This cast iron skillet pizza recipe is homemade pizza made in a large cast-iron skillet (about 16" in diameter). Use store-bought dough or your own pizza dough for this delicious pan pizza.
Pizza has been my favorite food ever since I was a kid. This recipe has a thick crust, so it's more of a blend between a deep dish pizza and a pan pizza. If you make the pizza dough recipe (shown below), get ready for a treat! The pizza crust is chewy and delicious.
Kids enjoy helping with the pizza-making process, so this recipe is also fun for the family on pizza night! Each family member can add their favorite toppings making this cast iron pizza recipe easy to customize.
Why Make Pizza in a Cast Iron
A large cast iron skillet is a wonderful substitute for a pizza stone. Cast iron is known for getting hot, which is great for pizza making. Also, the cast iron is deep so it's good for deep-dish pizza or pan pizza. Cast iron has non-stick properties without the non-stick coating.
Homemade Pizza Dough Ingredients
Pizza dough: Use 00 flour, all-purpose flour, or a mixture. I prefer Red Star quick-rise yeast. If using another yeast, check the packet or container for the required temperature to activate the yeast.
Use any store-bought pizza sauce. Depending on how much pizza sauce you like, adjust the quantity. I use about 1.5 to 2 jars of pizza sauce for a 16" diameter pizza. Use shredded mozzarella and your favorite pizza toppings.
Mozzarella cheese hack: I buy the large mozzarella cheese block from Costco (about 6 lbs of cheese) and shred the cheese at home. I hand-shred the cheese by cutting it into 5 chunks and shredding the smaller chunks (takes about 30 minutes). Also, I shred the cheese with my Kitchenaid stand mixer grater attachment (takes about 15 minutes). You end up with three large gallon-size bags full of shredded mozzarella cheese. I freeze two of the bags and keep one bag in the fridge. The cheese tastes better, melts better, and is very cheap (almost $2.20 a pound writing this post).
Make Homemade Pizza Dough
Heat water in the microwave for about 45 seconds. For quick-rise yeast, get the temperature of the water between 110 ℉ to 115 ℉.
Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the water gets foamy.
Using a stand mixer (or bowl), add the measured flour, salt, foamy yeast water, and olive oil. Mix the ingredients for about 2 minutes.
The dough will be sticky. If using a stand mixer, change to a dough hook and knead the dough on medium for about 8 minutes.
Or hand knead the dough on a floured surface with floured hands for 8 minutes.
Rub olive oil on the outer surface of the dough bowl so it doesn't stick. Set the pizza dough ball in a large bowl with plastic wrap and a damp towel on top. Place the dough in a warm environment for a minimum of 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
How To Make Pizza in a Cast Iron Skillet
Heat the oven to 425 ℉. Rub olive oil in the cast-iron pan. Sprinkle some cornmeal on the bottom (this helps the dough not stick). Place the dough on top.
The dough will be elastic-like. Press it down into the cast iron skillet until it fills the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle cheese on top of the dough.
Add toppings and the pizza sauce on top.
Spread the sauce over the pizza toppings so they don't burn in the hot oven. Bake for 25 minutes at 425 ℉.
Pull the pizza out of the oven, and sprinkle more cheese and extra toppings on top. Return to bake in the oven again for about 15 minutes at 425 ℉ or until the cheese is golden brown. In this pizza, I added pepperoni, salami, and pineapple chunks.
Pull the cast iron pan pizza out of the oven. Using a knife, cut along the edges of the dough. Move this delicious pizza to a cutting surface like a giant cutting board. Use a pizza cutter to cut it into 12 slices.
Pizza Ratios
A standard cast iron skillet is about 12" in diameter. Cut the ratios in half to make a smaller pizza. See the ratios below to help.
| Pizza Dough | Pizza Sauce | Mozzarella Cheese | |
| 12" diameter pizza | 14 ounces | 12 - 14 ounces | 8 ounces |
| 16" diameter pizza | 28 ounces | 24 - 28 ounces | 16 ounces |
Tips and Tricks
- Make a big batch of homemade pizza dough, and freeze the rest for future pizzas or pizza dough cinnamon rolls.
- Use store-bought pizza dough instead of making your own to save time.
- Skip the pre-shredded cheese for a better cheese melt and cheese pull.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use all-purpose flour or 00 flour for the homemade pizza dough.
- Change up the pizza toppings. Make this a vegetable lovers pizza by adding chopped bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and olives. Have more of a Mediterranean flavor by adding feta cheese, olives, fresh basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. Our family likes meat lovers pizza toppings with pepperoni, salami, and Italian sausage.
- If I'm short on time and want a thinner crust pizza, pita pizzas are the way to go.
- Make homemade pizza sauce instead of using store-bought pizza sauce.
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📋 Recipe
Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
Ingredients
Homemade Pizza Dough (see note 1)
- 2¼ teaspoon quick-rise yeast (red star) or 1 packet
- 1½ cups warm water (between 110℉ and 115℉)
- 4 cups 00 pizza flour substitute all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Pizza
- 28 ounces pizza sauce about two (14 ounce jars pizza sauce)
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 28 ounces pizza dough homemade or store-bought
Meat Lovers Pizza Toppings
- 6 ounces pepperoni
- 8 ounces ground beef or beef sausage see note 2
- 6 ounces salami
Instructions
Make homemade pizza dough (see note 1)
- Heat water in the microwave for about 45 seconds. For quick-rise yeast, get the temperature of the water between 110 ℉ to 115 ℉. Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the water gets foamy.
- Kitchenaid stand mixer: Add the flour, salt, yeast water, and olive oil to the mixer bowl. Mix for 2 minutes on medium. Swap out the dough hook attachment and knead the pizza dough ball for another 8 minutes. The dough is sticky, but you want to make sure it forms a dough ball. If it's not a dough ball, add more flour.
- By hand: Mix the flour, salt, yeast water, and olive oil in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Once the dough clumps together, use your hands. The dough will be very sticky. Move the pizza dough to a floured surface and continue hand-kneading the dough for about 8 minutes.
- The homemade pizza dough is ready to rise when you push the dough with your finger at it bounces back a little.
- Rub olive oil on the outer surface of the pizza dough. Place the dough in a large bowl with plastic wrap and a damp towel on top. Let the pizza dough rise in a warm environment for about 2 hours or until it has at least doubled in size.
Make cast iron skillet pizza
- Heat the oven to 425 ℉. Oil a large cast iron skillet. Sprinkle some cornmeal (this helps the dough not stick). Press the pizza dough into the pan. It might take a little bit of work because the dough may be elastic.
- Spread the mozzarella cheese on top. Add some pizza toppings. Spread the pizza sauce. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered at 425 ℉. Pull the pizza out of the oven. Sprinkle more cheese and add more toppings. Bake again for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden. The total bake time is about 40 minutes at 425 ℉.
Notes
- Homemade pizza dough needs to be prepared ahead of time. A minimum of 2 hours is required for the pizza dough to rise. If short on time, use store-bought pizza dough.
- Our family meat lovers pizza consists of pepperoni, salami, and homemade ground beef sausage. Homemade ground sausage is easy. Just brown ½ lb of ground beef in a nonstick pan breaking up the clumps as it cooks. Then add 2 teaspoon season salt, 2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning, and 2 teaspoon garlic powder. Add more salt to taste.
M
Can you use a smaller cast iron?
Lily
Yes you can. I give weights in the recipe post for a standard 12" cast iron skillet. Basically you cut the dough in half.