This Homemade Pepperoni Pizza has everything you want—a great crust, gooey cheese, and tons of pepperoni. The Secret to Great Pepperoni Flavor? Hide extra under the cheese! Who needs delivery?
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My kids love pizza, so pepperoni pizza is usually a surefire hit at dinner. But if I’m honest, I rarely do do Pizza for my kids. I consider pizza a cheat night for me, and I get delivery.
Video: Cooking Pepperoni Pizza with Nick
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Cook it | Pepperoni pizza
The best dough for pizza
First to the dough: Don’t overdo it! If this is your first time making pizza at home, just buy the dough. You can usually find pizza dough at the grocery store, or some pizza places will sell you a pound lump of dough for a few dollars.
If you want to try homemade pizza dough, start with a no-knead version. It’s very easy to do and virtually failsafe.
Two options for a crispy crust
Use a pizza stone: This is my favorite way to get a great crust, but it requires some equipment. You’ll need a pizza stone and a pizza peel (the thing you use to push the pizza onto the stone). However, if you have these two things, you can open a pizzeria in your kitchen! This is a reliable, low-stress method once you get the hang of it. The pizza is a little freer at the end and you can make the crust nice and thin, which I like. A large pizza cooks in 12-14 minutes on a hot stone.
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Use a cast iron skillet: If you don’t have a pizza stone, place your dough in a large cast iron skillet and press out, sides up slightly. You’ll get a slightly thicker crust than the pizza stone, but not the thickness of a deep bowl. Place the pan on your stovetop over high heat for two minutes (this will help form a crispy crust), then place in your oven to finish baking.
Another tip for a great crust: A super hot oven!
When you’re getting a really good pizza from a brick oven pizza place, the ovens are HOT – much hotter than you can realistically get from a home oven. But the rule still applies The hotter your oven, the crispier and more delicious your crust will be.
So, crank your oven up to 500 ̊F or even 550 ̊F if your oven can handle it. If you’re using a pizza stone, allow the stone to preheat for 20 minutes so it gets nice and hot.
The secret for the best pepperoni taste
There are so many different types of pepperoni available in the store these days, and you can use any of these options for pizza. For my money, however, I prefer small, thinly sliced peppers so they get a nice char on top. If you use thicker slices of pepperoni, you will have a tougher texture. It’s personal preference!
I always find it lame when I get a pepperoni pizza that has about five pieces of pepperoni on it. But if you pile a ton of pepperoni on top of that, you’ll end up with a greasy mess.
So what to do? Chop up half the peppers and layer them under the cheese with the sauce!
This gives the pizza an amazing pepperoni flavor. I call it my “bonus pepperoni” layer!
The best way to reheat leftover pizza
You’re welcome, You’re welcome-Don’t microwave pizza! Eat it cold before putting it in the microwave. If you put it in the microwave, the crust will turn into a mushy mess.
Pizza is best reheated in a pan, cast iron or similar. Add a dash of oil over medium-high heat, then add the pizza. Then cover the pan and bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp again, about 3 to 4 minutes.
The father adds: honey butter
This is something I picked up from a local pizza place in Colorado. (Shout Beau Jo’s Pizza!) They serve their pizza with honey butter on the side, which is great for dipping the crust. I made the honey butter for myself, but my kids wolfed it down too.
The children’s certificate
I can always count on my kids to eat a pizza but as they usually eat deliveries it was nice to show them that pizza can also be made at home. And it turns out Dad makes a good pizza! I used my trick of hiding pepperoni under the cheese to tell my kids there are bonus pepperoni on the pizza, and could they find it?! (Yes, yes, they could.)
When I served this to my kids I half hoped they would turn it down for some reason so I could have a curveball for the report card, but no. Pizza is pizza. It’s always a winner.
More great pizza recipes:
- Tin pizza for meat lovers
- Grilled pizza with peppers, broccoli and onions
- BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Pizza
- Sheet metal pizza with roasted cauliflower and vegetables
- Spinach Artichoke Sheet Pan Pizza
Homemade pepperoni pizza
To make this even easier, skip the homemade sauce and use your favorite canned pizza sauce instead.
ingredients
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16 ounces Pizza doughstore-bought or homemade (I like this no-knead version, but note that this recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas)
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1/2 Cup pizza sauce (see below)
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18 to 20 slices pepperoni
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12 ounces Mozzarella cheese, grated
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1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1 teaspoon fresh oregano, Optional
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flour for rolling and shaping dough
For the quick pizza sauce:
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1/2 Cup tomato sauce (without salt)
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
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1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
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1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon olive oil
For the honey butter (dad add):
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1/4 Cup softened butter
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2 tablespoon honey
method
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Preheat the oven:
Preheat oven to 500°F. If you’re using a pizza stone, preheat it in the oven for at least 20 minutes so it’s nice and hot too.
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Make the sauce:
If using my sauce recipe, stir the ingredients together. The sauce recipe is just enough for a large pizza. You can easily double it if you’re making more than one pizza.
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Roll out the dough:
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. If it’s hard to roll, let it sit for 5 minutes to come to room temperature. For a large pizza, I like to roll my dough into a circle about 14 inches in diameter.
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Add the toppings:
Transfer the dough to a lightly dusted pizza peel. Alternatively, you can build it into a large cast iron.
Add the sauce in a thin layer all over the pizza, leaving about 1/4 inch crust around the edges. Chop half the peppers and sprinkle over the sauce. Top the pizza with grated cheese and the remaining peppers. Season with black pepper.
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Bake pizza:
If using a pizza stone, gently push the pizza into the center of the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 6 minutes, then turn the pizza halfway so it cooks evenly. Cook an additional 6-8 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and charred in places.
If you use a pan, press the batter into a cast-iron skillet and add toppings. Place the pan over a high heat stove for 2 minutes to preheat and immediately cook the crust. Then place in a 500°F oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
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Cut and serve:
Use the pizza shovel to push the pizza onto a cutting board. Let the pizza rest for a minute and cut into slices. Season with fresh oregano (optional). Serve warm with a side salad.
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Make the honey butter (optional):
Stir together the softened butter and honey, then serve alongside the dipping crust pizza.
Store leftover pizza in the refrigerator for up to three days. Heat the pizza in a sturdy pan over medium heat with a little oil. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 313 | calories |
| 14g | Fat |
| 32g | carbohydrates |
| 15g | protein |
