Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Three key things remind me of an authentic Chicago-style pizza – minced garlic, fresh tomatoes, and cornmeal crust. To make this even more special, use homemade sauce, but adding some fresh garlic, tomatoes, and extra spices is the easiest way to make this taste authentic!
January 24, 2022
Have you ever wanted some deep dish pizza, and thought “well I can’t make that…” Think again! I’m so excited to share this cozy, delicious recipe with you. We love homemade thin crust pizza in our house and make it fairly frequently – we try to mix it up with different toppings and combinations, but one day we felt like something completely different. Being gluten free means I haven’t gotten to experience Chicago-style deep dish pizza for many years, so I decided to try making our own.
I had low expectations, but the results were SO good and reminded me so much of what I remember loving about deep dish pizza. The crunchy, thick cornmeal crust. The fresh tomatoes. The garlic and spices. It was exactly what I was hoping for!
To be honest, this recipe isn’t too different than a regular crust, although you need a large cast iron skillet and cornmeal added in place of some flour. Rising time is pretty quick, and you can prep your toppings while you wait.
Layering the toppings is a little different than a regular pizza: the key is to layer some cheese right on the crust, followed by lots of fresh tomato sauce, your toppings of choice, spices, and top it with more cheese.
I hope you try my recipe for deep dish pizza that you can enjoy right at home!
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Cornmeal Crust
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 2 cups flour, all purpose or gluten free
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp salt
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Toppings
- 2 cups homemade or store bought sauce
- favorite toppings like: fresh tomatoes, spinach, sausage, olives
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
- spices: oregano, basil, crushed red pepper
Instructions
Crust:
- Add sugar and yeast to warm water. Let mixture become fluffy (~5 minutes).
- Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a stand mixer. Add in the yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment. While mixing, drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil and let it incorporate; add more oil if the mixture is still dry and not coming together. Knead on high until a soft, stretchy dough forms, approximately 5 minutes. Add additional flour if it is too sticky to knead with your hands.
- Form into a ball and return the dough to oiled bowl. Let it rise for 30 minutes. Prepare a 12-inch cast iron skillet by drizzling olive oil and rubbing it up the sides. Meanwhile, prep any toppings.
Assembly:
- After the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface until it's about a 16-inch wide circle (enough to go up the edges of the skillet). Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet and press into the corners and up the edges of the pan. With a fork, poke holes along the bottom of the crust to prevent air bubbles.
- Sprinkle the dough with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella. Top with the sauce. Layer with fresh tomatoes and your favorite toppings. Sprinkle with fresh garlic and crushed red pepper. Cover with the remaining mozzarella and sprinkle with oregano and more crushed red pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake at 450° for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Broil on low, if desired, to make the cheese golden brown. *It's best to let the pizza cool for 10 minutes, but we dug right in! The sauce may seep into the middle, but it'll set fairly quickly.
Looks delicious! Way to go!! 👏👏.