Oozing with cheese and stuffed with sausage, Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza made at home will turn any dinner time into a party.
Love Chicago? Try our homemade Italian Beef and Chicago Style hot dogs too!
What is Chicago style pizza?
You don’t need to travel all the way to the Windy City to enjoy a deep dish pizza. For cheese and meat lovers, Chicago style pizza is the ULTIMATE meal.
This is pizza you eat with a fork and best shared with lots of friends and family who can “Oooh” and “Ahhh” and “Mmmm” with you while you devour your deep dish pie.
Chicago style pizza is not your standard pie from the pizza delivery shop.
Instead of rolling the dough thin onto a pan, you shape it into a deep pie pan or cake pan. After layering cheese, meat and sauce over the dough, you bake the pie until bubbly.
It’s no more difficult to make than other kinds of pizza and oh so satisfying to dig into with your fork.
The best deep dish pizza starts with a good homemade pizza dough made with both bread flour and all-purpose flour. Browned sausage, and a rich homemade tomato sauce complete the pizza along with a generous amount of shredded cheese.
Easy Instructions
STEP 1. Make the Pizza Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine, flours, yeast, salt and sugar. Slowly add water and olive oil. Mix with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes.
Remove and use dough hook to knead dough for 2-3 minutes. Remove and put in a greased bowl. Cover with saran wrap and allow to rise 2 hours in a warm place (I put it on top of my dryer).
Divide dough into two balls. Using hands, knead 1 Tbsp of softened butter into each dough ball. Put into a 9-inch cake pan (or deep dish pizza pan) and allow to rise and additional 1-2 hours in a warm place.
While the dough is rising, prepare the other pizza ingredients.
PRO TIP: Recipe makes two 9-inch deep dish pizzas. Freeze half dough for later if desired!
STEP 2. Brown the Sausage
Brown hot Italian sausage in a large skillet, breaking up into small chunks. Drain sausage completely.
STEP 3. Make the Pizza Sauce
In a large pot, combine tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and garlic salt. Simmer on low heat for 1 -2 hours (while the dough rises).
STEP 4. Assemble and Bake
When ready to assemble pizzas, press dough lightly with fingertips to bottom and sides of pan. Lay 2 cups of shredded cheese in bottom of pizza. Top with browned sausage and about 2 1/2 cups of sauce. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 25 minutes. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Slice and eat. ENJOY!
A deep dish pizza is such a fun weekend meal. Serve with a side salad and bread sticks or enjoy all on its own. We love to share a deep dish pie on family movie night and it’s also often requested for birthday dinners!
What kind of sausage should you use for deep dish pizza?
My preference by far is to use spicy Italian sausage with casings removed in my deep dish pizza.
This gives it an authentic flavor that can’t be beat. If you can’t find hot Italian sausage, add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to regular Italian sausage.
What kind of cheese should you use for deep dish pizza?
This Chicago style pizza recipe calls for Mozzarella cheese. You use bagged mozzarella shreds for convenience or fresh mozzarella if you happen to have some on hand. Other blends of shredded Italian cheeses will also taste great in your deep dish pizza!
Make Ahead Meal
To make this pizza quicker and easier, you can prep the sauce and dough ahead of time! Follow the steps for making the dough up until it’s time to knead in the butter.
Store prepared dough tightly wrapped in the fridge until ready to use and let it come to room temperature before continuing with the recipe. Don’t forget to let it rise again in the pan before adding the other ingredients.
Sauce keeps will stored covered in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for several months. As a bonus, I’ve found the sauce only tastes better when it’s allowed to sit for a day or two.
All the garlic and herb flavors mingle beautifully with the tangy tomatoes to create a pizza sauce that’s so much better than anything that comes from a can.
Recipe Notes
- Don’t have time to make your own dough? You can use your favorite prepared pizza dough for this recipe. If you buy refrigerated or frozen dough, just make sure it comes to room temperature before you work with it and allow it to rise again in the pan before you proceed with the recipe. Tip: Many pizza restaurants will sell their uncooked dough if you ask!
- Make sure to use sausage with the casings removed!
More Easy Dinner Recipes:
- Italian Beef Ring
- Pepperoni Pizza Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Hawaiian Pizza
- Pepperoni Pizza Hand Pies
- Sausage and Peppers
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Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup bread flour
- 1 package active yeast 0.25 ounce
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup warm water
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
For the Filling:
- 1 pound hot Italian Sausage no casings
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounce
- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained 14.5 ounce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ Tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 4 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- For the dough, in a large mixing bowl, combine, flours, yeast, salt and sugar. Slowly add water and olive oil. Mix with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Remove and use dough hook to knead dough for 2-3 minutes. Remove and put in a greased bowl. Cover with saran wrap and allow to rise 2 hours in a warm place (I put it on top of my dryer). Divide dough into two balls. Using hands, knead 1 Tbsp of softened butter into each dough ball. Put into a 9inch cake pan (or deep dish pizza pan) and allow to rise and additional 1-2 hours in a warm place.
- Brown italian sausage in a large skillet, breaking up into small chunks. Make sure your sausage is removed from the casings. If you can’t find the HOT Italian sausage, add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. Drain sausage completely.
- In a large pot, combine tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and garlic salt. Simmer while dough rises on low heat (about 1-2 hours).
- When ready to assemble pizzas, press dough lightly with fingertips to bottom and sides of pan. Lay 2 cups of shredded cheese in bottom of pizza. Top with browned sausage and about 2 1/2 cups of sauce.
- Bake in a 450 degree oven for 25 minutes. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Slice and eat. ENJOY!
Notes
- Don’t have time to make your own dough? You can use your favorite prepared pizza dough for this recipe. If you buy refrigerated or frozen dough, just make sure it comes to room temperature before you work with it and allow it to rise again in the pan before you proceed with the recipe. Tip: Many pizza restaurants will sell their uncooked dough if you ask!
- Make sure to use sausage with the casings removed!
Nutrition
Everyone loves digging into a deep dish Chicago style pizza! Skip the ordering and make your own pie at home for your next pizza night.
I am from Australia and have seen these in so many cooking shows etc and have been dying to try one…guess what is in my oven RIGHT now!!! It smells so damn good, thank you for the recipe x
Living in NYC I want to make this to compare to my regular pizza… I hear such rave reviews on Chicago deep dish!
Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago I too know the wonder of Chicago style deep dish pizza. This looks delicious and I will have to give it a try. It is a MUST for anyone visiting our city!
Totally AGREE! I grew up in the Homewood Flossmoor area, so I’m a bit impartial to Aurelios. But when I want DEEP DISH I go for Giordanos. YUM.
Julie…. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
http://featuredfoods.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/a-store/c-GinoAns_East.shtml?E+scstore+ginos
I just ordered two deep dish pizza’s from Lou Malnati’s to be delivered sometime tomorrow. I’m going to try this for sure. I lived in the northwest suburbs for 36 years. I miss pizza, italian beef and the french bread. Hurry up and come up with a good recipe for the italian beef!!
Julie…. Lou Malnati’s is wonderful too!! I didn’t know they delivered out of state!! Wonder if Gino’s East does?? hmmmm???
Oh my, Aimee!! I lived in Chicago for 6 years and Gino’s East was my very favorite place for pizza (of course there are many other great pizzarias in Chi-Town!) Even after the old restaurant burned and they moved, the pizza was still the best, mozzarella-gagging (true Chicagoans know what I’m talking about!) thing on this earth!!! LOL Thanks for posting this recipe!!!
When I lived in Chicago I fell absolutely in LOVE with their pizza! I’ve gotta make this.
Yes, you must try this!!!!
oh man does this look good! Major pizza craving now!
This looks so good! We just had one from UNO’s during the Super Bowl and I told the boyfriend we need to try one from scratch – this will definitely be the recipe.
This made my DAY!!! I’m also from Chicago and I moved to Texas about a year ago and I’ve been DYING for the best style of pizza (Texas can only do steaks and bbq). I’ve had my mom send me Lou’s (didn’t taste the same but still hit the spot) I’m going to use this recipe over and over again!!! This is amazing!!! 😀
You just made my DAY!! I’m from Chicago and I moved down to Texas and I’ve been DYING for some of the BEST pizza. I had my mom ship Lou’s to me (didn’t taste the same but it was still delicious!!)
You MUST try this then Heather! Worth every bit of effort!
one of my friends is from Chicago, and he always talks about pizza – he misses it so! his brother overnighted one once, and he was SO excited! I got to try a slice (my first and only!) and yep – some good stuff.
this looks fantastic!
Greetings from the souf side! When we don’t feel like spending a fortune we make our own and we cheat when we do it too! Fridge dough (pillsbury), cheese, Italian sausage (like jewel/ johnsonville), and spaghetti sauce. Still delicious and pennies to make.
This looks incredible! I’ve made a lot of deep dish pizzas and have always liked them but this just seems… even better. I’m happy you were able to recreate something from home! That’s a great feeling, isn’t it? 🙂
It is great Erin!! Oh I more than “liked” this pizza, we were in LOVE. It will be happening again here this weekend!!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make this pizza this weekend! I think my family will love it! Thank you for sharing:)
Let me know if you give it a try. YUM!
Man, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Findlay Market!!! Great find and great way to use the sausage! No, we don’t anything about pizza here in Cincinnati! Although I do love my Dewy’s!
Ooooh I love Dewey’s too! They opened one up not too long ago near me, it’s too convenient 🙂
Is it weird that I want this for breakfast?
Oh man does your deep dish pizza look good!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so making this next week!! I love your recipe!
Thanks Jennifer, let me know what you think when you make it!!! So good!
I’m a Chi-town girl, born & raised here, too. Can’t wait to try making this d-lish looking pie! What pie from Chicago would you compare it to? -And, I have to ask…what’s your favorite pizza here?
Cheers,
Wendy
p.s. going to enjoy with some Goose Island Brew. 🙂
Wendy, I would compare this to a Giordano’s Deep dish. I prefer that over Lou Malnatis. My favorite pizza would be Aurelios as I grew up in Homewood where the original one still holds my heart!
Love Goose Island 🙂
I’m from California, but I live in Chicago now. I’m definitely a fan of Lou’s over Giordano’s! I love Goose Island, too 🙂