For deep-dish pizza, you will need a deep cast-iron skillet or Chicago-style baking pan.
Grilling pizza on a heated pizza stone is the key to pizzeria-style perfect crispy pizza.
If you don't have a grill, there will be directions provided for oven-baked below.
Even when using a cast iron skillet I heat the pizza stone on the grill first but if you don't have a pizza stone no problem, just cook on indirect heat in a cast-iron skillet!
We are such huge pizza fans here and make our how Homemade Pizza Dough along with Italian Stromboli, Panzerotti which is fried dough stuffed Italian Fried Pizza Dough aka Pizza Fritta and of course Mom's Sausage Roll.
These can all be cooked on the pizza stone on the grill or again on indirect heat, just follow the easy printable instructions below on the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
What Is Chicago-Style Pizza?
Chicago Pizza can hold crust, cheese, toppings, tomato sauce, and many toppings without getting soggy like regular thin crust that would collapse with this many ingredients.
Articles suggest that Uno's whose original pizza chef Rudy Malnati developed the recipe.
Other documentation suggests that the original recipe and inventor is really unknown.
Regular Thick Pizza Grilled
This pizza is regular pizza grilled in a cast-iron skillet with just tomatoes and cheese.
For those who aren't fond of Chicago deep-dish styles filled with meats, this is an alternative for you.
Of course, you can add whatever you want on top as well!
Layering the Chicago Pie Step By Step
- First, the dough gets spread to the edges.
- Next, add the cheese slices
- Top with loose Italian sausage and pepperoni.
- Squeeze and crush with your hand the whole San Marzano tomatoes.
- Top with cheese, and ready to bake!
- Heat the grill and bake it on a pizza stone.
Tools You Will Need
- Pizza Stone
- Pizza Shovel
- Large Dish
- Pizza Cutter
- Serving Spatula
- Pot Holders
- Knife or Fork
- Cast-Iron or Chicago Style Baking Pan
- Gas Grill
Pizza Lovers
Whatever kind of pizza you like, we can make it here for pizza for one or a crowd!
Depending on the toppings and size pan, if you have a gas grill, this is the way to go when making pizza.
It's crispy, light, fabulous in flavor just like the pizza parlor you love but better I promise!
Check all the tips first before adding pizza to your grate or pizza pan/stone.
It's super easy to do but you want to ensure you don't miss something important like heating the grill first!
Oven-baked or Grilled Chicago Pizza Recipes?
Whether using charcoal or gas, the smoke from the grill will help give your pizza a great flavor that you simply cannot get from a regular oven.
It's also easy!
The pizza dough does not fall through the grill grates if you preheat the grill as directed and it will form a beautiful golden browned crispy crust.
Of course below to baking this in the oven is an option also and it still will be tasty but it will totally eliminate that smoked taste which when grilling it's a real change in flavor.
Pans Recommended To Use
Heavily Greased
- 12 - inch Cast Iron
- Chicago Style Pans
- Cast Iron Scone/Cornbread Pan
- Heavy Duty Grill Pan
- Personal Sized Pizza Pans
- Note: Using a Pizza Stone is highly recommended as it absorbs the moisture while cooking to make your pizza super crispy and delicious!
Topping Options for Pizza
- dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- sliced peppers
- cubed eggplant
- cooked ham
- cooked bacon
- sliced olives,
- sliced mushrooms,
- feta cheese
- boneless cooked chicken with hot sauce and cheddar,
- scallops, shrimp with mozzarella, provolone, and garlic,
- chopped artichoke heart
- anchovies
- sliced onions
- mix and match whatever you like.
Tips
- Don't be in a hurry to grill this pizza without preheating, it will stick and not cook evenly
- Use cornmeal or semolina on the bottom of your pizza shovel for easy removal if placing directly on the pizza stone
- Only use fresh ingredients
- For Chicago style make sure you push the dough around the sides to the top of the pan before filling and grease the pan heavily
- Use any kinds of pizza topping you prefer for safety precautions cooked meats are advised
- If you don't have a pizza stone, cook the pizza on indirect heat on oiled grates
- For grilling pizza always poke holes on the bottom of the dough before adding the toppings
- When using the scone/cornbread pan, grease and use cornmeal for easy removal
- Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes after cooking before cutting it
- Adding wood chips to your grill will give it a wood-fired smokey flavored crust!
- If baking in the oven, heat the oven to 500 degrees and heat the cast iron skillet. Roll out the dough to fit that pan. Remove the skillet with potholders, drizzle pan with oil, add dough and toppings and bake at 500 degrees until pizza is cooked around 20 minutes.
Pizza Dough
Whether you make my homemade dough recipe or use store-bought, just make sure it's an Italian style dough, nothing with eggs or milk added to it.
That kind of frozen dough has too much moisture in it and doesn't get crispy and will stay soggy.
Let it rise in the pan around 1/2 hour before placing on the grill for best results.
More Recipes We Love
Mom's Foccacia
Pizza Dough
Panzerotti
No Knead Bread
Keep A Watchful Eye While Grilling The Pizza
My son Chad is an expert at grilling pizza now.
It's the only way we cook it.
There are actually grilling inserts with pizza stone built into them you can purchase for your gas grill.
Its a great little addition but a pizza stone is inexpensive and works just great!
If you haven't tried grilling and making Chicago Style grilled pizza you are in for a treat.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do, happy grilling!
Don't forget to pin for later!
Grilled Pizza Outdoors
Yield: 1
Prep time: 15 MCook time: 35 MTotal time: 50 M
This is how to make a Chicago style deep dish pizza on the grill. There are several options and toppings and the pizza is pizzeria-style tasting!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds store-bought or homemade dough
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage cooked and drained
- 8 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 28-ounce can of whole San Marzano tomatoes squeezed out by hand and crushed them
- 1/2 cup of fresh basil, leaves torn (optional on top for garnish or while baking)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces provolone thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Romano blended cheese
- olive oil or a blend with melted butter
- Optional: dried oregano, fresh spinach leaves, sliced peppers, cubed eggplant, onions, cooked ham, cooked bacon, anchovies, sliced olives, sliced mushrooms, feta cheese, boneless cooked chicken with hot sauce and cheddar, scallops, shrimp with mozzarella, provolone and garlic, chopped artichoke hearts, mix and match whatever you like.
- Pans to use: Cast Iron Skillet 12 inch or 10, individual scone pan for a personal pan for two people, or Chicago style pan 12 inches in size generously greased.
- Note: Cook on a Pizza Stone set on the grill grates when possible for best results
- If you don't have a pizza stone, heat the cast iron skillet at 500 degrees, remove with potholders, and set down. Roll out the dough carefully to fit, put the pizza in the skillet, toppings, and place the pizza and bake in a preheated 500-degree oven until brown and bubbling.
Instructions:
- Coat the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast-iron pan, cake pan, or traditional Chicago-style pizza pan with olive oil or a blend with melted butter and generously oil spray sides.
- Note if using the individual scone/cornbread cast-iron pan, generously oil spray, and butter the pan first. I find this style of pan cooks quickly and reduces the cooking time by 5 minutes.
- Using your hands for Chicago style, spread out about three-quarters of the dough across the bottom and up the sides of the cast-iron style 12-inch pan (save the remainder for another use).poke holes in the dough with a fork.
- On the bottom place both the provolone and the mozzarella, all the way up to the edge.
- Spread with a thin, even layer of sausage. ( you can use it raw however cooking times vary so I cook it to be safe)
- Cover with random pieces of pepperoni.
- Top with a couple of handfuls of crushed tomatoes.
- Spread the tomatoes out evenly.
- Sprinkle top evenly with grated cheese.
- Time to cook it!
- For Outdoor Grilling: preheat the grill with the stone until it reaches 400 degrees.
- Once your grill is at 400, place the pan on a baking stone or directly on the grill if you don't have a pizza stone, and then close the lid.
- Note: if you don't have a baking stone only use one lit burner on the grill on indirect heat. This means if you light the right side of the grill cook it on the left side.
- Put the cover down and bake on the stone or indirect heat for 18 to 35 minutes depending on the depth and size of your pan.
- Cook the Deep Dish Pizza for 20 minutes rotating the pan once to ensure even cooking.
- For Oven Baked: preheat to 500 degrees heat the cast-iron pan empty. Take the pan out add 2 tablespoons of oil and stretch out your pizza dough to fit on a floured board, Add to the hot pan taking a spatula and making sure you pull the dough to the edge of the pan. Top with sauce, cheese, and whatever you like. Bake rotating halfway through, until golden around the edge, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Don't forget to pin for later!
More Recipes We Love
Mom's Foccacia
Pizza Dough
Panzerotti
No Knead Bread
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2020
