CRISPY Cast Iron Skillet Pizza Recipe

I’m sharing my 30-minute Skillet Pizza with a thick crust, crispy bottom and soft, chewy center, and there’s one simple trick behind it that few people expect.

I always skip take-out and fire up my cast iron when Friday night hits. This Crispy Cast Iron Skillet Pizza has a thick crust with a crackly bottom and a soft chewy center, and you can have it on the table in about 30 minutes with your favorite toppings.

I swear a little extra virgin olive oil and a dusting of cornmeal in the skillet does wild things to the crust, and yeah sometimes it bubbles over and gets messy but that charred edge is everything. If you like big texture and fast wins this Cast Iron Skillet Pizza will surprise you.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: gives structure and carbs not much fiber makes crust chewy and tender
• Instant yeast: helps dough rise adds light airiness gives subtle yeasty flavor
• Olive oil: adds fat crisp edges richer flavor some heart healthy monounsaturated fats
• Pizza sauce: tomato based gives acidity and sweetness vitamin C boosts savory umami
• Mozzarella: melty mild mostly protein and fat helps that stretchy cheese pull
• Pepperoni: salty fatty lots of flavor adds spice high in saturated fat and sodium
• Cornmeal for skillet: keeps crust from sticking adds crunchy texture and tiny grainy bits

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water, about 105 to 115°F
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal for the skillet
• 1/2 cup (120 g) pizza sauce or marinara
• 8 ounces (225 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
• 20 to 30 slices pepperoni or your favorite toppings
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Fresh basil leaves for finishing, optional

How to Make this

1. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast in a bowl. Add 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water (about 105 to 115°F) and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, stir until a shaggy dough forms, then dust with a little extra flour.

2. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic, its ok if it’s a bit sticky. Shape into a ball and cover with a towel or plastic wrap, let rest 10 minutes while you get everything else ready.

3. Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) and set a 10 to 12 inch cast iron skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornmeal evenly in the pan.

4. On a lightly floured board press or stretch the dough into a disk roughly the size of your skillet, about 10 to 12 inches, fingers work best for stretching so you dont deflate it too much.

5. Carefully transfer the dough to the hot oiled skillet, pressing it to the edges and creating a small rim. Watch out for oil splatter.

6. Spread 1/2 cup (120 g) pizza sauce or marinara over the dough leaving the rim bare, sprinkle 8 ounces (225 g) shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano on top.

7. Arrange 20 to 30 slices of pepperoni or your favorite toppings, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if you like heat.

8. Cook the pizza on the stove over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the bottom starts to brown and the cheese begins to melt.

9. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is golden, bottom is crispy and cheese is bubbly. If the top browns too fast, loosely tent with foil.

10. Remove from oven, let rest 2 to 3 minutes, finish with fresh basil leaves if using, slice and serve straight from the skillet.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking dry ingredients and mixing the dough
2. Whisk or fork, to blend flour salt sugar and yeast (you can use a spoon but whisk is quicker)
3. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you got one, for accurate amounts
4. 10 to 12 inch cast iron skillet, the pan you cook and bake in
5. Floured work surface and a bench scraper or your hands, for kneading and stretching the dough
6. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula, to help transfer and spread sauce and cheese
7. Oven mitts and tongs or a pizza peel, for safely moving the hot skillet to and from the oven (dont forget these)
8. Pizza cutter or sharp knife, for slicing and serving straight from the skillet

FAQ

CRISPY Cast Iron Skillet Pizza Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All-purpose flour: swap for bread flour for a chewier, crispier crust, or use 00 flour for a silkier thin crust; if you want whole grain try half whole wheat and half AP.
• Instant yeast: use active dry yeast (proof it first in warm water) or for more tang try 1 cup fed sourdough starter and expect longer rise times, adjust flour/water a bit.
• Cornmeal for the skillet: use semolina for an extra crunchy bottom, or fine corn flour, or just dust with flour and a little oil if you’re out.
• Shredded mozzarella: substitute provolone or fontina for more flavor, or tear fresh mozzarella and pat it dry for a creamier, softer top.

Pro Tips

1) Let the dough chill if you can. A slow, cold ferment overnight really improves flavor and gives a lighter, chewier crust. It’s also easier to stretch the next day and less likely to spring back, so dont skip this when you have time.

2) Dont drown it in sauce or toppings. Too much sauce or watery toppings makes the center soggy. Pat wet toppings dry, use sauce sparingly, and go a little lighter with cheese toward the edge so the rim bakes up crisp.

3) Make the pan super hot. Preheat the cast iron in the oven so the bottom hits a hot surface and gets crisp. If the bottom browns too fast while cooking on the stove lower the heat or move the skillet to a lower oven rack. Watch for oil splatter, it will pop.

4) Finish smart. Let the pizza rest a couple minutes so the cheese sets, brush the crust with a bit of olive oil for shine and flavor, and add fresh basil after baking. If you want extra bubbly char, hit it under the broiler 30 to 60 seconds but dont walk away.