Name: Skillet Pan Pizza
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 72 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons instant yeast; 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cups warm water; 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil (divided); 2 tablespoons cornmeal; 1 cup favorite marinara sauce; 8 oz. mozzarella cheese (grated); 4 oz. Gouda cheese (grated); 1/4 pound Italian Sausage (browned); 2 oz pepperoni (sliced); 1/4 cup green or red bell pepper (sliced); 1/4 cup onion (minced); 1/4 cup black olives (sliced)

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Skillet Pan Pizza is a recipe I love to bake in my Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. The dough bakes up into this thick, tender crust that is NOT greasy. It’s so soft and wonderful.

(Post modified with new photos on 3/9/24.)

Can I just say how much I love to cook with cast iron? Skillet Cornbread, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Fried Chicken, Pizza. Things just always turn out better when you use cast iron! Am I right? I think I am.

My husband loves pan pizza. Whenever we go to Pizza Hut, he wants us to order pan pizza (which often tends to be greasy). I, on the other hand, prefer thin and crispy, so we often settle for the original crust.

However, I tried making pan pizza in my cast iron skillet and loved how it turned out. And of course, you may load it with as many toppings as you want–or as little, depending on your preference.

More Pizza Recipes to Try

Ingredients for Skillet Pan Pizza

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

Pizza Dough

all-purpose flour
instant yeast
granulated sugar
salt
warm water
extra-virgin olive oil
cornmeal

Toppings

Favorite marinara sauce (See my Homemade Recipe Here.)
mozzarella cheese
Gouda cheese
topping of your choice: sausage, hamburger, pepperoni, onions, bell peppers, black olives, mushrooms, etc.

A Few Notes about the Ingredients

I made this recipe easy by using a favorite Marinara sauce, but if you want homemade, try my Zesty Pizza Sauce.

Always use block cheese and shred it yourself. It melts better, and it tastes better. Fresh mozzarella is pretty wonderful, too.

Add your favorite toppings to the pizza. We like adding pepperoni, Italian sausage, black olives, mushrooms, bell peppers, and sweet onions. But make it the way you like it.

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare the Pizza Dough

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, and salt.

Add warm water and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Knead by hand or with dough hook, until it forms a nice ball, 3-5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes until double.

Prepare the Skillet and Toppings

While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 425°F.

Rub Garlic over Bottom and Sides of Skillet to Season

Place skillet on the stove over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil in it. Rub garlic clove over the bottom and sides of the pan to flavor it. Heat for 3-5 minutes, and then place skillet in oven.

If possible, use convection oven setting to bake this pizza. If that is not an option, you may need to bake the pizza for a few extra minutes.

Prepare toppings and have everything at your fingertips to make your pizza. Grate cheeses. Chop vegetables. Brown Italian sausage or hamburger.

Press Dough Out on Table with Cornmeal

Sprinkle cornmeal on work space and using your fingers, form dough into a flattened circle the size of your pan. Press dough into the cornmeal.

The cornmeal gives the bottom of this pizza a nice crunchy taste and allows for easier transition from the counter to the pan. Form the circle of dough into the size of your skillet. I used a 12″ skillet.

Assemble the Pizza

Form Dough in Hot Skillet

Remove the hot skillet from oven and begin assembling the pizza. Place dough in bottom of skillet, forming along the sides of the pan. Brush remaining olive oil over the dough.

Work quickly and be careful not to burn your fingers. Use a spoon to help form the dough, if desired.

Top Pizza Dough with Desired Meats and Vegetables

Cover bottom of dough with marinara sauce, then layer with meats, mozzarella cheese, and chopped vegetables. Finish with a sprinkling of shredded Gouda cheese.

Freshly Baked Skillet Pan Pizza

Bake in preheated convection oven for 12-15 minutes until the edges are golden and cheese has melted.

Use a convection oven if you have it. If not, you may need to bake the pizza for a few extra minutes.

Serve Sliced Pizza in the Cast Iron Skillet

Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This recipe will serve 2-4 people, depending on how much they love pizza!

See more Pizza Recipes Here. Browse Italian Recipes Here.

Skillet Pan Pizza

Here's a recipe I love to bake in my Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. The dough bakes up into this thick, tender crust that is NOT greasy. It’s so soft and wonderful. Delicious!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 22

Rising Time: 40

Total Time 1 12

Serving Size 4

Equipment

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups warm water
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil divided
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Toppings

1 cup favorite marinara sauce
8 oz. mozzarella cheese grated
4 oz. Gouda cheese grated
1/4 pound Italian Sausage browned
2 oz pepperoni sliced
1/4 cup green or red bell pepper sliced
1/4 cup onion minced
1/4 cup black olives sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparing the Pizza Dough

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, yeast, granulated sugar, and salt. Add warm water and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Knead the dough until it forms a nice ball, 3-5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes until double.

Prepare Skillet and Toppings

While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 425℉, using convection setting, if possible.
If convection setting is not an option, you may need to bake the pizza for a few extra minutes.
Place skillet on the stove over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Rub garlic clove over the bottom and sides of the pan to flavor it. Heat for 3-5 minutes, and then place skillet in oven.
Prepare toppings and have everything at your fingertips to make your pizza. Grate cheeses. Chop vegetables. Brown the Italian sausage.
Sprinkle cornmeal on work space and using your fingers, form the pizza dough into a flattened circle the size of your pan. Press dough into the cornmeal.

Assemble the Pizza

Remove skillet from oven and begin assembling the pizza. Place dough in bottom of hot skillet, forming along the sides of the pan. Brush remaining olive oil over dough.
Be careful not to burn your fingers. Use a spoon to help form the dough, if necessary.
Cover bottom of dough with marinara sauce, then layer with meats, mozzarella cheese, and chopped vegetables. Finish with a sprinkling of shredded Gouda cheese.
Bake 12-15 minutes in preheated oven until the edges are golden and cheese has melted. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serves 2-4.