This easy cast iron pizza has an incredibly crispy crust that’s thick and fluffy on the inside. It’s like a deep dish pizza you can top with anything you like and enjoy in just 30 minutes!
Once you try cast iron pizza, you’ll never return to a regular pizza pan. We thought we were homemade pizza snobs, but it turns out we’ve been missing out on this genius way of cooking a pizza!
A cast iron skillet has a magical ability to distribute and retain heat, leaving you with a beautifully risen, golden pizza crust that’s crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Top it with all of the toppings you love, and dig in!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- Quick and easy. It’s a great weeknight dinner with easy-to-love toppings and a quick 30-minute cook time.
- The crispiest pizza crust. Cooking pizza in a cast iron skillet is the best way to crisp up the dough. The skillet distributes and retains heat like a pro, leaving the crust with a golden color, a fluffy, tender inside, and a crunchy outside.
- Fresh and vibrant toppings. Shredded mozzarella, peppery arugula, and salty prosciutto make this pizza feel like it was delivered straight from Italy.
- Fun to customize. Go ahead and get creative! You can top this pie with all of your favorites.
Ingredients needed
I used my 2 ingredient pizza dough to make the crust, which is a combination of flour and yogurt. However, like any good cast iron pizza crust recipe, ANY crust will work! Here is what you’ll need:
- Self-rising flour. A combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Greek yogurt. This adds heaps of moisture and flavor to the dough without needing oil or butter.
Substitution idea
For dairy-free pizza crust, use your favorite coconut-based vegan yogurt. You can also use sour cream or quark (European-style cottage cheese) in place of the yogurt.
- Olive oil. To brush on the skillet.
For the toppings:
- Pizza sauce. Any flavorful jarred pizza sauce or marinara sauce will do just fine.
- Mozzarella cheese. Use low-moisture mozzarella for the stretchiest cheese pulls and most heavenly pizza slices.
- Italian seasoning. Use a store-bought seasoning blend to keep this recipe as easy as possible.
- Prosciutto. Think of prosciutto as an upgrade to pepperoni; the thinly sliced cured pork is perfectly salty and fatty, making for a crowd-pleasing Italian pizza.
- Arugula. Remember to top this on the pizza after it comes out of the oven. No one likes warm, wilted arugula.
How to make pizza in a cast iron skillet
Make the pizza dough. Combine the flour and Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl until combined. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface, then knead until it turns into a smooth ball.
Assemble the pizza. Grease a cast iron skillet with olive oil and place the dough in the middle. Press it down until it stretches out to the sides.
Spread the pizza sauce on top, then add your toppings.
Bake. Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Slice and serve. Let the finished pizza cool for a few minutes. Top it with arugula when it’s ready, then slice it up and serve!
Recipe tips and tricks
Adjust the dough ratio. Is the dough too wet or sticky? Add a little more flour at a time until it’s easier to handle. Or, if it’s too dry, add more yogurt.
Rest the dough. If the dough is springing back while you’re stretching it out, let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes. This gives the gluten time to relax, which makes the dough easier to work with.
Pre-make the dough. Get a head start on this recipe by preparing the dough up to 4 hours before baking.
Use another crust. Thanks to the nature of a cast iron skillet, you can use any crust you like. Some fabulous ideas include cauliflower crust, chicken crust, or sourdough crust.
Pizza topping variations
Use these ideas to customize your pizza toppings:
Sauce: Swap the tomato sauce for barbecue sauce, a white sauce, creamy garlic sauce, or pesto.
Meat: Pepperoni, diced pre-cooked chicken, sauteed Italian sausage, meatballs, anchovies, etc.
Vegetables: Sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives, broccoli florets, red onion, etc.
Garnishes: Once the pizza is out of the oven, top it with fresh basil leaves, ricotta cheese, freshly grated parmesan, burrata cheese, or hot honey.
Storage instructions
To store. Store the leftover pizza or slices in an airtight container or wrapped in foil. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
To freeze. I don’t recommend freezing the leftover pizza because the crust becomes crumbly once it’s thawed.
To reheat. You can retain the crispy, crunchy pizza crust by reheating the leftovers in a skillet in the oven or on the stove, or in the air fryer heated to 350ºF.
More pizza recipes
Frequently asked questions
You’ll need a 12-inch cast iron skillet or oven-proof skillet to make this recipe.
Preheating the skillet ahead of time isn’t a necessary step. However, it can help the pizza cook faster. If you want to try this method, keep the pan in the oven as it’s preheating, then brush it with oil and assemble the pizza as normal.
Yes, you can make gluten free pizza dough by adding xanthan gum to my self rising flour recipe.
Cast Iron Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups self rising flour
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup proscuitto
- 1/4 cup Arugula
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and Greek yogurt and mix until combined. If the dough is too thin, add more flour. If the dough is too thick, add more yogurt.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead several times.
- Grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Transfer the dough onto it and press down until it reaches the sides. Brush the crust with some olive oil.
- Spread pizza sauce over the top and then your favorite toppings, including cheese and prosciotto.
- Bake the pizza for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, toss arugula over the top, and let the pizza sit for two minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Do you preheat the oven? What temperature do you bake the pizza at?
This looks great for us pizza lovers when we are on tight schedules or just want more leisure and less cooking time. We use self rising gluten free flour regularly. Would that work with this recipe?
Absolutely!
At what temperature does the pizza bake?
180c/350F