• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Recipe Hippie

Recipe Hippie

A free spirited approach towards Mediterranean diet recipes

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Must Have’s
  • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Must Have’s
  • About
  • Contact
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes

20% off your first order!

  • Mediterranean Diet Recipes
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes

Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

August 7, 2020 by Recipe Hippie | Affiliate Disclaimer
FacebookTweetPin

With Roasted Red Pepper Pizza Sauce!

Is it a pizza, or is it a pie? OR is it an interesting take on a tart…I will never have these answers. The answers I do have are: YES, it tastes amazing, YES the crust is perfectly crunchy on the outside and airy on the inside, and YES the red pepper and tomato sauce is thronging with complex and palate pleasing flavor! Use whatever ingredients you have in your refrigerator to top this delicious family dinner!

roasted red pepper pizza

Homemade Deep Dish Pizza Crust:

The dough for this deep dish crust is interesting. Even after rising, it is so moist and sticky that you may think “it needs more flour”. I assure you, it doesn’t! We are so used to grocery store bought pizza dough, where it is fairly hard and easily managed. This dough WILL stick to the surface you are working on at first. Make sure you sprinkle the surface with flour, and you should be okay. That moisture will be appreciated when you taste how perfect it is after cooking. After you roll it out and oil your cast iron skillet, press the dough up the sides of the skillet so every part of the crust is even. It doesn’t have to be perfect, so don’t stress too much about it!

deep dish pie crust

I don’t think I could have managed making this recipe, or any dough recipe without my Kitchen Aid 4.5 Quart Stand Mixer! HIGHLY recommend getting one if you do not have one already!

The Toppings:

For the roasted red pepper dough and crust, you don’t have much creative liberty in making it ‘your own‘. But when it comes to the toppings, the world is your oyster (I mean, I wouldn’t put actual oysters on it, that might be gross).

I quite honestly opened the fridge, took out what ever vegetables I had laying around, which happened to be summer squash and zucchini, and used that as my pizza pie topping. I also didn’t have mozzarella cheese, the preferred cheese for deep dish pies, but that didn’t stop me! Let me introduce you to my friend, cheddar! Why do we only use mozzarella for our pizzas and deep dish pies when we have all of these other amazing and tasty cheeses to choose from?! Use whatever cheese you love. You can go the more traditional route, with mozzarella, pepperoni and mushrooms, or you can try to switch things up and use colby-jack cheese, banana peppers and sausage!

red pepper pizza

If you are in need of a good cast iron skillet, pre-seasoned is the way to go! Check out this affordable 12.5 inch skillet from Utopia Kitchen:

Roasted Red Pepper Pizza Sauce:

The sauce is what really sets this homemade Chicago style deep dish pizza pie apart from all of the rest. Don’t you dare open up a jar of processed tomato sauce! (okay, you can use it if you are in a time crunch…but don’t let it happen again!) Roasting the tomatoes, red bell peppers and garlic gives this sauce a sweet and rich depth of flavor that you can’t get from a jar. If you have access to a lot of tomatoes and bell peppers, double this recipe and store the left overs in a jar in your fridge or freezer for another use! This roasted red pepper sauce is definitely going to be a sauce you will want to make over and over again.

how to roast red peppers

Thrive Maket

Have you checked out ‘Thrive Market’ yet?! It’s an online grocery store that specifically sells quality items that are vegan, vegetarian, organic, paleo, whole 30 and much more! And everything is so inexpensive because they get the items straight from the manufacturer. It is a $60 membership fee (same as Costco and BJ’s), but most members say they make that money back in the first few orders. Afterwards, if you DON’T make it back, Thrive Market will refund you the difference! So what are you waiting for? Click the image below to learn more!

Slow cooker chicken dinner

Slow Cooked Tuscan Chicken

You guys…this might be the best dinner party dish I have ever made.  I mean, holy tower of Pisa is it good! Sun dried tomatoes are processed with nuts, garlic, balsamic vinegar and a little sugar to make a super flavorful and bright pesto.  That pesto is then tossed with chicken breasts, kale, artichokes and …

Read moreSlow Cooked Tuscan Chicken
roasted red pepper pizza sauce

Frequently Asked Questions:

Does traditional Chicago style pizza have roasted red pepper sauce?No, it does not. Traditionally, Chicago deep dish pizza is served with chunky tomato sauce. Nothin’ wrong with that! But I personally think this roasted red pepper pizza sauce really elevates the dish to the next level.
Why do we place the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes before forming into the skillet?We do this to make it taste better. The cool temperature helps to develop the flavors in the dough and gives the crust a better texture in the long run. Plus, it is a little easier to handle when forming into the skillet.
I don’t have a cast iron skillet…is there something else I can use?You know my philosophy: if you don’t have everything needed to make a recipe, IMPROVISE! Don’t assume you can’t make it just because you are missing something, or you might miss out on a really great recipe. If you do not have a cast iron skillet. try using an oven safe Dutch Oven or even an oval baking dish. Make sure to grease it so the dough doesn’t stick. Just note that it will cook slightly differently as the material conducts heat much differently than a cast iron skillet.
Do I have to roll the dough?All you professional chefs out there are going to get mad at me…but I’m going to say no to this. Normally, I would say that the crust should be rolled so that it is uniform and everything cooks perfectly. But sometimes life gets in the way and you can’t find your rolling pin no matter how hard you look. I’m speaking from experience here! I don’t know if you can tell, but I actually DIDN’T roll the pizza crust when I did this recipe because I couldn’t find my rolling pin! You can see in the photos that when it was raw it was lumpy and definitely not even. But you know what? It cooked FINE. So if you are in a rush, don’t worry about it. Remember, Recipe Hippie a free spirited approach towards home cooking!
red pepper pizza sauce
homemade deep dish pizza

Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

This homemade chicago style deep dish pizza is served with sweet and flavorful roasted red pepper tomato sauce and has flexible topping options!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 mins
Dough Rising and Roasting Time 1 hr 15 mins
Course Dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Blender or Food Processor, Stand mixer for dough(can use hands, will take longer), 12 inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

Sauce

  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 8 roma tomatoes (or the equivalent of any other tomato)
  • 4 medium red bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds and white pith removed
  • 2 tsp Italian herb puree (the herb puree is perfect for this recipe, but if you can't find it or don't have it, it is okay to use 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried parsley and basil if you have it)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil (2 for roasting, 2 for blending)
  • 1/2 tsp table salt

Dough

  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond meal flour (also acceptable: cashew flour, oat flour, whole wheat flour)
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 7 tbsp butter, melted in microwave for 1 minutes so not fully melted, but mostly
  • 1 7g or .25oz packet of active dry yeast (comes out to 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for bowl

Toppings

  • 1 summer squash, cut into thin medallions (any vegetables/meats you wish to use are fine)
  • 1 zucchini, cut into thin medallions
  • 1/2 red onion, minced
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (Mozzarella is great too, or any cheese you wish to use)

Instructions
 

Make the dough:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (for the sauce you will make while the dough rises).
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, yeast, sugar and salt. Turn on mixer with dough attachment and mix until fully combined.
  • Now, with the mixer on low, add the mostly melted butter and water. Mix until a dough ball forms and is well kneaded, about 5 minutes. You may have to turn the mixer off occasionally to get the flour off of the sides of the bowl. (if you are using your hands, knead the dough until fully combined, then knead for another 5 minutes: note that the dough will be very sticky, so use wet hands if needed)
  • Place the dough ball in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat the bottom and sides. Cover with plastic wrap and leave out on the counter to rise for 1 hour. After 1 hour, place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Sauce:

  • Cut the red bell peppers into 6 large pieces each. Cut the tops off of the roma tomatoes, and slice into 4 flat pieces (see photo in post). Place the peppers and tomatoes in a large bowl with the garlic cloves. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt.
  • Spread vegetables over a foil lined baking sheet, and place in the oven. Roast, untouched, for 30 minutes.
  • When done, remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
  • Once slightly cooled, transfer to a blender or food processor. Add in 2 more tbsp of olive oil and blend until a sauce forms.

Making the Pie:

  • Increase oven temp to 425 degrees.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge and place on a heavily floured surface. Sprinkle flour over the top of the dough, and roll the dough out in a big circle until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick.
  • Transfer the dough to an oiled 12" cast iron skillet(not a lot of oil, just enough to coat bottom and sides). Press the dough to mold to the shape of the skillet, and remove any extra dough that overflows the edges of the skillet.
  • Pour in about 1 cup of the sauce (you will have extra, that is okay! Save it). Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie.
  • Sprinkle cheese over the top. You can never have enough cheese, so use whatever kind you like and as much as you like!
  • Take your sliced squash medallions and place on top of the cheese however you like. Sprinkle with chopped red onion.
  • Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (closer to 30 minutes, depending on thickness of dough), until crust is brown.
  • Remove, let sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. You can save extra pieces in the fridge for tomorrow! Option to garnish with basil, red pepper flakes and/or Parmesan cheese.
Keyword cheese, chicago style, crushed tomatoes, Deep dish, pizza, red bell pepper, roasted red pepper

Did you like my ‘Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza‘ recipe?! If so, go check out my ‘Cranberry Braised Beef Stew‘ recipe!

winter beef stew

Cranberry Braised Beef Stew

This unique beef stew recipe slow cooks cranberries, sage and thyme with the stewing meat for a sweet and super flavorful beef stew! This dish makes for a great cozy holiday meal, or easy weeknight dinner. Serve it with buttery mashed potatoes, and you’ve got yourself a delicious slow cooked dinner, ready to be devoured …

Read moreCranberry Braised Beef Stew
A roasted butternut squash steak with yogurt sauce, pistachios and basil over a bed of couscous and a fork showing a piece cut off

Roasted Butternut Squash Steaks

A black plate with 4 kabobs on top filled with bright grilled vegetables and lemon dill chicken, with a greek yogurt sauce drizzled over the top

7 Ingredient Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs Recipe

A spatula taking a piece of mediterranean baked cod topped with tomatoes, olives and feta out of a blue baking dish

Mediterranean Cod Recipe with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Olives and Feta

how to make espresso tonic

Orange Coffee Tonic

A loaf of healthy meatloaf cut into two pieces

Gluten-Free Meatloaf Recipe

easy smoothie bowl

Blackberry Smoothie Bowl

Category: Dinner Recipes, Lunch recipes
FacebookTweetPin

Affiliate Disclaimer

My posts may contain affiliate links. Every one of the affiliate companies is a company that I stand by and believe in. If you choose to purchase something through their link on my website, you won’t pay a penny more, but I will receive a small commission. It helps me to continue to create great content for you! Thanks!

Previous Post:Pickled Indian Stew
Next Post:Stuffed Lemon Crab Cakes Recipecrab cake stuffed lemons

Sidebar

Hey, I’m Liz!

I am SO thrilled to meet you!

I’m a Physical Therapy Assistant turned food blogger, and love merging my intrigue for the human body with my passion for all things food! I’m here to show you that enjoying a Mediterranean diet doesn’t mean that you can only eat Mediterranean food! I can’t wait to show you how rewarding the MedDiet lifestyle can be!

Recipe Collections

close up shot of a cast iron skilled with cooked orzo, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms and baked olives recipe

Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Chicken Recipes

Dessert Recipes

lemon butter pasta

Dinner Recipes

white rice porridge

Healthy Recipes

Vegetarian Chili

Vegan Recipes

About Me

Hello! I am the recipe hippie, and I am here to give you a free spirited approach towards home cooking. When it comes to the ingredients you have available, I challenge you to reject your conventional notions around recipes and think outside of the box. Substitutions are encouraged! So open up your pantry, get creative and have fun. Some of the greatest things in life originated through improvisation!

Recipe Hippie Newsletter

* indicates required

Hello! I am the recipe hippie, and I am here to give you a free spirited approach towards home cooking!

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Must Have’s
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2020 · Recipe Hippie · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding