Authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza isn’t just pizza — it’s an experience. With its tall, buttery crust, layers of gooey mozzarella, hearty fillings, and rich tomato sauce spooned generously on top, this iconic dish is worlds apart from thin-crust pizza. It’s bold, indulgent, and unapologetically comforting.

Born in Chicago in the 1940s, deep dish pizza was designed to be filling, hearty, and satisfying — almost like a savory pie. Unlike traditional pizzas where sauce goes under the cheese, Chicago deep dish flips the script: cheese goes first, then toppings, and finally a thick layer of crushed tomato sauce. This technique protects the cheese from burning during the longer bake time and creates the signature structure that deep dish is known for.

This recipe stays true to Chicago tradition. The crust is rich and slightly flaky thanks to butter and cornmeal. The cheese is sliced (not shredded) mozzarella for proper melt. The sauce is simple, chunky, and tomato-forward. And the bake time allows everything to meld together into one unforgettable slice.

What Makes Chicago Deep Dish Authentic?

True Chicago-style deep dish pizza has several defining features:

Thick, buttery crust pressed up the sides of a deep pan
Cornmeal in the dough for texture and flavor
Cheese layered directly on the crust
Chunky tomato sauce on top
Longer bake time than traditional pizza

This isn’t fast food pizza — it’s slow-baked, deeply satisfying comfort food.

Ingredients

Deep Dish Pizza Dough

All-purpose flour
Yellow cornmeal
Instant yeast
Sugar
Salt
Water
Olive oil
Unsalted butter, melted

Pizza Filling

Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, sliced
Italian sausage (or preferred topping)

Chicago-Style Tomato Sauce

Crushed tomatoes
Garlic, minced
Olive oil
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Salt
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Make the Dough
In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water, olive oil, and melted butter. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Knead and Rise
Knead dough until smooth. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1–1½ hours until doubled.
Prepare the Sauce
Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and cook briefly. Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 20 minutes.
Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Generously grease a deep dish pizza pan or cast-iron skillet.
Form the Crust
Press dough into the pan, pushing it up the sides to form a tall crust.
Layer the Pizza (Important!)
- First: sliced mozzarella directly on the dough
- Second: sausage or toppings
- Third: chunky tomato sauce on top
Bake
Bake for 35–45 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.
Rest and Serve
Let pizza rest 10 minutes before slicing to set properly.