Cast Iron Pizza

Homemade cast iron pizza turns out thick, hot, and oh so good! The crust is crispy, golden brown on the bottom, and perfectly chewy. Add your favorite melty cheese and toppings, and this is the go-to for pizza night!

My husband’s three favorite words: Home. Made. Pizza.

My three favorite words: Cast. Iron. Skillet. (I fell in love once I knew how to season cast iron.)

What do you get when you put them together? A yummy homemade cast iron pizza recipe.

We’ve figured out the secret to creating the perfect New York-Style Pizza Crust (best with a pizza stone) and the Easiest Homemade Pizza Sauce in the whole wide world.

We also learned how to make pizza on the grill and Mr. Crumbs’ college favorite Buffalo Chicken Pizza.

And now we’ve got this thick, delicious, deep dish cast iron pizza!

WHY MAKE PIZZA IN A CAST IRON SKILLET

Now, let’s start talking about the reasons why you should make pizza in a cast iron skillet!

One day this past summer, Mr. Crumbs gave my cast iron skillet a second glance and did the unthinkable. He made pizza in it.

While my mouth dropped in shock, my taste buds were in awe.

• It’s like Chicago pizza in California. Not quite full-fledged deep-dish (to the point where you need a knife and fork), but definitely thicker than East Coast.
• SO easy to make. No pizza oven required!
• It’s sorta kinda Sicilian, but not quite as thick all around. You could compare it to Pizza Hut (minus the processed ingredients part), but with a slightly softer crust.
• The bottom crust gets crispy, while the inner dough still has the perfect chewy crust.
• It’s absolutely DELISH! Make restaurant-style pan pizza at home!

CAST IRON PAN PIZZA INGREDIENTS

Your cast iron pan pizza ingredients are exactly what you would expect: dough, cheese, sauce, and toppings.

CAST IRON PIZZA DOUGH

You can use any kind of homemade pizza dough, but for this recipe, I used our Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe. Give it a try! (It is much superior than any store-bought pizza dough we’ve tried!)

SAUCE FOR PIZZA IN A CAST IRON SKILLET

The same thing goes for the tomato sauce. That is totally up to you. When we made this cast iron skillet pizza, we used our Easy Pizza Sauce Recipe.

You could also try Carrot Top Pesto or Homemade Ranch Dressing instead of traditional pizza sauce.

CHEESE AND TOPPINGS FOR CAST IRON PIZZA DISH

Pizza toppings are a great way to use up leftovers! Try pepperoni, diced chicken, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, garlic, olives, bell peppers, or leftover veggies from this past week. All your favorite toppings are a go here!

And don’t forget the cheese! Mozzarella is a classic, but shredded cheddar cheese or even pepper jack give a good flavor too.

Spice up the cast iron pizza with red pepper flakes, fresh basil, or dried oregano. Or have all 3 at the table to serve for individual preference.

HOW TO MAKE CAST IRON PIZZA

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and mix up the pizza dough. Place the cast iron pizza pan in the oven to preheat if desired.

Step 2. Make the best pizza sauce ever and, after the dough has completed its rise, split it in half.

Step 3. Press the dough out into a rough circle the size of your skillet (ours is 12″ in diameter) and lay it in the pan. Continue to press the dough out so that you get a little “lip” around the edge for your crust. Work carefully if you have a hot skillet.

Step 4. Spoon the sauce on the pizza dough, then add cheese and toppings. Repeat for the second round of dough.

Step 5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Use a spatula to transfer the pizza from the skillet to a cutting board or cooling rack. Let rest for 5 minutes. Drool. Then eat!

TIPS FOR CAST IRON PIZZA DISH

• Make one simple trick to get the pizza crust just how you like it:
  • Crispier Crust: If you want your cast iron skillet pizza to have a crispy crust, baste the crust with a little bit of olive oil and preheat the skillet.
  • Softer Crust: For a Pizza Hut / Round Table type pizza, lightly coat the cast iron skillet with olive oil and DON’T preheat.
• If you opted to preheat the skillet, please be VERY CAREFUL, as the skillet will be incredibly hot.
• When the cast iron pizza dish is done, slide it out onto a cutting board and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting the pizza into slices. We like to use this pizza cutter because it doesn’t make the cheese slide all over the place.

CAST IRON SKILLET PIZZA RECIPE VARIATIONS

Need some yummy cast iron skillet pizza ideas? Try one of these amazing combinations.

Chicken Bacon Ranch. Use Ranch Dressing for the sauce, and top with shredded cooked chicken, bacon crumbles, and sliced green onions. Mozzarella or an Italian blend of cheeses works well here. Drizzle with Hot Sauce if you like a bit of heat.

Barbecue Chicken. Barbecue Sauce makes a delicious start, topped with cooked chicken, thinly sliced onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese.

Classic Italian Meat Lovers. Pepperoni, Italian sausage, and chopped ham, plus a classic Marinara Sauce and mozzarella cheese. Yum!

Chicken Pesto. Use Spinach Pesto as the sauce, then top with chicken and a mixture of Parmesan, mozzarella, and Romano cheese.

Mexican Taco Pizza. Use Salsa for the sauce, then top with ground beef or black beans, green peppers and onions, and pepperjack cheese. Once the pizza comes out of the oven, add diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Supreme Cast Iron Pizza. Traditional pizza sauce topped with onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, pepperoni, and sausage, plus shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

ADDING PROTEIN TO CAST IRON PIZZA

We all know that topping with meat adds protein to pizza. But are there other ways to add protein to your pizza? Yes!

• Adjust the crust.
  • Replace some of the water in the pizza dough recipe with Greek yogurt for a protein boost.
  • Add an unflavored protein powder or collagen to the pizza dough.
  • Use bread flour for the pizza dough (it has more protein compared to other flours).
• Add high-protein toppings.
  • Use multiple meats.
  • Make a breakfast pizza with sausage, bacon, cheese, and eggs, all of which add protein.
  • Add higher-protein veggies like mushrooms, broccoli florets, and spinach.
  • Blend cooked navy beans or cottage cheese into the sauce for a creamy spread with extra protein.

PIZZA CAST IRON PAN FAQS

MORE CAST IRON RECIPES

• Cast Iron Cornbread
• Bacon Brussel Sprouts
• Easy Pan-Roasted Broccoli
• Tamale Pie
• Lemon Butter Asparagus
• Skillet Pizza Veggie Pasta
• Cast Iron Skillet Brownie

WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS CAST IRON PIZZA RECIPE