Description
This Chicago-Style Deep Dish Cheese Pizza features a buttery, thick crust loaded with layers of gooey mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, this hearty pizza is a comforting classic that captures the essence of Chicago’s iconic deep dish style. With its rich flavors and satisfying texture, it’s a must-try recipe for pizza lovers craving a slice of the Windy City.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups warm water (40–45°C)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine cornmeal
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for greasing)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Cheese and Toppings
- 500 g (1 lb) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded or sliced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: Add the flour, cornmeal, salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Let Dough Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the finely chopped onion until soft and translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and optional red chili flakes. Simmer the sauce gently for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Grease a 9-inch deep-dish pan generously with butter or oil to prevent sticking.
- Shape Dough: Roll out the risen dough and carefully press it into the greased deep-dish pan, ensuring the dough climbs up the sides to form a crust edge.
- Add Cheese Layers: Layer the shredded or sliced mozzarella evenly on the bottom of the dough. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, and basil on top of the mozzarella for extra flavor.
- Add Sauce: Spoon the thickened tomato sauce generously over the cheese layer. Drizzle a little olive oil over the sauce for richness.
- Bake Pizza: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and melted.
- Rest Before Serving: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes. This resting time helps the cheese set slightly, making slicing easier and preventing it from spilling out.
Notes
- Ensure the water is warm (40–45°C) to properly activate the yeast, but not hot enough to kill it.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella for less water content and better melting texture.
- The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated for deeper flavor.
- Adjust red chili flakes to your spice preference or omit for a milder sauce.
- Letting the pizza rest before slicing greatly improves the presentation and eating experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Chicago Style
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pizza)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: Chicago deep dish pizza, deep dish cheese pizza, homemade deep dish pizza, Chicago style pizza recipe, thick crust pizza
