Nothing is better than a homemade crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside deep dish pizza crust, but let’s take that up a notch and make it in a cast iron skillet on the grill.  This Family Night is going to start with an outdoor picnic enjoying a great summer night with this Grilled Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza!

Most Fridays we make our own pizza, it’s great ways to get the kids involved.  The pizza dough, I love to make, is my no hands knead less pizza dough.  After so many years in the dental field, my wrists and my hands just really hurt at times, which is why I love my kitchen aid stand mixer.  I use the dough hook to mix which lightly knead the dough.  This dough can also be made a few hours before or the night before, placed in the fridge and in the morning put out on the counter in an oiled bowl then when you get home it’s ready to go. Whether you are making Traditional Pizza or Cast Iron Pizza this is my go to pizza dough recipe.

I really enjoy Friday’s… Don’t know if I have mentioned that before Hahaha!! It’s not only family fun night, pizza, movies, games, wings, popcorn, and relax. It’s also the night I get to indulge in, what many would consider bad for you, yummy food.  Monday-Thursday I try to keep the meals healthy and balanced, typically we have more veggies than meat, low fat, combined with sensible portions, but the weekends are indulgent!  See my diet philosophy is once you say diet you fail, you have to learn to control your desire to eat the entire chocolate cake and just have a slice.  It’s more about portions and moderation than excluding and revoking certain foods.

But! To be open and honest even our weekends are pretty healthy home-cooked meals, but instead of Halibut and Farro, we are eating pulled pork and potatoes or Grilled Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza with our two vegetable sides.

It’s summer time which means outdoor fun, my kids do not want to be cooped up inside, therefore we have been making a lot of pizza’s outside on the grill.   I really like to place the dough in the cast iron and make a somewhat deep dish pizza, nice and crispy on the outside soft and chewy on the inside!! Topped with a robust tomato sauce, spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms and onions, black olives and of course cheese making the Ultimate Grilled Cast Iron Pizza.

No meal would be complete without a vegetable, and nothing goes better with Grilled Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza than a Grilled Peach Salad with Grilled Lemon Dijon Dressing.  The only question that is left is how do you like your Pizza?

Hope you all enjoy and if you like what you see make sure you sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get a heads up on what’s to come, recipes straight to your inbox, and future giveaways! Also, remember you can show your love by #messycuttingboardrecipes!

Print Recipe

Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza

A crust that is nice and crispy on the outside soft and chewy on the inside topped with a robust tomato sauce, spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms and onions, black olives and of course cheese making the Ultimate Grilled Cast Iron Pizza.  

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 envelope instant dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour plus more for rolling

Pizza Sauce

• 1 10.75 oz can Tomato Puree
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tbsp dried basil
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tbsp onion powder
• 1/4 tbsp dried thyme

Pizza Toppings

• 1/2 small yellow onion sliced
• 4 baby portabella mushrooms sliced
• 4 tbsp sliced black olives
• 1/4 lb Ground Mild Italian Sausage
• 1/4 cup Pepperoni slices
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Pizza Dough

• In a large stand mixer add the water yeast and sugar.  Allow 3-5 minutes until yeast starts to bubble up before adding the salt, oil, and flour, using a dough hook mix until well combined and everything in the bowl has formed a ball.  Remove dough from the hook, cover and allow to double in size about 1 hour.  

Make the Pizza Sauce

• In a medium mixing bowl combine tomato puree, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside until your ready to build your pizza! 

Assemble the Pizza

• Brown the Sausage and saute the onions and mushrooms.  Set aside for later
• Place your dough in the cast iron skillet, press and stretch it to fill the bottom of the cast iron skillet push and press it up the sides about 1/2 inch to form the crust. Place the skillet on the grill to get the crust started. No one likes a soggy crust.  I allow the crust to cook for 7-8 minutes.  
  
• Keeping the Cast Iron Pizza on the grill, spread the sauce all over the crust,  then place 1/2 the sausage, pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms and onions, black olives, over the sauce.  Add the cheese then finish by adding the rest of the sausage, pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms and onions, black olives. Close the grill and allow to cook until all the cheese is melted and the sides of the crust start to turn golden brown (the crust should start to pull away from your cast iron as it cooks) 10-15 minutes. 
  
• Using hot mitts (the cast iron will be extremely hot) remove it from the grill and allow the pizza to cool slightly before cutting and serving.
  

Notes

When making pizza crust use bread flour for a nice crispy crust but if you like a more chewy crust substitute with all purpose flour.

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