Cast Iron Pizza
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Who doesn’t love pizza, right? But when you toss a cast iron skillet into the mix, things get even more interesting. If you haven’t tried making pizza in a cast iron skillet yet, you’re in for a treat. It’s easy, fun, and the results? Absolutely delicious.
Cast Iron skillet pizza tastes like it came from your favorite pizzeria. You will get an amazing crust that’s crispy on the outside, soft and chewy in the middle, and pillowy on the top – the kind of stuff pizza dreams are made of.
Making pizza in a cast iron skillet is an upgrade to your homemade pizzas without needing any special gear. You only need your oven, a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, and whatever toppings you love.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- Warm water
- Sugar – brown sugar can be used
- Yeast – you can use active or rapid-rise (bread machine)
- Olive oil – vegetable oil or any other light tasting oil can be substituted
- All-purpose flour – I have not tried this with any other flour besides all-purpose and unbleached all-purpose.
- Kosher salt – if using regular salt, reduce the amount called for by haf.
Pizza
- Olive oil
- Pizza sauce – use your favorite brand, or even homemade.
- Mozzarella cheese – our favorite is whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella that’s been freshly shredded, but any kind of mozzarella will work.
- Toppings of your choice – my favorite is cooked mild Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions.
How To Make A Cast-Iron Pizza
1 – Start by mixing yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl. Stir well and let it sit.
2 – Mix flour and kosher salt in a larger bowl. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook.
3 – When the yeast mixture shows a foamy layer on top, blend in the olive oil.
4 – Pour the yeast and oil mixture into the flour. Use a stand mixer at medium speed to combine until the dough becomes smooth and stretchy, 3 to 5 minutes. If you’re mixing by hand, knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes to achieve the same texture.
5 – Let the dough rest, allowing it to rise for at least one hour, it will double i size.
6 – Prepare your oven by positioning a rack in the middle and preheating it to 500°F.
7 – Coat a cast iron skillet with 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil, ensuring both the bottom and sides are covered.
8 – Punch the dough down and divide the dough into two portions, shaping each into a ball.
9 – Place one dough ball in the skillet, and gently flatten it into a small round shape.
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10 – Push the dough towards the skillet’s edge using your fingertips. (It might not reach the edges completely at this stage.)
11 – Allow the dough to rest in the skillet for at least 15 minutes, giving it time to relax.
12 – Gently lift the dough to let some oil move beneath it, then stretch it fully to the skillet’s edges. Use a paper towel to blot any excess oil on the surface if needed.
13 – Apply pizza sauce, cheese, and your choice of toppings on the dough.
14 – Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
15 – Check the crust’s doneness by lifting it carefully with a long-handled kitchen utensil to avoid burns. If the crust isn’t a dark golden brown, continue baking for an additional 3 to 6 minutes.
16 – Once the crust is baked to your desired level, remove the pizza.
17 – Slice and serve while hot.
Additional Tips:
Aim for a dough that can be stretched thin without breaking.
The longer the dough sits, the more flavorful it becomes.
If you don’t plan to use the dough within 2 hours, refrigerate it and use it within 4 days.
Heat the oven for at least 60 minutes beforehand for best results.
To cut the pizza, use a pizza cutter for the center and scissors or a knife for the edges.
What Is The Best Cheese for Pizza?
I prefer using whole milk low-moisture mozzarella cheese for its taste, but it’s often available only in block form, so I have to shred it myself.
When whole milk mozzarella isn’t available, my next choice is part-skim mozzarella cheese. If I’m unable to find either in block form, I opt for pre-shredded part-skim low-moisture mozzarella for its convenience.
While shredding block cheese myself yields a creamier and fresher taste, I often choose pre-shredded mozzarella for ease of use.
Occasionally, I use fresh mozzarella for its creamy texture and rich flavor. This needs to be drained on paper towels. I let it drain while I am assembling the rest of the pizza. A little fresh mozzarella goes a long way, so don’t overdo it.
There may be other cheese you can use on your pizza. It’s a matter of personal taste.
Why Should I Use a Cast Iron Skillet?
I love using a cast iron skillet because it produces a pizza with a crust that is crispy on the bottom but a little pillowy near the toppings. It really reminds us of the deep-dish pizzas we used to get in Chicago.
The second best part about it is that the pizza stays hot until dinner is over. During after-dinner clean-up, the skillet is usually too hot to handle for cleaning.
Can I Use A Pizza Steel?
You can use a pizza steel. Preheat the steel in the oven for at least 1 hour. (Please be careful. The steel will be very hot.) I would leave at least 1/2 inch of space around the edges so your toppings don’t slide off the pizza.
Do I Have To Let The Dough Rise Twice?
Letting pizza dough rise twice is known as a “double rise” or “second rise.” It is a crucial step in many pizza dough recipes for several reasons:
- Flavor Development: The fermentation process during the rise is where the dough develops its flavor. Yeast, which causes the dough to rise, also produces gasses and organic compounds that contribute to the dough’s flavor. A second rise allows these flavors to become more complex and pronounced.
- Texture Improvement: The second rise helps improve the texture of the dough. It becomes more pliable and easier to shape into a pizza base. The gasses, produced by the yeast, create air pockets which contribute to a lighter, airier crust.
- Gluten Relaxation: After the first rise, the gluten in the dough has developed and it becomes more elastic. Allowing the dough to rise a second time gives the gluten a chance to relax. This relaxation makes the dough easier to stretch and shape without tearing.
- Consistency: A double rise helps ensure a more consistent texture throughout the dough. It can prevent dense spots and ensure that the crust bakes evenly.
NOTES
A cast iron skillet that has been in a hot oven will retain heat for a very long time. Be careful when handling it. Serious burns could occur if you grab the handle or touch the sides. Now isn’t the time to test your resilience.
Preheat your oven to 500°F for at least 60 minutes. I usually start my oven after the dough has been rising for an hour. I let it pre-heat while I make the pizza.
This recipe works best if your cast-iron skillet is well-seasoned.
Use plenty of oil in the skillet before adding the pizza dough. I use 3 to 4 tablespoons.
My oven only goes to 500°F. Your pizza will take 20 to 26 minutes to bake depending on the toppings. Check the bottom of your pizza at 20 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and use a spatula, fork, butter knife, or even a pizza cutter to lift one side of the pizza to check the crust. It needs a few more minutes in the oven if it bends easily and acts like you could nearly fold it in half.
There should be no reason to brown the bottom of your pizza on the stovetop.
Storing Pizza Dough
This recipe makes enough for 2 cast-iron pizzas. You can keep the dough tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. More flavor will develop as it sits.
For longer storage: Allow the dough to go through the first rise before forming and freezing. Form the dough into a ball. Make sure it is still coated with oil, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it into a freezer bag or other freezer container. Use within 3 months.
Once thawed, frozen dough may not rise as high as it does when used immediately.
Storing Leftover Cast Iron Pizza
Allow the pizza to cool to room temperature. Hot pizza stored directly can result in a soggy crust due to steam. It’s best to refrigerate it within two hours of baking.
Place the pizza slices in an airtight container. This helps to keep out moisture and other flavors from the fridge.
It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cast iron pizza can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap individual cooled pizza slices in plastic wrap and place them into a freezer-safe container. Thaw before reheating.
Reheating Methods
Cast Iron Skillet (Stovetop)
Preheat the skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Place the pizza slices into the skillet. Cover with a lid to retain heat and make sure the cheese melts. Let the pizza reheat for 5 to 8 minutes. Check it after 5 minutes to prevent overbrowning. This will give you a crispy crust.
- Heat Setting: Medium.
- Method: Preheat the skillet, then place the pizza slices in it. Cover with a lid to ensure even heating and melting of the cheese.
- Duration: About 5-8 minutes.
- Result: Crispy crust with evenly heated toppings.
Oven or Toaster Oven
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place pizza on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. This will give you evenly crisped and heated pizza, with a taste and texture similar to fresh.
Microwave
Place the pizza on a microwave-safe plate. Heat in 30-second increments, checking for desired temperature. This is the quickest method, but it can result in a soggy crust that isn’t as crisp.
Air Fryer
Preheat to around 350°F. Place the slices in the air fryer basket; do not overcrowd it. Air fry for 3 to 4 minutes. The results with an air fryer are similar to oven reheating, just a little quicker.
MORE PIZZA RECIPES YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE
- Chicago=Style Deep Dish Pizza
- No Yeast Thin Pizza Crust
- Pizza Pot Pie (Upside Down Pizza)
- Fruit Pizza
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
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Cast Iron Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pizza
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Toppings of your choice
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- Combine yeast, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and water in a small bowl and mix them to combine.
- Set aside.
- Combine flour and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Use the dough hook on a stand mixer if available.
- Add the olive oil and mix to combine once the yeast mixture is foamy on the top.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. If not using a mixer, knead the dough by hand until smooth and elastic. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Set dough aside and allow to rise for at least one hour.
Pizza
- While the dough is rising, move an oven rack to the center and preheat the oven to 500°F.
- Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of the cast iron skillet and spread it over the bottom and sides of the skillet.
- Separate the dough into two balls.
- Take one ball, form it into a small circle, and place it into the center of the skillet.
- Using your fingertips, press the dough out towards the edge of the pan. (You won’t be able to make it stretch to the edge just yet.)
- Allow the partially formed crust to sit in the skillet for at least 15 minutes to allow the dough to relax.
- Lift the dough and allow some of the oil to flow back under the crust.
- Press the dough to the edges of the skillet. If there is too much oil on the top of the crust, you can blot some of it off with a paper towel.
- Top with pizza sauce.
- Top with cheese.
- Top with your favorite topping.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Check the bottom of the crust for doneness, but using a spatula, fork, knife, or any other kitchen tool with a long handle to prevent burns, (Remember the pan is hot!)
- Remove the pizza from the oven if the crust is dark golden brown. If it isn’t, place the pizza back into the oven and cook for another 3 to 6 minutes.
- Cut the pizza and serve.
Notes
- Knead the dough until it stretches fairly thin without tearing.
- This dough will develop deeper flavors as it continues to sit.
- If not using this dough within 2 hours, place it into the refrigerator and use it within 4 days.
- Allow the oven to preheat for at least 60 minutes.
- A pizza cutter may not cut all the way to the edge of the pizza, and you may need to cut the edges of the pizza with kitchen scissors or a paring knife.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may vary based on exact ingredients used. For accuracy, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
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This recipe was written and tested by a human.
Editor: Oliver Baysinger
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller is a food journalist, CEO of Pear Tree Kitchen, and co-creator of Food Blogger Help. She also has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a registered nurse licensed in the State of Oklahoma. When she has free time between writing, blogging, and cooking, she can be found volunteering as an RN with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.