Imagine walking into your kitchen on a cozy evening. The air smells of garlic and olive oil. You’ve planned it well—fresh dough resting, rich meat sauce simmering gently, and layers of melted mozzarella waiting. What you’re about to taste is Chicago deep dish pizza warm, filling, cheesy dish with a thick crust and savory tomato‑meat sauce.
This is no quick flat pie. It’s hearty, slow‑built, indulgent in the best way. A beloved classic born in Chicago in the 1940s at Pizzeria Uno, this style layers cheese first, then sausage and meat, then tomato sauce—so that crust stays crisp, sauce stays rich and everything stays perfectly held together.
Why This Deep‑Dish Rules
- Layers of flavor: Cheese bottom, meat filling, robust tomato sauce.
- Sturdy yet buttery crust: Thick, soft, with cornmeal and butter giving it a golden edge.
- Big comfort: More like pizza‑pie than a flatbread—fills plate and soul.
- Built to savor: Each bite has melted cheese, firm crust, tangy sauce, and spicy sausage.
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza🧾 Ingredients (makes one 10–12″ deep dish)
For the Dough / Crust:
- 3–4 cups all‑purpose flour
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1–2 tbsp sugar
- 1½–2 tsp active dry yeast
- Warm water (about 1 cup)
- Olive oil + melted butter (for dough and pan)
- Salt to taste
For the Cheese & Meat Layer:
- 12–16 oz sliced whole‑milk mozzarella (or part‑skim), good quality
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (spicy or mild), browned and crumbled
- Optional: sliced pepperoni or other toppings
For the Savory Tomato Sauce:
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil (plus butter if desired)
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed San Marzano‑style tomatoes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (oregano, basil)
- Pinch sugar, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes (optional)
- Optional fresh basil or oregano at end
Finish:
- Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
- A drizzle of olive oil or melted butter before baking
Table of Contents
🧑‍🍳 Step‑by‑Step
1. Make the Dough
Mix yeast with warm water and sugar until foamy. Stir in flour, cornmeal, salt, oil, butter. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise about 1 hour until doubled. Lightly punch down and allow a short rest. This dough makes a crust that’s both flaky and soft, and holds those layers well .
2. Prepare the Sauce
While dough rises, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil and butter until soft and fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, seasonings, sugar if needed. Simmer low until slightly thickened—about 20–30 minutes. This sauce won’t be watery; it’s chunky, bold, savory—perfect to crown the pizza.
3. Cook the Sausage
In a skillet, brown the Italian sausage, drain excess grease. You can lightly season or leave it as is—the sausage brings its own fat and flavor. This is your meat filling, rich and textured.
4. Build the Pizza
Grease a deep pan (cast iron skillet or cake pan) generously with oil or butter and sprinkle cornmeal for crunch. Press dough evenly across bottom and up the sides, creating walls at least 1.5″ high. Let it rest briefly to settle.
Layer Order:
- Mozzarella (sliced or shredded) directly on dough.
- Cooked sausage (and pepperoni, optional) over the cheese.
- Savory tomato sauce spooned over sausage in an even layer.
- Grated Parmesan sprinkled on top.
- Optional drizzle of olive oil or melted butter around crust edge.
5. Bake It Right
Preheat oven to ~450–500°F. Bake pizza for 20–25 minutes or until crust is golden and sauce is bubbling. Rotate partway through for even baking. If crust browns too fast, tent lightly with foil last 10 minutes.
Let it rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set so cheese won’t slide out.
🔍 Why This Order Works
- Cheese underneath stops sauce from making crust soggy.
- Sausage and toppings are protected in the middle—so they stay juicy.
- Sauce on top stays thick, visible, and tantalizing.
- The crust walls hold everything—so every slice is clean, neat, and loaded.
🍽 What to Serve It With
- Simple salad, like Caesar or a chopped garden salad – fresh greens cut through richness.
- Roasted or grilled vegetables – mushrooms, peppers, or zucchini work beautifully.
- Buffalo wings or garlic bread muffins for a hearty spread The Cookie Rookie®.
đź•’ Prep Timeline
- Mix and rise dough ~1 hr
- Simmer sauce ~30 min
- Cook sausage ~10 min
- Assemble pizza ~10 min
- Bake ~20–25 min
- Rest before slicing ~5–10 min
Total about 2–2.5 hours, but mostly passive time—feel free to chat, sip wine, relax.
đź’¬ Real Talk from Chicago
On Reddit, locals call deep dish more like a casserole: “around here two pizza styles reign—Tavern thin crust and infamous deep dish… many argue it’s more like a casserole.” The recipe they shared uses San Marzano tomatoes, equal parts mozzarella, and gives a solid foundation for homemade success.
🍕 Variants & Option
- Stuffed deep dish: Another layer of dough on top before sauce—the ultra‑indulgent Chicago style (Giordano’s popularized it).
- Add peppers, mushrooms, olives, or spinach into meat layer for veggie lovers.
- Make‑ahead dough: Refrigerate dough for up to 24 hours before shaping—flavor deepens and crust crisps more during baking.
- Healthier twist: Use turkey sausage or part‑skim mozzarella, reduce salt and sugar in sauce for a lighter version.
đź“– A Bit of Story
Deep‑dish pizza was invented in 1943 at Chicago’s Pizzeria Uno. Some claim chef Rudy Malnati Sr. developed it; others say Alice Mae Redmond helped refine the dough at Gino’s East in the ’60s—a woman behind the classic crust still beloved today.
Lou Malnati (son of Rudy Malnati) opened Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in 1971, carrying on the tradition. These names remain icons, but it all began with home cooks wanting layers of cheese, sausage, and sauce—baking inside a pan like a pie, not on a flat stone. Deep dish is Chicago’s answer to pizza that sticks to your ribs.
❤️ Final Reflection
What makes this pizza feel special? Each slice is layered, balanced, bold—and built with attention. The buttery crust, the gooey mozzarella, the spicy sausage, the thick tomato sauce, the salty Parmesan, and the aroma—all come together in a way that feels crafted, not thrown.
This dish is for sharing. Or for savoring solo when you want something soulful, slow, cheesy, and meaty.
Crack open a wine or pour a cold drink. Take a bite: cheese stretching, meat rich, sauce tangy, crust golden. It’s not fast food—it’s Chicago in your kitchen, built layer by layer, baked with love.
Buon appetito, Chicago style! 🍕
One source for more details: Midwest Living’s full recipe and guide on making deep‑dish at home.
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