These pictures make me want pizza NOW. Too bad it is 9:30am :) Pizza brunch anyone?
I’ve always wanted to try deep dish pizza. This looks like the perfect recipe!!
Well, I think I just found dinner tonight. :) Do you think half of the dough could be frozen?
Hi Jen, I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but I have done it with regular dough. I think you would be fine. Just thaw it in the refrigerator and take it straight from there to roll it, line the pan, etc.
I tried freezing the dough and it worked great!
Thank you for the recipe!
We made a fancy one with *real* carmelized onions and mushrooms and sausage. It was good, but I was surprised to find I preferred the second one- just sauce, cheese, and pineapple bits! Weird but very good.
I love this recipe (CI rocks)! I lived in Chicago for a year and really do get a craving for this kind of pizza every once in a while. Unfortunately, my kids don’t care for it… So, I usually save it for a special meal for my hubby and I! It really is divine!
I also love pizza. Now I can cook it and share it with my family. Gorgeous pizza!
I saw the picture and my first thought was “ohhh..YUMM!!!” This looks amazing! Thanks for the helpful pictures too, I can’t wait to try this! I’m just like you, I could eat pizza every day, and these pictures make me want to! :)
Why did I never think to make deep dish pizza in a cake pan? Love this idea.
This looks delicious! I’ve been wanting to make this recipe since I saw it in CI, now I will definitely make it!
This sounds so awesome! I don’t have a deep dish pan, but I need to get out and buy one!
Hi Katrina, No need to buy a special pan! You can use 9-inch cake pans.
I’ve been wanting to try this recipe since I saw it in CI! I’m glad you tested it out for me, can’t wait to make it now :)
Drooling here!! I’m a fool for thick bread pizza! Fantastic!
Looks like it came out perfect! Deep dish pizza depends for me on the day – I was raised on thin crust in Germany, and sometimes there’s almost too much dough for me in the U.S. already. Other days I devour it, though ;)
I adore deep dish pizza! YUM!
I love said Chicago-style pizza joint! But your pizza looks even better :)
Throw in a little bacon. wow.
I’m from Chicago but have lived in San Diego the past 10 years…and I am a thin ‘n crispy crust girl. Go figure.
Your pizza looks stellar!
This is great! My hubby and like homemade New York style but needed a good Chicago style recipe.
My heart ACHES for some Chicago Deep Dish pizza! Every time we visit Chicago the first place we stop is Giordano’s … the BEST. In fact, we’re heading up there for our anniversary in April.
Until then I may just have to try my hand with your recipe … with lots of black olives.
Try Lou Malnati’s or Uno’s. I think they are better. I grew up in chicago and now live in Duluth….not a good pizza in sight. Good thing I can make it. But I will try this version and see if it stacks up to the one i have. LOVE deep dish. and STUFED. sigh
I’ve actually been wanting to try Lou Malnati’s .. I’ve heard good things. I hated Gino’s, their crust was soggy inside. ick. We’re just 3 hours south of Chicago and stuff with thin crust pizza … boring!
Cat, are you by Springfield? I’m living there now, and I think we’re about three hours south of Chicago. If you want a REALLY good pizza, without the three hour drive, you could try Papa Dell’s in Champaign. It is AMAZING, and only 1 1/2 hours away.
I’m looking forward to making this recipe in order to avoid the drive though!
I lived in Chicago for 25 years. I am a seasoned bread-baker. I lived above Gino’s East in Lakeview (by Wrigley) for 3 years. I moved to Montana. The pizza up here is just so so so indescribably bad. I am going to make this recipe and let you know how it stacks up. It looks like you could be pretty on the money though.
Ps Chicago Pizza TRUMPS New York pizza.
my fam is going to chicago sometime soon. So I have definitely been wanting to hit up at least one of these pizza joints. Ive never tried any of them but I love Deep Dish Pizza. But I like a more chewier doughy crust. So of all of the places, which do u think I would like most. and BTW, which is your very favorite and why??
(I’m from UTAH- no deep dish pizza joints out west)
Pizanos, downtown on Madison Street. Fantastic! Giordanos also very good.
I’ve never had it but my boyfriend lived in the states for 10 years and I want to give him a taste of home. In the oven now.