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Authentic Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe Alternate Text Chicago, United States of America

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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though

Introduction & history

Unlike regular pizza dough, deep dish pizza dough is made with more oil and is not tossed but pressed into the bottom and sides of a deep pizza pan, providing a sturdy casing for the topping. A layer of sliced, not shredded, low-moisture mozzarella is placed on the bottom, followed by the traditional but not obligatory layer of raw Italian sausage. A layer of crushed, uncooked tomatoes placed on top covers the entire pizza and has the role of protecting the lower layers of pizza topping from overcooking and charring. Often, the tomato sauce is sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese and/or hard cheese. The pizza is baked for about 35 minutes and served, unlike many other pizzas, with a knife and fork. Additional topping layers like mushrooms, onions, spinach, and pepperoni may be placed either under or on top of the tomato sauce.

Cooking tips

  • additional toppings

    Additional ingredients include high moisture vegetables like spinach, peppers, mushrooms, and onions, which can be placed either under the sauce or on top. If they are put on top, you should add them 15 minutes before the end of baking time. On the other hand, pepperoni slices are placed only on top, halfway pressed into the tomato sauce so that while baking, they can turn crispy but will not get ... Read more
  • tomato sauce

    The tomato layer is made of only crushed tomatoes. If you like the sauce to be on the chunky side, combine crushed and chopped tomatoes, and make sure you always drain the extra liquid when necessary. For a touch of heat, if you prefer, add a few chili flakes. Before using the tomatoes, check the taste, and add sugar if they are not overly sweet. One other thing to remember! An authentic Chicago deep-... Read more
  • crust

    Contrary to a popular misconception, the crust for deep-dish pizza is not thick but crispy, more biscuit-like. The dough is made with more oil than regular pizza dough and is not overly kneaded, just enough so it forms into a ball of dough. This method, along with the use of corn oil, is what’s essential to get the perfect pizza dough. Another misconception that needs to be cleared is one about the ... Read more
  • italian sausage

    Although most brands these days add fennel to their sausages, the authentic recipe calls for Italian sausage made without fennel. However, if you can't find a fennel-free one, use one with fennel.
  • serving

    Unlike most other pizzas that are eaten with hands, due to its size, Chicago deep-dish pizza is served with a knife and fork.

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

PREP 30min

COOK 35min

RESTING 6h

READY IN 7h 5min

3.9

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If you want to make the real-deal, authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza, the following recipe is the answer to your prayers. The recipe gives instructions on how to make the dough and the toppings, which should be arranged in the following order: mozzarella at the bottom, Italian sausage in the middle, and tomatoes on top, finished with a sprinkling of either parmesan* or hard cheese. It makes for one 12-inch (30cm) pizza. If preferred, you can add additional ingredients such as pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, or spinach.

Ingredients

4 Servings

DOUGH

2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (180 ml) water

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp dry yeast

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp sugar

TOPPING

12-16 oz (340g - 450g) mozzarella, sliced

12-16 oz (340g - 450g) Italian sausage

12-16 oz (340g - 450g) crushed tomatoes, drained if necessary

basil, dried (optional)

1/8 cup (10g) parmesan* (generic, U.S.-produced) or hard cheese, grated

Preparation

Step 1/7

First, make a small amount of batter in a large bowl — dissolve sugar and salt in lukewarm water, add oil, yeast, and a small amount of flour, then mix thoroughly. Then, add the remaining flour. Knead for 2-3 minutes just until the dough gathers into a smooth ball.

Step 2/7

Transfer the ball of dough to a clean bowl, coat it with oil, and cover it with cling film. Place the bowl in a warm place for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size. Once the dough has risen, you can use it immediately or punch it down with your fist and let it rise once again. You can repeat this process as many times as you like until you’re ready to use the dough. Alternatively, you can place the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for 6 to 24 hours.

Step 3/7

Cover the top oven rack with a sheet of aluminum foil, then set the oven to preheat to 500°F/250°C. If necessary, drain the tomatoes.

Step 4/7

Lightly grease the bottom of the pan (not the sides). Then, press the dough into the bottom of the pan and its sides, about 1-1 ½ inches (2.5 - 3.5cm) high rim of dough.

Step 5/7

Completely cover the bottom of the dough with mozzarella slices. Next, cover with a layer of Italian sausage and sprinkle with basil. Ladle the tomatoes on top, taking care that all ingredients are completely covered. Lightly sprinkle the tomatoes with grated parmesan* and/or hard cheese cheese.

Step 6/7

Set the oven temperature to 450°F/230°C and place the pizza inside to bake for 35 minutes. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil if you notice that the pizza top is getting charred. Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Step 7/7

Cut into slices and serve with a knife and fork.

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