Chicago-style deep dish pizza wasn’t something I grew up knowing about. At home, we usually made our own pizzas with tomato paste for the sauce, a range of veggies, cheese, and on the rare occasion we were allowed some bacon. These ingredients were spread over flatbreads and baked in the oven. They were tasty and, for the 1980s, easily a step up from the heavy, fast-food versions available back then. These days, though, things have changed – pizzas from all over the world are now easy to find in Australian restaurants and even experimented in our own kitchens.
Deep dish pizza is the kind of recipe that invites you to slow down and enjoy the process. This is not a hurried dinner you throw together in fifteen minutes – it’s a weekend treat, a little culinary project that rewards your patience with something spectacular. Kind of sounds like another way to say that it is a time consuming recipe. I prefer to look at it in steps. Prepare the dough and simmer the sauce and while they are doing their magic put your feet up and have a cuppa or do a crossword (or you will even have time to do a load of washing, if you must!).
What is Deep Dish Pizza?
Picture a golden, buttery crust that stands tall at the edges, holding in molten mozzarella, peppery salami, briny black olives, and a generous topping of rich tomato sauce. When you cut into it, the cheese stretches in gooey strands, and the smell of garlic and oregano fills the air. Once you’ve made it, you’ll realise why this dish is so beloved – and not just in America.
Deep dish pizza is a style all of its own. Deep dish pizza is built like a quiche and eats more like a pie. It demands a knife and fork and delivers a completely different experience to a quick, foldable slice. The layers are flipped to that of Italian style pizza, with the dough, then cheese followed by the toppings and finished off with the sauce. The result is satisfying and substantial – one slice really is a meal in itself, but it wouldn’t be frowned upon if you were to go in for a second!
The Story Behind Deep Dish
Chicago deep dish was born in the 1940s, when a group of restaurateurs decided to flip the script on traditional pizza. The new method allowed for a longer bake, without the cheese burning, for a thicker, heartier pie.
The crust became its signature. Rather than just being thick dough, it has a tender, almost pastry-like quality. The addition of polenta gives a subtle crunch and a golden colour, while olive oil or butter makes it flaky. Over time, this style became iconic, with entire debates springing up over which Chicago pizzeria does it best – but really, like most things, it comes down to personal preference. Some prefer a single sausage layer covering the base, others want individual crumbles. By making it at home, you get to decide exactly how yours will turn out and choose toppings (or fillings) that suit the household.
What Ingredients are in the Deep Dish Pizza Recipe?
Deep dish pizza doesn’t require an endless shopping list, but you will need a few pantry staples and some additions to the fridge.
This recipe makes two 22 cm deep dish pies or one extra large 35 cm one.
Base
- 300 ml warm water – ideally around 40°C so it activates the yeast without killing it. That said, I don’t use a thermometer I just guess the temperature, it should be warm to the hand (not hot)
- 2 tsp white sugar – this is important for feeding the yeast.
- 1 ½ tsp salt – essential for flavour.
- 2 tbsp olive oil – adds tenderness and a subtle flavour.
- 2 ½ tsp instant dry yeast – or active dry yeast (activated first, see notes below).
- 490 grams ‘00’ flour (or plain) – gives a light but sturdy crust.
- 90 grams polenta – provides the signature texture.
Sauce
- 2 tsp oil – olive oil works nicely.
- 1 small onion, grated or finely chopped – grated onion melts into the sauce whereas chopped onion provides more texture.
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped – fragrant and essential.
- 100 grams lean bacon, chopped – adds savoury depth.
- 400 grams crushed tomatoes – choose good quality for best flavour.
- 360 ml passata – smooth tomato base.
- 1 tsp oregano – dried or fresh.
- ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper – make sure to taste and add more seasoning if necessary.
- 2 tsp sugar – add a little at a time, taste and adjust to balance acidity.
Assembly
- 300 grams mozzarella – fresh, roughly chopped.
- 100 grams pepperoni or salami – choose your favourite or do a combination of both.
- ½ cup black olives – sliced.
- ½ cup chargrilled red peppers – optional, for additional flavour.
- 40 grams parmesan – for a salty finish.
When choosing cheese, I like to go for a mix – mozzarella for stretch, and parmesan for a sharp, salty finish. The combination creates a complex flavour that balances the tomato sauce beautifully. While I am all for using ingredients that you already have, I definitely recommend investing in some mozzarella for this recipe. The soft, stringy cheese has a mild flavour, but brings great texture.
How to Make Chicago Deep Dish Pizza?
Making the Dough
Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. If using active yeast, let it foam for 10 minutes. Add the oil, flour, polenta and salt.
Stand mixer:Use the dough attachment and mix on low for 1 – 2 minutes (you may need to scrape down the sides), until the flour is incorporate. Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 – 6 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, add a dusting of flour. Too dry? Drizzle in a touch more water.
By hand: use a fork until it forms a shaggy dough, then knead on a clean surface for 8 – 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Again, add a little flour if the dough is sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled (about 1 – 1 ½ hours depending on room temperature).
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled (about 1 – 1 ½ hours depending on room temperature). To test, press gently – if the indentation stays, it’s ready.
Cooking the Sauce
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown. Stir in the tomatoes, passata, oregano, chilli (if using), salt and pepper and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until thickened slightly. Taste and add sugar as necessary – just a little at a time, until the flavours are balanced.
Assembling and Baking
Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional | 200°C fan forced and lightly oil two 22 cm round deep dish pans, springform cake tins or cast-iron pans. I have a stone deep dish pizza pan, which is fantastic, but not in most households, so the other options are fine too.
Press the dough into the pan and ensure it reaches approximately 3 cm up the sides.
Layer the mozzarella to cover the base of the dough and spread evenly with the pepperoni and olives and any other toppings you have chosen.
Top with the sauce.
Sprinkle with a light coating of the finely grated parmesan.
Bake 25 – 30 minutes until the deep dish crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Check after 15 minutes and if it is browning too quickly, tent with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing – this keeps the layers neat.
Why Make Deep Dish Pizza?
Deep dish pizza is hearty, satisfying, and surprisingly versatile. One slice goes a long way, making it perfect for feeding a crowd or having leftovers the next day. Homemade deep dish beats takeaway every time because you control the thickness of the crust, the ratio of cheese to sauce, and the quality of ingredients.
It’s also a social recipe. Kids love helping press the dough into the pan and sprinkling cheese. Guests will happily wait the extra time for a pizza that smells this good. And because it holds heat well, it’s perfect for leisurely meals where everyone comes back for seconds.
Tips and Tricks
- Let your dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot. If your kitchen is cold, pop it in the oven with just the light on.
- Use a deep pan – at least 5 cm – so it doesn’t overflow. I have a stone deep dish pizza pan, but just a normal tin, preferably springform, is fine.
- For extra flavour and a little shine, brush the crust edges with olive oil before baking.
- Always start with cheese as the first layer.
- Resting time after baking is non-negotiable – it helps the filling set.
- To reheat the deep dish pizza, place in a tin, cover with foil and heat in the oven to bring back that crisp crust. Reheating in the microwave leaves you with a chewy crust.
What are Vegetarian Deep Dish Pizza Options?
Deep dish adapts easily to suit dietary needs. Vegetarian? Skip bacon and add mushrooms, capsicum, or spinach. Vegan? Use dairy-free cheese and plant-based pepperoni. Gluten-free? Substitute a good gluten-free pizza dough mix and add a spoonful of olive oil for tenderness.
Other Pizzas to Try
When you’ve mastered deep dish, try Detroit-style pizza with its caramelised cheese edges, New York-style for a classic thin crust, or Sicilian-style square pizza for something airy and light. Each one uses different techniques but the skills you’ve learned here – dough making, layering, baking – will carry over.
Bulk Prep and Storage
If you’re already making dough, consider doubling the recipe. Dough freezes beautifully: after the first rise, punch it down, wrap in plastic, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before using.
You can also make and freeze the sauce in batches – a great time saver. Assembled but unbaked pizzas can be wrapped and frozen too. Bake from frozen at 200°C, adding 10–15 minutes to the bake time.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat slices in a hot oven so the crust stays crisp – microwaving will make it soft.
But keep in mind, the quantities for this recipe makes two 22cm deep dish pizzas. Depending on the size of your household, you may not need to double the recipe to be cooking extra!
FAQs
My crust turned out soggy – what went wrong? Make sure the cheese goes on first to protect the base, and bake on a lower oven rack to ensure the bottom crisps.
Can I make this without a deep dish pan? Yes, use a cast-iron skillet, cake tin, or any oven-safe dish that’s at least 5 cm deep.
How do I know when the dough is kneaded enough? It should be smooth, stretchy, and bounce back to the touch.
Can I use fresh tomatoes? Yes – although I would add in some additional tomatoes, peel them first and cook them down longer to remove excess moisture. A quick tip for peeling fresh tomatoes: cut a cross into the skin at the bottom of each tomato and place in a bowl. Pour freshly boiled water over top of the tomatoes and let rest for 5 minutes. The skin will start to peel back at the cross. Remove a tomato from the water and the skin should now easily peel off – use the edge of a knife or your fingers.
Bringing It All Together
Chicago-style deep dish pizza is worth every step. From mixing and rising the dough, to simmering the sauce, to assembling the layers and finally pulling a golden, bubbling pie from the oven – the process is satisfying and the result is irresistible. You’ll find yourself making it for birthdays, weekend dinners, or simply because you want to enjoy something comforting. Once you’ve mastered this recipe, it will become one of those dishes you know by heart – a tradition you’ll return to whenever you want a pizza night to feel extra special.
Nutritional Information for Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
The figures used in the recipe are estimates only. If you require precise figures, please check the numbers yourself as they will vary with different food brands, oil content, fat absorption, etc. If there are optional extras or serving suggestions, these may not have been included in the nutrition and calorie figures.
Feedback and More
Have you given the Chicago-style deep dish pizza recipe a go? I’d love to know how it was. Select a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment below to share your thoughts. Cheers, Elby!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to check out some of my other dinner ideas or vegetarian meals.
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Deep Dish Pizza
*Note: Adjusting servings will not adjust the ‘light grey’ quantities
Ingredients
Base
- 300 ml warm water
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 ½ tsp instant dry yeast
- 40 ml olive oil - or vegetable, approx. 2 tbsp
- 490 grams ‘00’ flour - plain flour is fine too, approx. 3 cups
- 90 grams polenta - cornmeal, approx. ½ cup
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Sauce
- 2 tsp oil
- ½ onion - grated or finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 100 grams bacon - lean, chopped
- 400 grams tomatoes - crushed or diced
- 360 ml passata
- 1 tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes - optional
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp sugar - approximately
Toppings
- 300 grams fresh mozzarella - sliced
- 100 grams pepperoni - or salami, chopped
- ½ cup black olives - sliced
- ½ cup red peppers - chargrilled, optional
- 40 grams parmesan cheese - finely grated
- extra olive oil - for brushing
Instructions
Base
- Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. If using active yeast, let it foam for 10 minutes. Add the oil, flour, polenta and salt.
- Stand mixer: Use the dough attachment and mix on low for 1-2 minutes (you may need to scrape down the sides), until the flour is incorporate. Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 5-6 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, add a little flour, or if too dry just a sprinkle of water. By hand: use a fork until it forms a shaggy dough, then knead on a clean surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Again, add a little flour if the dough is sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled (about 1-1.5 hours depending on room temperature).
Sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, passata, oregano, chilli (if using), salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thickened slightly.
- Taste and add sugar as necessary – ½ teaspoon at a time.
Assembly
- Heat the oven to 220°C | 200°C fan forced and lightly oil two 22cm round deep dish pans, springform cake tins or cast-iron pans.
- Divide the dough in two and press into the pans and ensure it reaches approximately 3cm up the sides.
- Spread the mozzarella to cover the base of the dough.
- Sprinkle evenly with the pepperoni and olives and top with the sauce. Sprinkle with a light coating of the finely grated parmesan and brush the top of the pastry crust with extra olive oil.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition and calorie figures are estimates only.
I have never made a deep dish pizza. The flavour was so good and it was incredibly easy to make.