Best 4 Chicago Style Stuffed Crust Pizza Recipes

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**Chicago-Style Stuffed Crust Pizza: A Culinary Masterpiece from the Windy City**

Hailing from the heart of the Midwest, Chicago-style stuffed crust pizza is a culinary masterpiece that tantalizes taste buds and captivates pizza enthusiasts worldwide. This deep-dish delicacy features a thick, flaky crust enveloping layers of gooey cheese, savory fillings, and a rich tomato sauce, creating an unforgettable pizza experience. With its distinctive appearance and mouthwatering flavors, Chicago-style stuffed crust pizza has earned its place as a beloved American classic.

This article presents a collection of meticulously crafted recipes that will guide you through the art of making this iconic dish. From the preparation of the dough to the selection of the finest ingredients, each step is explained in detail, ensuring success in your pizza-making endeavors. Discover the secrets behind the perfect crust, the art of layering fillings, and the techniques for achieving that irresistible golden-brown finish.

Whether you are a seasoned pizzaiolo or a home cook seeking a new culinary adventure, this article has something for every level of expertise. With variations ranging from classic pepperoni to adventurous vegetarian options, these recipes cater to diverse tastes and dietary preferences. Immerse yourself in the rich history and unique characteristics of Chicago-style stuffed crust pizza, and elevate your pizza-making skills to new heights.

Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!

CHICAGO-STYLE STUFFED PIZZA



Chicago-Style Stuffed Pizza image

I rate this hearty double-crust pizza as excellent. Favorite fillings are tucked inside, and tasty tomato sauce tops the pie. -Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h

Yield 8 slices.

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 small green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup chopped pepperoni
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup tomato sauce

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil and salt. Add 1-1/2 cups flour and cornmeal; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; let rest for 5 minutes. Divide into two portions, one slightly larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion to a 12-in. circle. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-in. ovenproof skillet., Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook sausage, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Parmesan cheese and oregano. Add to prepared crust. , On a lightly floured surface, roll remaining dough into an 11-in. circle. Place over pizza; seal edges. Cut four slits in top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Spread with tomato sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 379 calories, Fat 16g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 35mg cholesterol, Sodium 906mg sodium, Carbohydrate 41g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 17g protein.

THE REAL CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA DOUGH



The Real Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Dough image

I have it on good authority that this is the real deep dish pizza dough that's used in Chicago. The real thing is nothing like bread, or even pizza, dough. It is a buttery, flaky crust that is achieved by: 1) using corn oil (not butter) and 2) minimal mixing and kneading times. The pizza itself is built with cheese, toppings, and sauce, in that order. I suggest you use 6-in-1® tomatoes which are far superior to other brands. Classico® ground tomatoes are very similar. Contrary to popular opinion, cornmeal is not used in the dough by Chicago pizzerias.

Provided by owensjo

Categories     Bread     Pizza Dough and Crust Recipes

Time 6h25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
1 ⅛ cups warm water - 110 to 115 degrees F (43 to 45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup corn oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

Steps:

  • Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a bowl. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
  • Combine yeast mixture, flour, corn oil, and kosher salt in a large stand mixer with a hook attachment; knead until dough holds together but is still slightly sticky, about 2 minutes.
  • Form dough into a ball and transfer to a buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a towel and allow dough to rise at room temperature until double in size, 6 hours.
  • Punch down dough and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Press dough into a 10-inch deep dish pizza pan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 298.5 calories, Carbohydrate 37 g, Fat 14.3 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 361.5 mg, Sugar 0.9 g

CHICAGO STYLE STUFFED PIZZA



Chicago Style Stuffed Pizza image

For this tasty Chicago-style stuffed pizza, a deep-dish pizza is stuffed with cheese, sausage, pepperoni, onions and green pepper. It's excellent!

Provided by Mark

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pizza Recipes

Time 1h50m

Yield 5

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 teaspoons white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
½ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ pound spicy Italian sausage - browned, drained and crumbled
9 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup diced pepperoni
¼ cup chopped onion
⅛ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup tomato sauce

Steps:

  • To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in 1 cup warm water; in a separate small bowl combine the yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup warm water. Mix together and let rest in bowl for about 20 minutes, until foamy.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix together remaining 2 1/2 cups flour with cornmeal and salt; remove half of this mixture from bowl and stir 1 cup sugar water into bowl. When well mixed, return second half of flour/cornmeal mixture to bowl and mix all together; then stir in yeast mixture. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 12 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in volume.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). To Make Stuffing: In a large bowl combine the sausage, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, pepperoni, onion, bell pepper, oregano and garlic. Mix well.
  • Press half of the dough in the bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased deep dish pan. Bake crust in preheated oven for 4 minutes, then add the stuffing mixture to the bottom crust and cover with top crust; seal edges together with fingers, and trim excess. Slit top crust to allow steam to vent during baking; top with tomato sauce.
  • Bake on lower rack at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then cut and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 702.9 calories, Carbohydrate 75.8 g, Cholesterol 70.2 mg, Fat 30 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 30.5 g, SaturatedFat 11.8 g, Sodium 1646.2 mg, Sugar 5 g

CHICAGO-STYLE STUFFED SPINACH PIZZA



Chicago-Style Stuffed Spinach Pizza image

This is my favorite pizza. It's a little work but, to me, it's worth every minute. Another recipe that I clipped years ago from the Chicago Trib. The prep time includes the dough rising time, though it may be less if you're using quick-rise yeast, which works fine with this recipe.

Provided by Hey Jude

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 2h1m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 22

2 packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 -6 cups flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (squeeze water out with your hands)
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Crust: dissolve yeast and sugar in water in a large bowl; let stand until bubbly; stir in oil then stir in 4 cups of the flour until smooth; add additional flour as needed to form a stiff dough.
  • Lightly flour the work surface; knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes; put into a greased bowl; turn to coat top then let rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Sauce: heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic, cook 2 minutes; stir in tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper; simmer until very thick, about 30 minutes or so.
  • Filling: mix spinach, mozzarella, mushrooms, parmesan, romano, garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Heat oven to 450°.
  • Punch down dough; let rest 10 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan that is at least 2" deep.
  • Roll two-thirds of dough into a 16-inch circle; let sides overhang the pan.
  • Put the spinach mixture into center of dough; smooth evenly over the surface.
  • Roll the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; place over the spinach filling then pinch the edges together and cut excess dough at the edges so that the bottom dough is level with the top crust.
  • Pour sauce over the dough to cover.
  • Bake until crust is golden, 20-40 minutes.
  • Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges for serving.
  • Ice cold beer or root beer is great with this pizza.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 797, Fat 38, SaturatedFat 11.9, Cholesterol 51.6, Sodium 984.8, Carbohydrate 84.9, Fiber 9.9, Sugar 3.9, Protein 32.9

Tips:

  • For a crispy crust, preheat your oven to the highest temperature possible before baking the pizza.
  • Use a pizza stone or baking sheet to help distribute the heat evenly and prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
  • Don't overload the pizza with toppings, as this will make it difficult to cook evenly.
  • If you're using fresh mozzarella, be sure to pat it dry before adding it to the pizza, as excess moisture can make the crust soggy.
  • Be careful not to overcook the pizza, as this will make the crust tough and chewy.

Conclusion:

Chicago-style stuffed crust pizza is a delicious and hearty meal that is perfect for any occasion. By following the tips above, you can make a pizza that is crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and loaded with your favorite toppings. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!

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