I love how straightforward this pan pizza recipe is! No kneading and no special flour? That’s my kind of cooking. It sounds like the perfect solution for a quick and satisfying homemade meal. I’m adding this to my list. Maybe I’ll even use Markdown To Word to keep the recipe handy on my devices!

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Simple Crispy Pan Pizza

Happy new year! I’m back with a very simple, wildly adaptable recipe for crispy pan pizza that I’ve been using on repeat, and hope you will too.

In the past, my pizza recipes have always used a very long, multi-day, no-knead dough, but as good as that is, I found that I wasn’t reaching for it on a weeknight. What I needed was a dough that I could mix in 10 minutes, let rise for 1 to 2 hours, and then bake immediately. This is that dough. Its primary purpose in life is to yield a soft, chewy interior and a shatteringly crisp bottom crust, and it excels. Plus, it’s really easy!

I hope you can see what I mean about the crispy bottom. It gets golden, caramelized, and delicious. You’re going to love it.

How to adapt this recipe? Any and all ways you like. This makes a fairly thin crust pan pizza, and it will be enough for two of you (plus some leftovers) or one and a half if you’re ravenous. The recipe is also extremely easy to double for a larger crowd and a larger pan. I’ve included instructions for a

10-inch skillet or pie plate

, or a

9×13-inch pan

, but you can also make two smaller pizzas or one larger. The dough is forgiving.

I love to pair it with my

Best Pizza Sauce

, which has a similar ethos: incredibly easy, just as good (or better!) than other versions, and fast enough for a weeknight. I make it every time I make pizza.

I’m using a 10-inch cast iron skillet here, but it works just as well in a 9 or 10-inch round cake or pie pan. You can also use a 9×13-inch pan, but you’ll need to double the dough recipe. Don’t skip the olive oil in the pan; it’s what gives it that crazy crispy crust.

I like my pan pizzas to be fully loaded with sauce, cheese, and vegetables (sometimes even more vegetables than this!). You can bake your pizza with your favorite combination of cheeses and toppings. I recommend adding the cheese first so the sauce doesn’t make the dough soggy, and then topping with everything else.

Enjoy!

Simple Crispy Pan Pizza

5

from

2

votes

Prep Time

1 hour

40 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

55 minutes

Servings

2

This simple, speedy, extra crispy pan pizza dough can be mixed in 10 minutes and bakes up into a delightfully golden, chewy pizza.

Ingredients

For the dough (for one 10-inch pizza)

1½ cups


all-purpose flour


(190 grams)

1 teaspoon


instant yeast

½ teaspoon


fine sea salt

¾ cup


warm water

2 tablespoons


olive oil


(plus extra for pan)

For the pizza

1 tablespoon


olive oil

4 ounces


low-moisture mozzarella


(shredded)

½ cup


pizza sauce


(
my favorite

)

1 cup


thinly sliced mushrooms


(or other desired toppings)

¼ teaspoon


dried oregano

¼ teaspoon


red pepper flakes

Instructions

For the dough:

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until it comes together into a shaggy ball. Cover bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature (70 to 75°F) for 1½ to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

If you want to bake a larger pizza (9×13-inches) or two 10-inch pizzas,

double the dough recipe

. All other instructions remain the same.

For the pizza:

Generously coat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or pie plate with olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Carefully scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the oiled pan. Use oiled hands to gently press the dough out toward the edges of the pan. Don’t force it if it springs back; let it rest for 10 minutes and try again. Cover the pan with a lid or plastic wrap and let it rise another 30 minutes.

While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 450°F with a rack in the center. If you have a pizza stone, use it; if not, don’t worry about it. Once the dough has risen, uncover it and sprinkle the mozzarella over the surface, followed by the sauce, mushrooms, oregano, and red pepper flakes.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is deeply golden underneath and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a cutting board to slice and serve.

Notes

I am often asked what kind of all-purpose flour I use. I use King Arthur Baking Company all-purpose flour.

You can chill this dough for up to 3 days in the fridge. The longer you chill it, the more flavor it will develop.