Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (2024)

Meal Kit

with ricotta, spinach, and roasted red peppers

Prep & Cook Time:50-60 min.

Difficulty Level:Expert

Spice Level:Mild

Cook Within:7 days

Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (1)

Contains:Milk, Wheat, Soy

  • Vegetarian

All ingredients are individually packaged, but our central facilityis not certified allergen-free. Furthermore, ingredient contentsmay vary. Please check ingredient packaging forallergens and nutrition facts.If you have serious allergies, please use your best judgment orconsult a health professional to decide if our meals are safe foryou!

A note about serious food allergies

Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (2)

Deep dish pizza is a uniquely Chicago institution, and because it's our hometown, we'd be remiss if we didn't share our secret for making one in your own kitchen. Our veggie version is packed with fresh spinach, creamy ricotta cheese, and roasted red peppers baked in an easy-to-make dough. You don't have to visit the City of Broad Shoulders to enjoy some of its authentic fare.

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  • 9oz.Self-Rising Flour
  • 8oz.Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 8fl. oz.Pizza Sauce
  • 6oz.Shredded Mozzarella
  • 5oz.Baby Spinach
  • 4oz.Roasted Red Peppers
  • ⅓cupWhole Milk Ricotta Cheese
  • ¼oz.Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • ½tsp.Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1tsp.Dried Oregano
  • 18" Pie Pan

Due to our just-in-time sourcing model, we may have to send you asubstitute ingredient. Not to worry! We make sure every ingredientsent to you meets our high quality standards. We’ll keep youinformed should a switch occur, so please check the ingredientlabels in your meal bag.

  • Olive Oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Cooking Spray
  • 1Baking Sheet
  • 1Large Pan
  • 1Wire-Mesh Strainer
  • 1Mixing Bowl

Before You Cook

To ensure food safety, the FDA recommends the following as minimum internal cooking temperatures:

  • Steak and Pork 145° F (rest cooked meat, 3 minutes) |
  • Seafood 145° F |
  • Chicken 165° F |
  • Ground Beef 160° F |
  • Ground Turkey 165° F |
  • Ground Pork 160° F
  1. Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (3)

    Prepare Ingredients and Make Filling

    Coat inside of pie pan with cooking spray. Cut roasted red peppers into 1/4" dice. Place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tsp. olive oil to hot pan. Add spinach and roasted red peppers. Cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from burner and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to cool, place in a wire-mesh strainer or kitchen towel, and squeeze out liquid. Measure out 1/2 cup flour and set aside. Place remaining flour in a mixing bowl with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, all but 2 Tbsp. yogurt, and a pinch of salt.

  2. Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (4)

    Knead the Dough

    Mix dough until a loose, crumbly ball forms, 1-2 minutes Dough will be shaggy until kneaded. Lightly dust a clean work surface with reserved flour. Turn dough onto dusted surface and knead 5 minutes, folding dough over on itself and pressing down with the heel of your hand. Dough should be slightly sticky. If it feels too wet, add some reserved flour. If it feels too dry and crumbly, add some reserved yogurt.

  3. Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (5)

    Roll the Dough

    Using a rolling pin or wine bottle, roll dough into a 13” circle about 1/4" thick. Dust underneath dough with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Carefully lift dough into pie pan and press against sides. Avoid stretching dough. Instead, lift excess dough from sides further down into pan. Trim overhanging dough.

  4. Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (6)

    Build the Pizza

    Spread ricotta on dough. Top with 1/3 the mozzarella. Chicago deep dish pizzas are "upside-down" and have cheese on bottom and sauce on top. Place an even layer of filling on cheese and add remaining mozzarella. Top with pizza sauce and season with 1/2 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper.

  5. Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (7)

    Bake the Pizza

    Place pizza pan on prepared baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake until crust is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Cooling allows pizza to better hold together, making it easier to remove from pan.

  6. Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (8)

    Plate the Dish

    Carefully remove pizza from pan with a spatula. You may have to bend or cut the disposable pan with scissors. Garnish with grated Parmesan, oregano, and red pepper flakes (to taste).

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Chicago-Style Veggie Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - Home Chef (2024)

FAQs

What are the layers of Chicago deep dish pizza? ›

It's All in the Layers!

You start with a layer of mozzarella cheese slices on the bottom not the top! This keeps the crust crisp and allows the cheese to melt and ooze to the max. Top it with crumbled, cooked sausage (or other fillings of your choice) and spread the sauce on top not the bottom!

What's the difference between deep-dish and Chicago style pizza? ›

Chicago style pizza has a deep, dense crust and is cooked in a high-sided pan. It's also known as "deep dish pizza" and takes longer to bake than other pizza types. The crust is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and it's loaded with cheese, sauce, and toppings.

Is deep dish pizza dough different from regular pizza dough? ›

The high fat composition of a deep-dish dough means that the fat can coat a high proportion of the flour particles. Because fat repels moisture, this stops the liquid in the sauce from seeping into the dough. As a result, the crust stays crispy on the bottom, and the sauce stays in the pizza, where we want it to be.

What is a traditional Chicago deep dish pizza? ›

Chicago-style pizza usually refers to deep-dish pizza, which is a thick pizza baked in a pan and layered with cheese, fillings like meat and vegetables, and sauce–in that order. The crust is usually two to three inches tall and gets slightly fried due to the oil in the pan.

What toppings are good on Chicago pizza? ›

Usually, a Chicago style pizza uses toppings like ground beef, mushrooms, green peppers, pepperoni, sausage, and onion. How is it Made? The preparation method of a Chicago style pizza is different from that of a conventional pizza. The crust is prepared from wheat flour mixed with either corn oil or butter.

Is Chicago pizza thin or thick crust? ›

Chicago-style deep-dish pizza may be prepared in the deep-dish style and as a stuffed pizza. Chicago-style thin-crust pizza dough is rolled for a thinner crispier crust than other thin-crust styles. The thin-crust pizza is cut in squares instead of slices, and is also referred to as a "tavern-style" pizza.

Why is the cheese under the sauce in Chicago pizza? ›

Chicago style pizza sauce is thicker and chunkier than many other sauce varieties. Additionally, it is placed on the top of the cheese instead of the cheese going on it. This is because these pizzas bake longer than flat ones and if the cheese were on the top, it would burn.

Who is the most famous deep-dish Chicago pizza? ›

Lou Malnati's, the Best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Restaurant.

Why is Chicago deep dish pizza so good? ›

The extra-high crust makes space for lots more cheese, tomato sauce, and toppings than pan pies. WITH A NAME THAT REFERENCES ONIONS, it's no wonder that Chicagoans like their pizza with plenty of flavor. Tomato sauce is much thicker than the sauce on pan pizzas.

What is the best flour for deep dish pizza? ›

The best flour for making Deep-Dish Pizza Dough is all-purpose flour. In bakeries and pizzerias, Pizza Flour is often used because it is a high-protein flour that produces a light and airy crust. However, all-purpose flour will also work well for Deep-Dish Pizza Dough.

Should I pre-bake my deep dish pizza crust? ›

If you're struggling to get your base to hold up to the extra moisture in the sauce and toppings, try to pre-bake the base for 10 minutes at 450℉ before you layer on the cheese, sauce, and toppings. This helps to create a firm foundation and stops the sauce from seeping through.

Why does Chicago style pizza have sauce on top? ›

The reason for this being the dough used for Chicago pizzas takes longer to cook than the dough used for NY pizzas. Consequently, the ingredients for the pizza have to be layered in a very specific way so they don't burn: with the sauce on top.

What is a pizza without tomato sauce called? ›

White pizza (Italian: pizza bianca) is a style of pizza that does not use tomato sauce. The pizza generally consists of pizza dough, olive oil, garlic, cheese, salt and, sometimes, toppings including vegetables such as spinach, tomato, and herbs.

What US city is famous for deep-dish pizza? ›

That's because it was invented here and loved by so many. Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo invented Chicago deep-dish pizza. These two used their love for business and Italian cuisine and opened Pizzeria Uno in Chicago in 1943.

Does Chicago deep dish pizza have a top crust? ›

Its deep-dish pizzas feature an extra layer of dough on the top. Ordering Giordano's for delivery can feel a bit like getting a Christmas present. Think of the layer of bright red sauce on top as the wrapping paper, and the ingredients as the surprise inside a box made of dough.

Why is the cheese on the bottom of a deep-dish pizza? ›

The cheese's placement helps to create a moisture barrier between the crust and the sauce, keeping the crust crispy, golden-brown, and delicious. In your home kitchen, you can (theoretically) use anything that is deep enough and gets hot enough to make your deep dish pizza.

What is the difference between Chicago and Detroit pizza? ›

The flaky, thin, deep crust of a conventional pie forms the foundation of a Chicago-style slice. On the other hand, Detroit-style pizza features a base with a thick, airy crust akin to focaccia. The lighter texture and cheesy, crispy underside of a crust made in the Detroit style set it apart from other crusts.

Why does Chicago pizza have sauce on top? ›

The reason for this being the dough used for Chicago pizzas takes longer to cook than the dough used for NY pizzas. Consequently, the ingredients for the pizza have to be layered in a very specific way so they don't burn: with the sauce on top.

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