Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

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Homemade crispy crust, gooey cheese, and all of your favorite toppings are loaded into this cast iron skillet pizza. You’ll never order take out again!

Can we talk about my love for a good cast iron skillet? And my love for a gooey, pizza with a perfectly crispy crust? Or maybe we should just skip to the part when my two loves fall head over heels and get married in this cast iron skillet pizza?

Let’s do that. Let’s talk pizza.

This cast iron skillet pizza has all the components of a dream pie. First, this dough is simple to make and bakes up ridiculously crisp. And yes, we’re making our own dough. Okay, you can cheat if you like and buy your dough pre-made, I won’t tell. But I really, really encourage you to give this homemade version try. It’s simple and forgiving…truly the foundation of a blissful relationship. 

Next, we drizzle the dough with a little garlic oil. And again, we’re making our own and it couldn’t be easier. Plunk some smashed garlic into olive oil, warm it, and let it sit. Voila! Garlic oil.

Now…all the toppings! Because I love you, I’m giving you two versions today. First, the classic…marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, and a handful of basil. And if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, a white pizza (with three kinds of cheese, because…cheese!) and wonderfully earthy wild mushrooms with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.

Of course this is just a jumping off point. The beauty of pizza is you can pick your toppings and make it your own…meaty, hearty, saucy, or stripped down (mind out of the gutter please!)…think of it as a blank canvas. And enough chitchat…let’s make some skillet pizza!

Let’s make Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Let’s start with the dough…

1. Mix the dry ingredients together and activate the yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar.
2. Mix the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook or by hand until smooth.
3. Form the dough into a ball and turn into a well-oiled bowl.
4. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.
5. Gather all the toppings!
6. Make the garlic oil (this can be done days in advance and stored in the frig).

Let’s make Classic Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

1. Stretch or roll the dough into a round slightly bigger than the bottom of your skillet. Brush with garlic oil and place the skillet in the oven for 2-3 mins.
2. Remove the skillet from the oven and spread the sauce over the dough, bringing it rosh to the edges.
3. Sprinkle (okay, dump) the cheese over the top.
4. Scatter the basil over the cheese, season with salt, and drizzle lightly with garlic oil. Bake until golden brown and bubbly. Serve hot.

Let’s make White Mushroom Pizza

1. Saute the mushrooms in olive oil.
2. Once the mushrooms are golden brown, toss with fresh thyme and reserve.
3. Stretch or roll the dough into a round slightly bigger than the bottom of your skillet. Brush with garlic oil and place the skillet in the oven for 2-3 mins.
4. Remove the skillet from the oven and spread the cheese over the dough.
5. Scatter the mushrooms over the cheese.
6. Dollop the ricotta on top, season with salt, and drizzle with the garlic oil. Bake until golden brown and bubbly. Serve hot.

Tips for success

• This pizza dough is very forgiving. You can roll it with a rolling pin or simply stretch it with your hands. The goal is a round of even thickness about an inch larger than your skillet. And by no means does it need to be perfect. Lay it in the pan and scootch it around til it fits.
• Heat your oven as high as it will go and pop the cast iron skillet in the oven for a few minutes before you place the dough in it. This will help the dough cook through and guarantee a nice, crisp crust.
• A sprinkle of cornmeal in the pan before the dough goes down helps to prevent sticking.
• Don’t over-sauce or over-top the pizza. In this case, there can be too much of a good thing. Too much on top will weigh down the pizza and prevent it from baking evenly.
• If you’re making the mushroom pizza, don’t skip sautéing the mushrooms before using them as a topping. This pizza cooks quickly and you want those toppings ready to go. By pre-cooking the mushrooms, you’re cooking out the moisture and therefore preventing a soggy pie.
• Make this pie your own. Add veggies, meat, and herbs to suit your tastes. Just please, don’t add pineapple (sorry, not sorry!).

New to cast iron? Here’s everything you need to know about cooking in cast iron pans!

More Yummy Pizza and Tart Recipes

• Zucchini Grilled Pizza
• Fig, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Flatbread
• French Onion Tart
• Tomato Galette

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Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Resting Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

 

Homemade crispy crust, gooey cheese, and all of your favorite toppings are loaded into this cast iron skillet pizza. You'll never order take out again!

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cast iron skillet pizza, skillet pizza

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 575 kcal

Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

• 1/4 oz active dry yeast (1 pkg)
• 1 cup warm water (100 degrees F)
• pinch of sugar
• 3 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the bowl

Garlic Oil

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

Classic Pizza

• cornmeal for dusting the pan
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 Tbsp parmesan, grated
• a few torn basil leaves

White Mushroom Pizza

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms (oyster, cremini, shiitake, or a mix of all three)
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• cornmeal for dusting the pan
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese

Instructions

Pizza Dough

1. Whisk the yeast and pinch of sugar into the water and let stand 5 - 10 mins until it begins to bubble or foam.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour and the salt. With the mixer set to low, add the water/yeast mixture and the olive oil.

3. Knead for about 5 mins, until the dough is smooth. If it's too dry, add an additional tbsp or two of water, mixing well before adding the next. (By hand: stir together all ingredients and knead on the counter for 8-10 mins.)

4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 2-3 mins until the dough is very smooth and then shape it into a ball.

5. Place the dough in a well-oiled large bowl, turning the dough so it is coated on all sides and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 - 1 1/2 hrs. (Place the bowl in the warmest part of your kitchen.)

6. Lightly punch down the down and divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roughly shape the divided pieces into balls and cover with plastic wrap.

Garlic Oil

1. Combine the olive oil and the garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer and become fragrant, turn off the heat let the oil come to room temperature with the garlic cloves still in it. After 30 mins to an hour, strain out the cloves and reserve. (Extra garlic oil can be stored in the refrigerator for future use.)

Make the Pizzas

1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F or as high as your oven will go. Once the oven is hot, place your cast iron skillet in the oven for about 5 minutes. While the pan heats, stretch the dough.

2. Working with one piece and leaving the other covered, use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch the dough into a round shape (about 12 inches). If the dough springs back and loses its shape, cover it and set aside for a few mins before re-rolling (this allows the dough to relax).
   

3. Take the skillet out of the oven (careful! it will be crazy hot!) and place on a cooling rack or trivet. Sprinkle the bottom with a little cornmeal. Place the stretched dough in the pan and stretch it evenly, a little up the sides of the pan. 

Classic Pizza

1. Brush the dough with 1 tbsp garlic oil. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 2-3 minutes, just until the dough begins to bubble. 

2. Remove the skillet from the oven and spread the marinara sauce evenly over the dough, bringing it right to the edges.

3. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan, again, bring it close to the edges. Scatter a few torn basil leaves over the pizza and brush the edges with garlic oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a drizzle of the garlic oil.

4. Place the skillet back in the oven and bake for 10-12 mins, or until the pizza is golden brown and bubbling and the crust is cooked through. Slice and serve hot.

White Mushroom Pizza

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over med/high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until golden brown and the water is released, about 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle with the thyme. Reserve.

2. Brush the dough with 1 tbsp garlic oil. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 2-3 minutes, just until the dough begins to bubble. 

3. Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella and fontina cheese over the dough, bringing it close to the edges. Scatter the sautéed mushrooms over the pizza, and then add several small dollops of ricotta. Brush the edges with garlic oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a drizzle of the garlic oil.

4. Place the skillet back in the oven and bake for 10-12 mins, or until the pizza is golden brown and bubbling and the crust is cooked through. Slice and serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Special equipment: 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet

Yield: Two pizzas

 

• This pizza dough is very forgiving. You can roll it with a rolling pin or simply stretch it with your hands. The goal is a round of even thickness about an inch larger than your skillet. And by no means does it need to be perfect. Lay it in the pan and scootch it around til it fits.
• Heat your oven as high as it will go and pop the cast iron skillet in the oven for a few minutes before you place the dough in it. This will help the dough cook through and guarantee a nice, crisp crust.
• A sprinkle of cornmeal in the pan before the dough goes down helps to prevent sticking.
• Don't over-sauce or over-top the pizza. In this case, there can be too much of a good thing. Too much on top will weigh down the pizza and prevent it from baking evenly.
• If you're making the mushroom pizza, don't skip sautéing the mushrooms before using them as a topping. This pizza cooks quickly and you want those toppings ready to go. By pre-cooking the mushrooms, you're cooking out the moisture and therefore preventing a soggy pie.
• Make this pie your own. Add veggies, meat, and herbs to suit your tastes. Just please, don't add pineapple (sorry, not sorry!).

 

Nutrition Facts

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 575 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 57mg19%

Sodium 944mg41%

Potassium 254mg7%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 545IU11%

Vitamin C 1.5mg2%

Calcium 345mg35%

Iron 3.1mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.