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–+ servings
pan pizza with pepperoni and cheese.
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4.87 from 30 votes

Cast Iron Pizza Recipe

Make pizza at home that tastes just like Pizza Hut!! This Cast Iron Pan Pizza Recipe is unbelievable you guys. A super tall, ciabatta-like crust with gorgeous crispy edges and a pillowy soft interior. The key to homemade pan pizza is a slow rise time and a heavy cast iron pan. Top with sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni for pan pizza heaven!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time9 minutes
Rise Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 29 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 2 small pizzas
Calories: 1930kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 1 & 1/2 cups warm water
  • 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 14 ounces bread flour 3 cups + 1 tablespoon*
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

To assemble the pizza

  • 4 tablespoons light olive oil to coat cast iron pans**
  • 14 ounce jar of pizza sauce or homemade
  • 4 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 3 ounces pepperoni
  • 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, add 1 and 1/2 cups warm water and 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast. (Instant yeast can also be used.) The water should be warm but not hot, about 105-110 degrees F. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes until it is dissolved. It will not be bubbly, but make sure to stir any lumps of yeast so that the mixture is uniform before moving on.
  • Use a scale to add 14 ounces of bread flour* to the bowl. If you don't have a scale, carefully measure out 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon bread flour by spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling off the top. It is important to measure the flour precisely for this recipe. Don't be tempted to add more.
  • Add in 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and stir the mixture together with a spoon. Do not knead it. Mix until it is all combined and no further.
  • Use oil or nonstick spray to grease a large bowl or tupperware. Scrape the dough in and spread it out as much as possible. Cover loosely with a lid or with plastic wrap. Make sure the lid is not too tight, you need some of the gases to be able to escape.
  • Turn your oven on to 350 degrees F for about 1 minute, then turn the oven off. Open the door and feel the rack. If it is too hot to touch with your fingers, then leave the door open and let the oven cool a bit. You want the oven nice and warm but not so hot that you can't touch the inside with bare hands.
  • Place the rising dough in the oven and shut the door. Let rise for 4 hours. After 2 hours, remove the dough from the oven, turn the oven on again for a minute, and then return the dough to the oven when it has warmed up again. Make sure it is not too hot. After 4 hours, your dough should have at least doubled in size and should be airy and bubbly.
  • Divide the 4 tablespoons oil** between two cast iron skillets and swirl to coat. You can use 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillets for this recipe.***  You need two skillets because the dough rises in the pan. If you only have one skillet, you can half the recipe, or see the recipe note about using round cake pans.
  • Dip your hands and the end of a rubber spatula into the oiled pans to coat well. Use the oiled spatula to divide the risen dough into two. Scrape half the dough into each oiled pan.
  • Use your oiled fingers to lift up an edge of the dough and bring it toward the center. Repeat this process a few times until the dough has formed a loose ball. (see photos) Flip the ball over so the smooth side is on top and everything is completely coated in oil. Press your hand down on top of the dough and gently spread it out as much as you can toward the edges of the pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
  • Cover each pan loosely with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the dough.
  • Repeat the oven-warming process for the second rise. Turn the oven on for about a minute, turn it off, and put the cast iron into the oven when it is warm but not hot.
  • Let the dough rise in the warm oven for about an hour and a half. It should have spread to the edges of the pan completely and look bubbly.
  • Remove the pans from the oven and keep in a warm place. Preheat your oven as hot as it will go, 550 degrees F if possible. Let the oven preheat for at least 20 minutes to make sure it is seriously hot. Arrange the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. If you have a pizza stone, place it on the rack.
  • Meanwhile, top the pizzas. Add about 3/4 cup pizza sauce (half of a 14 ounce jar) to the top of each pizza and spread on top, all the way to the edges.
  • Add a few thin slices of mozzarella to the top of each pizza, only about 4 ounces all together. (Or use string cheese if you are weird like me). You don't want to weigh down the dough too much.
  • Sprinkle about 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella on top of each pizza.
  •  Divide the pepperoni between the pizzas. Remember not to add too many so you don't weigh down the dough.
  • Sprinkle each pizza with a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese.
  • When the oven is super duper hot, put the pizzas into the hot oven, on the pizza stone if you have one. Bake the pizzas for about 9-12 minutes. The pizza is done when the edges are starting to look brown and the cheese on top is becoming golden. The surest way to test for doneness is by lifting the edge of the pizza with a metal spatula to make sure that the bottom of the crust is a deep golden brown.****
  • Remove the pizzas from the oven and let set for 2 minutes. Then use a spatula to slide under the pizza and edge them out onto cooling racks. This helps ensure that the crust stays crispy. Let the pizzas cool on the racks for a few minutes, then slide onto cutting boards, slice and serve.

Notes

*If you do not have bread flour, you can make it at home by combining Vital Wheat Gluten with regular all-purpose flour. For this recipe, replace 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of the flour called for with Vital Wheat Gluten. 
**Light olive oil is great for frying and baking because of it's high smoke point. Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a much lower smoke point and if you put it in a 550 degree oven, you will have a smokey kitchen. Other oils with high smoke points that you can use for this recipe: canola oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil,  or regular (not virgin) olive oil. 
***If you do not have a cast iron skillet, you can use THREE heavy 8-inch cake pans, but the results won't be quite as amazing. Adjust the recipe as necessary: Line each pan with parchment paper to make sure it doesn't stick. Divide the 4 tablespoons oil between the 3 pans and coat the parchment paper well. Divide the risen dough into 3. Distribute the sauce and cheese and pepperoni evenly over the 3 pizzas. 
****If the top of your pizza is as golden and cooked as you want it, but the bottom doesn't quite look golden, remove the pizza from the oven and place it on your burner. Turn the heat to medium and continue cooking the bottom of the pizza until it is golden brown. If your oven does not get that hot (450 degrees or less) then this is probably the best method for getting a nice crispy crust 
Source: This recipe is lightly adapted from my friend Rebecca's cookbook, Ready Set Dough! Rebecca blogs over at Foodie with Family. I have been following her blog for nearly 10 years! She is one of the bloggers who inspired me to start my own food blog! Her recipes are so phenomenal. She also has The Best Pan Pizza recipe up on her blog, click over for even more photos and details!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5pizza | Calories: 1930kcal | Carbohydrates: 162g | Protein: 89g | Fat: 102g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 43g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 226mg | Potassium: 1193mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2421IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 1267mg | Iron: 6mg