This Chicago deep dish pizza recipe features layers of mozzarella, sausage, tomato sauce, and Parmesan in a thick, pie-like crust, just like the versions you find in the Windy City! Follow my step-by-step guide to make the buttery crust, seasoned sausage, and chunky sauce at home.
I’ve had the privilege of eating the world’s best pizza and often replicate some of my favorites with recipes like my New York style pizza, sheet pan pizza, and Neapolitan pizza. They’re all delicious with their own unique qualities, but Chicago-style deep dish pizza stands out from the rest.
If I’m being honest, deep dish pizza breaks every rule of pizza, but it still tastes so good. Curious about the differences, I once traveled to Chicago to learn the secret behind deep dish pizza. I used everything I learned to develop the perfect recipe, and now I’m sharing it with you!
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and instructions.
Crust
- Flour – I use a combination of all-purpose flour and semolina to create a sturdy crust with a tender texture.
- Salt – This helps strengthen the dough and improves its flavor.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness and activates the yeast.
- Active Dry Yeast – This is crucial for helping the dough rise and creating a light texture. Instant yeast can work, but the timing and texture may vary.
- Melted Butter and Corn Oil – These combine to create a rich, buttery, flaky crust that’s crisp and golden on the outside while remaining tender in the center.
Tomato Sauce
- Tomatoes – Whole peeled plum tomatoes work best to create a chunky, bright-tasting sauce. I prefer San Marzano tomatoes, but any canned whole peeled plum tomatoes will work.
- Olive Oil – This adds richness to the sauce.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves infuse the sauce with a bold, savory taste, giving it incredible depth you don’t get with pre-made pizza sauce.
- Salt – This enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Sugar – A little bit of sugar goes a long way to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, rounding out the flavor of the sauce.
- Dried Oregano – This enhances the sauce for a classic pizzeria-style flavor.
Toppings
- Sausage – I prefer Italian sausage for a mildly sweet, aromatic taste, but any sausage, such as spicy or regular sausage, will work.
- Seasonings – Fennel seed and salt enhance the flavor of the sausage, creating a classic Italian flavor.
- Cheese – Low-moisture mozzarella creates a signature cheese pull, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds a salty, nutty taste to the toppings and crust.
How to Make a Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
1. Prepare the Crust
2. Make the Pizza Sauce
3. Build the Pizza
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the cold fermentation. Letting the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours develops better flavor and improves the texture of the crust.
- Drain the tomatoes well. Excess liquid can make the pizza soggy, so be sure to strain the tomatoes before making the sauce.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella contains too much water and can prevent the pizza from baking properly.
- Press the dough all the way up the sides of the pan. A tall crust is essential for holding all the layers of cheese, sausage, and sauce.
- Layer the ingredients in the correct order. This deep dish pizza recipe layers ingredients in the opposite direction of most pizzas. Cheese goes on first, followed by the sausage and sauce. This protects the crust from moisture, prevents the cheese from burning, and helps create the classic deep dish structure.
- Prevent burning. If your crust begins to brown too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Let the pizza rest before slicing. Allowing the pizza to cool for 10-15 minutes helps the cheese and fillings set so they don’t spill out of the crust once sliced.
- Mix and match toppings. Feel free to add onion, pepperoni, mushrooms, spinach, fresh basil, red pepper flakes, or any other toppings you like best to make this Chicago-style pizza recipe your own.
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
This Chicago deep dish pizza recipe starts with a homemade buttery, flaky crust that's filled with layers of mozzarella cheese, seasoned Italian sausage, rich homemade tomato sauce, and freshly grated Parmesan. Baked until golden and crisp, it looks and tastes just like the iconic pizzas served in the Windy City.
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with Dough Hook
- 3 Large Mixing Bowls
- 1 Medium Saucepan
- 1 Fine Mesh Strainer
- 1 Cheese Grater
- 2 (9-inch) Deep Dish Pizza Pans
- 1 Pastry Brush
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 3¼ cup (455 gram) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (83 gram) fine semolina, important for texture
- 1¼ teaspoon (7 gram) salt
- 1 tablespoon (12 gram) sugar
- 2¼ teaspoon (7 gram) active dry yeast, usually one pack
- 1¼ cup (296 milliliter) warm water
- 1/2 cup (118 milliliter) butter, melted
- ¼ cup (59 milliliter) corn oil (or neutral oil)
For the Sauce:
- 1 (28 ounce / 794 gram) can whole peeled plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 2 tablespoon (30 milliliter) olive oil
- 2 clove garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon (6 gram) salt
- ½ teaspoon (2 gram) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (3 gram) dried oregano
For the Toppings:
- 1 pound (453 gram) Italian sausage, out of casing
- 1 teaspoon (2 gram) fennel seed
- ½ teaspoon (3 gram) salt
- 1 pound (452 gram) low-moisture mozzarella
- Parmesan cheese block
Instructions
For the Crust:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, semolina, salt, sugar, and yeast.3¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup fine semolina, 1¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the water, melted butter, and oil. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry pockets remain.1¼ cup warm water, 1/2 cup butter, ¼ cup corn oil (or neutral oil)
- Let the dough rest for ten minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and knead until the dough is slightly elastic but still very soft, one to two minutes.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
For the Sauce:
- Pour the tomatoes into a strainer set over a bowl. Crush the tomatoes by hand into bite-sized pieces and drain excess liquid.1 (28 ounce / 794 gram) can whole peeled plum tomatoes
- Transfer the tomatoes to a saucepan along with the olive oil, garlic, salt, sugar, and oregano.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
For the Fillings:
- In a medium bowl, combine the sausage, fennel seed, and salt. Mix gently to incorporate.1 pound Italian sausage, 1 teaspoon fennel seed, ½ teaspoon salt
- Slice the mozzarella into thin, even pieces.1 pound low-moisture mozzarella
Build the Pizza:
- Divide the dough in half (enough for two ten-inch pies). Working with one piece at a time, lightly grease a ten-inch deep-dish pan with butter or oil. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, pushing it all the way to the rim to create a tall, even crust.
- Layer pizza “upside down”: Arrange mozzarella slices in an even layer over the dough, covering completely. Press the sausage into a single, even disk over the cheese, making sure there are no gaps. Lightly grate Parmesan over the sausage, then spoon half of the sauce evenly over the top. The remaining sauce will be used for the second pizza.Parmesan cheese block
- Brush any exposed crust with melted butter and sprinkle with more Parmesan.
- Bake the pizza in the oven at 450°F (232°C) on the middle rack, until the crust is golden brown and crisp on the bottom, 30-35 minutes.
- Let the pizza rest in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing (this helps the structure set and gives a clean slice with a proper cheese pull).
Video
Notes
*Adjust the ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions accordingly if doubling or tripling the recipe.
Storage: Deep dish pizza is best served fresh, but leftovers reheat surprisingly well and maintain their flavor and texture.
– Refrigerator: Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to four days.
– Freezer: Freeze cooled pizza slices for up to three months. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag.
– Reheating Pizza: Reheat slices in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes if thawed or 20-25 minutes from frozen or until heated through and the crust is crisp again. Avoid microwaving when possible, as it can make the crust soft and chewy.
– Refrigerator: Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to four days.
– Freezer: Freeze cooled pizza slices for up to three months. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag.
– Reheating Pizza: Reheat slices in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes if thawed or 20-25 minutes from frozen or until heated through and the crust is crisp again. Avoid microwaving when possible, as it can make the crust soft and chewy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 398kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 852mg, Potassium: 155mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 216mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This tasted even better than the Chicago pizzas I grew up eating!