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Pizza night just got even easier than before! Did you know there isa pan in your kitchen that is perfect for making the best, crusty, thick pizzas? No, it isn’t a sheet pan. Next time you are in the mood for some homemade pizza, whip out your largest cast iron skillet and enjoy! Tonight, I got to indulge on an amazing sausage and mushroom cast iron pizza, which was savory and rich with the perfect crust. Trust me when I say, though, that the basics of this recipe can be altered for any pizza toppings!
Cast Iron Pizza
The key to a great cast iron pizza is making sure that your oven in scorching hot! I am talking 500 degrees (or 525 if your oven gets that high). A cast iron pan conducts heat extremely well, so the hotter the oven, the more heat directly touches the dough. This makes a super crispy. While the oven preheats, take your pizza dough out of the fridge to rest on the counter for at least 10 minutes. This takes the chill off of the dough, and the closer to room temperature it is, the quicker it will heat up in the over…another step in a crispy crust!
Speaking of dough, I used a 16 oz ball of dough I bought at my grocery store’s hot food counter. You can also buy dough at your favorite pizza place, use the kind in the can, or make your own! Either way, once it has had a chance to rest, drizzle and spread 2-3 tbsp of olive oil all over your 12in cast iron and use your fingers to spread the dough into an even layer that touches all of the edges.
Sausage Mushroom Pizza
Now that the dough has rested and is set up in your skillet, it is time to layer. For this, I took the white pizza route and started with 1/2 cup of Alfredo sauce on the dough, using a spoon to spread it close to the edges of the dough. Next, I topped the sauce with about 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella. I then took about 6-8 oz of raw sweet Italian sausage (don’t worry, it will cook through in the hot oven!) and tore off nickel sized pieces to place on top of the cheese.
The next layer was 1/4 cup of thinly sliced white onion, followed by a medley of sliced mushrooms that I placed on the pizza. I used a blend of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms, but use whatever you have on hand! Finally, using a spoon, dollop 1/3-1/2 cup of ricotta on the pizza and sprinkle on 1 tbsp of dried basil.
To note, this is one variation of this pizza, but use the same layering technique for any type of pizza or toppings you can think of. For my husband, I made a simple 3 cheese pizza with marinara instead of Alfredo. Load it up with all of the veggies you can think or, or even all of the meats. Heck, throw some pineapple on there for all I care! Just avoid quick cooking ingredients like raw spinach or fresh garlic that could burn easily.
Place on the bottom rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes until the cheese and dough begin to turn brown and bubbly. Using the bottom rack allows the cast iron to get in close contact to the heat. This makesor a super crispy crust on the bottom! Once the pizza is done to your liking, let it cool for 2-3 minutes, slice and serve. Pizza night is now a whole new experience
Want More Quick Dinner Ideas?
- Mexican Street Corn Chicken Tacos
- Buffalo Chicken Burger
- Taco Cups
- Shrimp And Corn Chowder
- Teriyaki Chicken And Veggie Kebabs
- Southwest Guacamole Turkey Burgers
Cast Iron Sausage Mushroom Pizza
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 16 oz prepared pizza dough
- ½ cup Alfredo sauce
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 8 oz ground sweet Italian sausage uncooked
- ¼ cup sweet white onion sliced thin
- 4 oz sliced mushrooms I used a blend of cremini, shiitake, and oyster
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp dried basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°
- Let the pizza dough rest on the counter at least 10 minutes.
- In a 12in cast iron skillet, drizzle in the olive oil. Use your fingers to push the dough around the skillet to completely cover the bottom
- Pour Alfredo sauce on the dough and use a spoon to spread it close to the edges of the dough.
- Top the sauce with shredded mozzarella. Break up the raw sausage into nickel sized pieces and place on top of the cheese.
- Place the mushrooms on the pizza as well. Using a spoon, dollop the ricotta all over the pizza and sprinkle the basil over the entire pizza.
- Place on the bottom rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes or until the cheese and dough begin to turn golden brown and bubbly.
- Let the pizza cool for 2-3 minutes, slice and serve.
