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Easy Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza is so easy, the pizza crust comes out light and fluffy with a perfectly crispy crust. The cornmeal gives it the best texture with every bite.

A skillet pizza in a cast iron pan.


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This Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza is one of my new favorite recipes. I could eat pizza every single day and never complain. Perfectly crispy crust from the super-hot cast iron pan. This pizza has a thicker crust and is so insanely delicious that and will seriously change your life. It's definitely a winner in our home along with this Flatbread Pizza or our French Bread Pizza.

Why this recipe works

This cast iron pizza recipe is very similar to a deep dish pizza. The homemade dough gets perfectly crispy on the outside with a chewy crust on the inside. With all the gooey cheese and delicious toppings, it will for sure be loved by all, like my Pizza Sticks.

Ingredients needed

All the ingredients neede for this recipe.

Ingredient notes

  • Yeast- I like to use the quick-rise yeast.
  • Yellow cornmeal- gives it a great texture
  • Tomato paste- gives it a thicker sauce, if you prefer it to be thinner add a little more water.
  • Sausage- I love spicy Italian sausage, but any kind will work.
  • Bell peppers- red peppers or green peppers work great.

How to make Skillet Pizza

pizza dough ball being rolled out and placed into the skillet.
  • Step 1:Add the yeast and warm water to a medium-sized bowl, then add in the rest of the pizza crust ingredients knead into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Prepare the sauce if using homemade.
  • Step 2:Remove the dough ball and place it on a lightly floured surface.
  • Step 3: Using a rolling pin roll the dough out to about a 15-inch circle.
  • Step 4: Heat the cast iron pan on the stovetop until warm. Sprinkle the remaining corn meal into the bottom of the pan and place the dough into the skillet. Pressing the dough against the sides of the
Sauce being spread on the pizza then cheese and toppings.
  • Step 5: Spread the red pizza sauce evenly onto the crust.
  • Step 6:Sprinkle an even layer of the cheese on top.
  • Step 7: Layer the topping on top of the cheese.
  • Step 8: Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese around the crust edges, this is optional but I highly recommend it.
pizza being held in a hand.

Recipe tips

  • I prefer a thicker sauce, but if you like yours a little thinner, just add a little more water to the sauce to thin it out. Whenever I have extra sauce left over I just pop it in the freezer. You can use your favorite jarred pizza sauce if you have one.
  • No cast iron pan? You can use a regular pizza stone or pizza pan but the crust will turn out to be a thinner crust.
Two slices of pizza on a plate.

Recipe faq's

What size cast iron pan is best?

A 12-inch cast iron skilletย gets super hot, ideal for an amazing pizza crust. That being said you can make this recipe on a regular pizza pan.ย Make a double batch of the dough and freeze it for a busy weeknight meal.

Should I make my own pizza sauce?

Homemade pizza sauce is absolutely delicious. I like my sauce to have a bit thicker consistency. The sugar deepens the flavor and cuts the acidity and the herbs and spices add layers of flavor. if you prefer a pizza without any sauce try my Garlic Roasted Tomato and Spinach Flatbread.

What is the best cheese for pizza?

Mozzarella cheese is the best for any pizza. It has the perfect balance of moisture and elasticity and melts perfectly without overpowering the flavor for a perfect pizza.

How do I avoid burning my pizza?

Place the pizza in a preheated oven on the middle rack. Often times placing the pizza too close to the bottom of the oven can cause the bottom to become too dark.

 

skillet pizza being picked up with a spatula.

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

4.42 from 84 votes
Written By: Wendie
ย Perfectly crispy crust from the super hot cast iron pan. This pizza is so insanely delicious and will seriously change your life.ย 
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Calories 792

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 1 cup warm water plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon quick-rise yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Sauce

  • 1 12 ounce can tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Toppings

  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 12-14 slices pepperoni
  • 1/2 lb cooked Italian sausage
  • 1/2 cup sliced olives
  • 1/4 cup sliced green peppers
  • grated parmesan cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, pour the warm water and the yeast and whisk together. add the salt, olive oil, melted butter, sugar, and 2 tablespoons cornmeal whisk until combined. Mix in 2 cups of flour, add in the rest of the flour and knead with your hands until you have a smooth ball.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 60 minutes.
  • In a small bowl add all the ingredients together and mix until combined. Add more water for a thinner sauce, and set aside until ready to use.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Sprinkle some flour over a smooth surface. Roll dough into a large 15" circle
  • Warm the skillet on a burner for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of yellow cornmeal onto the warm skillet.
  • Lay the dough in the 12-inch skillet pressing the dough against the sides. Fold down the dough to form a rim.
  • Layer your pizza with sauce, cheese, salami, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, olives, and peppers. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over crust edges.
  • Bake for 18-25 minutes

Video

Notes

If you don't have a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, any oven-safe skillet or pizza pan will work.
You can use your favorite store-bought pizza sauce.
Pop any extra sauce in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 792kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 31gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1945mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14g
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!
Course Entrees
Cuisine Italian
4.42 from 84 votes (80 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




21 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is definitely a winner! A good pizza has good sauce and good crust and this one meets both criteria! Excellent recipe I will make again and again!