Pan pizza pizza is a treat! It’s also super easy to make yourself at home. Learn how to make deep dish pizza with all your favorite toppings.
I’ve eaten many tasty pizzas in my time on many different crusts. Thin crust, thick crust, cracker crust. Pizza on a pita bread, pizza on a bagel, pizza on a tortilla, French bread pizza. Whole wheat pizza dough. Sourdough pizza crust.
But the one that takes me back in time (circa 1985, to be exact) and the one that feels like a special, indulgent treat is the pan pizza.
Pan Pizza
This thick, breadline pizza served in a pan was a hit during my childhood, particularly the one at Pizza Hut. Served in a rugged, cast-iron-looking deep dish, it had the best crust ever, thick and rich with olive oil, crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside. It makes me happy just thinking about it!
Thankfully, we can make this kind of pizza at home!
Two of my favorite Italian breads to make are pizza and focaccia. A pan pizza is really just a combination of the two: a thick crust, drenched in olive oil and topped with all kinds of pizza goodness.
If you’re looking for a fun way to do up pizza night, this is it!
Is Pan Pizza the same as Deep Dish Pizza?
Pan Pizza is a type of pizza baked in a deep dish pan. Its crust soaks up the oil that lines the pan and develops a very crispy, almost fried texture.
Chicago-style and Detroit-style are types of pan pizzas. Read more here.
What dough should you use for pan pizza?
I’ve tested this method with various dough recipes and come to the conclusion that any pizza dough should work. You can make your own or purchase a commercial dough.
The trick to the gorgeous crust is the oil that you line the pan with.
In this recipe, I’ve used the pizza dough from my cookbook, Good Cheap Eats. It’s very similar to my Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe, but made with all-purpose flour and the addition of cornmeal for some added crunch in the dough.
Do I need to buy deep dish pizza pans to make this recipe?
You do not need to buy special pans for baking pan pizza. I’ve tested this with different kinds of pans and found that metal, nonstick pans will work the best. You want the crust to brown well while still being able to get it out of the pan without mangling it.
My favorite pans for this are metal pie pans. I have two, one from Granite Ware and one from USA. Both worked really well in recent testing. Keep in mind that USA pans cannot be baked higher than 450 so you’ll have to adjust for this recipe.
I plan to make this again soon in one big half sheet pan and see how it works. If you want to test with me, skip the dividing the dough step and press it into the oiled pan as one very large pizza.
How do you make pan pizza?
This recipe is super simple, probably simpler than making regular homemade pizza since you don’t have to stretch the dough thin.
- Assemble the dough ingredients.
- Place the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the sugar to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast over the sugar water and allow it to rest five minutes. It should foam and bubble.
- Add the oil, flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add the dough hook and knead the dough until a smooth, elastic dough ball forms.
- Transfer the dough ball to a greased bowl and cover. Allow it to double in bulk, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Once the dough is done, turn it out onto a greased surface. Divide the dough into four portions and form each portion into a smooth round.
- Gather together four 8- or 9-inch cake or pie pans. Spray them with nonstick cooking spray and add at least a tablespoon of oil, to coat the bottom of each pan.
- Place a dough ball in each pan and stretch to fill the pan. You may need to let the dough rest for a few minutes during this process to get it to fill the bottom of the pan. Allow the dough to rise another 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Assemble your pizza toppings and top each pizza with sauce, toppings, and cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted and browned in spots. Loosen the edges of the pizza with a spatula and remove it to a cutting board to slice. Serve immediately.
Toppings for pan pizza
You can keep it simple or feel free to have some fun and creative with your toppings. Here are a few fun ways to do just that:
- Supreme pizza – Add some olives, peppers, onions, and pepperoni
- Meatball – Make a big batch of meatballs and then slice some up and add them to your pizza.
- Thai Chicken pizza – Add some Thai sauce, carrots, celery, cilantro, and cooked chicken.
- Roasted Veggies – Keep it simple and healthy and some veggies to your pizza!
- Bacon and pineapple – Add some pineapple and easy oven baked bacon for a classic flavor.
- Ham and pineapple – Have any leftover slow cooked ham from the holidays? Add some to your pizza with pineapple for an easy pan pizza idea.
How much does it cost to make pan pizza?
You know me, it matters that my recipes count as good cheap eats, so let’s see the price breakdown at a mid-range grocery store, shopping non-sale prices.
- sugar – $0.02 ($1.97/4#)
- yeast – $0.33 ($0.99/pack of three)
- olive oil – $1.60 ($6.49/16 oz)
- flour – $0.60 ($2.69/5#)
- cornmeal – $0.06 ($3.99/40oz)
- salt – $0.03 ($2.99/26 oz)
- pizza sauce – $0.50 ($1.00/16 oz)
- pizza toppings – price may vary
- mozzarella cheese – $2.82 ($1.88/8 oz)
Total cost for a round of cheese pan pizzas is $5.96, or $1.49 per pizza!
How does this price compare to what you can buy elsewhere?
- frozen pan pizza from the grocery store – $7.99 (6 slices, about 1 ½ times the size of our homemade one)
- personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut – $4.50
Making homemade is by far the better bet, for premium ingredients and better pricing!
How can you save even more?
There are always methods for cutting grocery costs, even when you think you’ve exhausted all possibilities. The bulk of the cost in this recipe comes from the olive oil and the cheese.
Here’s how you can reduce the cost of your pan pizzas:
- Shop the cheapest store. Remember these prices are factored from a mid-range grocery store in Southern California. Your mileage may vary. Be sure to shop at the store with the best prices for the things you buy. Who has the best price on olive oil and cheese? For me that would be Costco.
- Shop the sales. Always stock up on your regular kitchen staples when you see them at their lowest price. Having a grocery staples checklist will help you keep an eye on what those items are.
- Buy in bulk. A large container of olive oil or bag of cheese will likely cost less per ounce than a small one. If budget and storage space allow, go big.
- Use less. You can always dial back the olive oil and cheese in this recipe to trim costs. Will it be as decadent? No, but it will still be super tasty.
- Use what you have. Make sure to use up the bits of sauce, cheese, or cooked veg and meat that you have on hand. Preventing waste is a great way to save money!
If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
Deep Dish Pizzas or Pan Pizzas
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup water , warmed
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup olive oil
- 4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour (18 ounces)
- 2 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- toppings for pizza , such as pepperoni, sausage, olives, mushrooms, onions, peppers, pineapple, etc.
- 3 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Place the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the sugar to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast over the sugar water and allow it to rest five minutes. It should foam and bubble.1 ½ cup water, 2 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- Add ¼ cup of the olive oil, flour, cornmeal, and salt. Place the bowl on the mixer and stir with the bread hook until a dough ball forms around the hook, scraping down the sides. (Alternatively, you can stir in the flour with a wooden spoon.)½ cup olive oil, 4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon cornmeal, 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- Knead the dough ball for several minutes, either with the dough hook or by hand on a lightly floured surface.
- Once the dough ball is smooth and elastic, grease the bowl and place the dough ball in the center. Cover and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- When the dough is ready, remove it to a greased surface and cut into four portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes while you prepare the pans.
- Grease four 9-inch cake or pie pans with nonstick cooking spray. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the bottom of each pan and spread to coat.
- Place a dough ball into each pan and stretch to fit. If the dough is resistant, let it rest a few minutes and continue. Once the dough fills the pan, allow it to rise 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
- Top each round with sauce and toppings, ending in cheese, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is very crisp and the cheese is melted and browned in spots. Loosen the edges of the pizza with a spatula and remove it to a cutting board to slice. Serve immediately.1 cup pizza sauce, toppings for pizza, 3 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on August 23, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Kathleen D
Do you think I can do this on the grill? Up here near Sacramento summer starts tomorrow with very hot weather so I will not be using my oven till fall most likely.
Jessica Fisher
We discussed it last week, but never came to a conclusion. I will try to remember to throw a pan of pizza on the grill next week and see!
Kathleen D
I made this on the grill tonight and it was excellent!
Jessica Fisher
That’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know.
Lisa
I made this tonight and my 17 year old declared it the best pizza he’s ever eaten! I’m happy because they’re so easy to make! Thanks for the recipe, it’s going in my keeper recipe box!
Jessica Fisher
Woohoo!
Lea Ann
I make pan style pizza in my cast iron skillets! So yummy!!
Jessica Fisher
Yes! That would give great texture.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Jessica, I usually always do a thin crust due to lower carbs 🙁 but I’m going to make this pizza crust. It looks SO good and back in the day we ate deep dish pizza. I figure during quarantine, everything in moderation. Right? Thanks for posting. Can’t wait to try it next pizza night.
Jessica Fisher
It is a nice treat. Can’t wait to hear what you think.
Carol O.
Delicious! I make 4 heart shaped pizza’s from your recipe for Valentine’s day for my family last week. It was a great success!
Jessica Fisher
Yay! That’s great to hear!
Lindsey Swinborne
I do this only I use 1/4 cup butter, melted, and 1/2 t. garlic salt in the butter. Stir and brush the bottom and sides of pan before putting crust down. After topping pizza, go around the edge crust with the butter. YUM!
Jessica Fisher
Sounds amazing!
claire
Trying this on Friday’s pizza night! I love thick crust pizza.
harriet
Maybe a stupid question, but how do you get the pizza out of the cake pan without it tearing or the ingredients sliding off? I wanted to know before I make them.
Jessica
@harriet, with the nonstick pans, they just lifted out with a spatula, easy peasy. With the other pans, not so easy. Also, I put cheese on last so it kind of “glues” down the toppings.
Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs
Our favorite pizza is NY style. My husband is from the East coast and you’re against the world if you prefer any other style, lol. After moving to Cali and finding nothing that came close to thin, floppy pies, we decided to make our own. After four years of pizza on Fridays, we’ve perfected the recipe and enjoy two large pies for $4.50 each – a fraction of what it would cost here for one (upwards of $22 each!!).
Susie E
We use a tortilla instead of pizza dough when we want a thin and crispy pizza. It makes for a great last minute “panic meal” since most of the ingredients have a long shelf life.
cherie
While I prefer thin crust I have some little [6″?] deep dish pizza pans I got at some restaurant supply that were a staple for my kids when they were little. They loved to squish the dough into the pans
Just wanted to share a thought in case it’s not common in someone else’s neck of the woods – pizza parties here often involve the children [small ones without trouble] making their own pizza – they use disposable pie tins, write names outside with a sharpie and the kids stretch in the dough, top the pies and then they’re baked while they play – would be an easy at home party too [though it would take longer to bake them all than at a pizza parlor LOL]