This Deep Dish Pizza makes a hearty meal any day of the week. Made up of a soft yeast-based crust and filled with layers of cheese and pizza sauce, it is easy to make and super delicious too.

Regular Pizza always makes such a great lunch or dinner, but have you tried deep dish pizza?

If you haven't, then you are in for an amazing treat. A soft and fluffy crust filled with cheesy saucy goodness. Give it a try and fall in love with the deliciousness too. 

WHAT MAKES DEEP DISH PIZZA DIFFERENT FROM REGULAR PIZZA

With regular pizza, the crust is flatter, thin and crisp. It is baked flat on a pizza stone or pizza pan.

The deep dish pizza has a thicker and fluffier crust. It is baked in a round cake pan or cast iron pan/ skillet. The dough is pressed up onto the sides of the pan to create a bowl-like shape for the delicious layers of cheese and sauce.

WHAT MAKES UP A DEEP DISH PIZZA

FOR THE BASE:

ALL PURPOSE OR CAKE FLOUR

SEMOLINA: This amazing ingredient gives the dough elasticity and stretch. It also creates a crispy base but still maintains a chewy texture.

YEAST: I prefer using the fast acting or quick rise yeast which is added directly to the dry ingredients. There is no need to dissolve the yeast in warm water.

SUGAR

SALT

WARM WATER: The water added to the dry ingredients should be just warm, not too hot or too cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read between 100°F – 115°F ( 37°C – 46°C).

OIL: Either olive oil, canola oil or sunflower oil can be used in the recipe.

FOR THE SAUCE: 

You can use your favourite pizza sauce or give a try to my quick and easy to make pasta/pizza sauce. 

2 cans (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes OR 6 large freshly chopped tomatoes

4 Tablespoons tomato paste: This helps to thicken the sauce

2 Teaspoon mixed dried herbs: Try a combination of basil, oregano and thyme or use your favourite blend of herbs

½ teaspoon chilli sauce: Totally optional, but delicious if you prefer a bit of spice in the sauce.

WHICH PAN TO USE

I love to bake this deep dish pizza in my heavy cast iron pan/skillet. It tends to give the crust a great even colour and contributes towards creating a crisp outer crust and soft and fluffy inside. 

If you do not have a cast-iron pan, then a regular round deep cake pan will work just perfectly. It is best to use a non-stick pan or just grease any cake tin you are using really well. 

I also find that greasing and lining the tin with baking/parchment paper, extending over the sides of the tin will help in removing the baked pizza.

ALLOW THE PIZZA TO COOL BEFORE REMOVING FROM THE TIN

I know that you want to dig into this pizza the minute it is baked and out of the oven. However, allowing it to cool for at least 20 minutes after baking will ensure easier and neater slices of pizza.

Keep in mind that this pizza contains layers of filling, which is more than a regular flat pizza.

The filling and cheese need to set before cutting. If you do not give it time to firm up and set, then the hot cheese and sauce filling is just going to spill out of the crust and onto your plate. 

MAKING THE DEEP DISH PIZZA

FOR THE BASE:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina, yeast sugar and salt.

Heat water, just until lukewarm. It should not be too hot or too cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read between 100°F – 115°F ( 37°C – 46°C). Add the oil to the warm water and stir to combine.

Pour the oil and water mixture into the combined flour mixture. Turn out and knead the dough for about 6 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and place the kneaded dough into it. Allow it to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place until doubled in size.

Punch down the risen dough and divide in half. Roll out each portion into a 12 inch/30cm circle. 

Transfer each of the rolled out dough into two greased 10 inch/25cm cast iron pans or cake pans.  Press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

FOR THE SAUCE:

You can use your favourite pizza sauce or give a try to my quick and easy to make pasta/pizza sauce. 

In a bowl, combine 2 cans of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, mixed herbs and cayenne pepper(optional).

Heat on medium for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly. 

FILLING AND LAYERING THE PIZZA

This is just a basic guide for a filling recipe. Feel free to add your favourite pizza ingredients.

Start by adding ½ cup grated mozzarella into each base. Add a thin layer of sauce over the cheese. Top with ½ cup mozzarella and mushroom. Sprinkle with dried mixed herbs.

Cover the pan with foil and bake in a preheated oven of 356°F( 180°C) for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting into portions

Enjoy ♥

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing pizza recipes

Easy Pizza Muffins

2 ingredient pizza dough recipe

Easy 10 minute Pizza Dough ( No Rise No-Knead)

Stovetop flatbread pizza 

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Grated Potato Crust Pizza

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Deep Dish Pizza

This Deep Dish Pizza makes a hearty meal any day of the week. Made up of a soft yeast-based crust and filled with layers of cheese and pasta sauce, it is easy to make and super delicious too.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Equipment

Two greased 10 inch/25cm cast iron pans or cake pans

Ingredients

  

FOR THE BASE

• 3 ½ cups / 420g all-purpose/ cake flour
• ¼ cup / 41g semolina
• 3 Tablespoons / 10g fast-acting / instant / quick rise yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup / 125ml warm water SEE NOTE 1
• ⅓ cup / 80ml oil SEE NOTE 2

FOR THE SAUCE

You can use your favourite pizza sauce or give a try to my quick and easy to make pasta/pizza sauce.

• 2 x 14oz / 410g cans chopped tomatoes or 6 freshly chopped tomatoes
• 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs SEE NOTE 3
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or chilli sauce optional

FOR THE TOPPINGS

• 2 cups / 200g grated mozzarella or cheddar divided

Instructions

 

TO MAKE THE BASE

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina, yeast sugar and salt.
• Heat water, just until lukewarm. It should not be too hot or too cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read between 100°F – 115°F ( 37°C – 46°C). Add the oil to the warm water and stir to combine.
• Pour the oil and water mixture into the combined flour mixture. Turn out and knead the dough for about 6 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and place the kneaded dough into it. Allow it to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Punch down the risen dough and divide in half. Roll out each portion into a 12 inch/30cm circle.
• Transfer each of the rolled out dough into two greased 10 inch/25cm cast iron pans or cake pans. SEE NOTE 4
• Press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE

• In a bowl, combine 2 cans of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, mixed herbs and cayenne pepper(optional).
• Heat on medium for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.

FILLING AND LAYERING THE PIZZA

This is just a basic guide for a filling recipe. Feel free to add your favourite pizza ingredients.

• Start by adding ½ cup grated mozzarella into each base. Add a thin layer of sauce over the cheese. Top with ½ cup mozzarella and mushroom. Sprinkle with dried mixed herbs.
• Cover the pan with foil and bake in a preheated oven of 356°F( 180°C) for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes until lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting into portions SEE NOTE 5

Notes

1. Heat water, just until lukewarm. It should not be too hot or too cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read between 100°F – 115°F ( 37°C – 46°C). Add the oil to the warm water and stir to combine.
2. Either olive oil, canola oil or sunflower oil can be used in the recipe.
3. Try a combination of basil, oregano and thyme or use your favourite blend of herbs
4. I also find that greasing and lining the baking pan with baking/parchment paper, extending over the sides of the tin will help in removing the baked pizza.
5. Allow the pizza to cool for at least 20 minutes after baking. This will ensure easier and neater slices of pizza. Keep in mind that this pizza contains layers of filling, which is more than a regular flat pizza. The filling and cheese need to set before cutting. If you do not give it time to firm up and set, then the hot cheese and sauce filling is just going to spill out of the crust and onto your plate.

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Tried this recipe? Let me know how it was in the comments below