Spicy Pepperoni Pan Pizza

When you're craving pizza but don't want to spend hours preparing it, try this spicy pepperoni pan pizza. The dough comes together in minutes making this dish easy to prepare for a quick and delicious weeknight meal.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the pizza dough, providing structure and texture.
• Instant dry yeast: This recipe uses instant dry yeast which activates quickly and doesn't require proofing, making it convenient for quick recipes. You can use active dry yeast instead of instant dry yeast, but you'll need to activate it in warm water before adding it to the dough.
• Shredded mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella is a classic pizza cheese known for its ability to melt easily and mild flavor. It adds gooeyness and creaminess to the pizza, creating that iconic stretchy cheese pull. You can use other melting cheeses like provolone, fontina, or Monterey Jack if you prefer. However, mozzarella provides the traditional pizza flavor.
• Shredded cheddar: Shredded cheddar adds a bold and tangy flavor to the pizza, complementing the mozzarella. It also provides a slightly firmer texture compared to mozzarella when melted. If you don't have cheddar cheese, you can use another sharp cheese like Colby Jack or Gouda for a similar flavor profile.
• Pizza sauce: You can use jarred pizza sauce, marinara sauce, or even homemade tomato sauce seasoned with Italian herbs as a substitute for pizza sauce. My favorite brand of pizza sauce is Rao's homemade pizza sauce.
• Pepperoni: We're going with the classic pepperoni topping for this pan pizza, similar to a classic Detroit pizza.
• Hot honey: Hot honey adds a sweet and spicy kick to the pizza, enhancing the overall flavor profile. It provides a contrast to the savory and salty elements, creating a delicious balance of flavors. If you can't find hot honey, you can make your own hot honey by mixing regular honey with a pinch of red chili flakes or a dash of hot sauce.

Substitutions and variations

• Flour: You can substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour if you prefer a chewier crust. Alternatively, you can use whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor, but the texture will be denser.
• Toppings: You can substitute pepperoni with any other topping such as sausage, ham, peppers, mushrooms, olives, etc.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare dough

Let's begin by making the pizza dough. Start by combining warm water, instant dry yeast, sugar, all-purpose flour, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. You want the water to be around 100 degrees F, warm enough to activate the yeast but not too hot that it'll kill it.

You can use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, but I decided to use instant to reduce the preparation time. If using active dry yeast, you need to take an extra step and activate it. Combine the yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy before adding it to the flour mixture.

Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, then transfer it to a clean working surface. Dust the surface with flour and knead the dough for about 4 minutes.

Alternatively, you can knead the dough in a stand mixer for the same amount of time. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

Step 2: Par-bake

Once the dough has rested, transfer it to a 10-inch cast iron pan that has been brushed with olive oil. The oil will help prevent the pizza from sticking.

For a thinner crust, you can use a 12-inch skillet, but make sure to adjust the final baking time accordingly.

If you don't have a cast iron pan, you can use an oven-safe pan or a 9x9 inch baking dish. But the advantage of using a cast iron pan is that it's able to distribute heat more evenly resulting in better browning and a more flavorful crust. You won't get the same results with a baking dish but it will still get the job done!

Gently spread the dough to fill the pan, ensuring an even thickness across the bottom. Then, par-bake the dough in the cast iron pan for 5 minutes.

Why do you need to par-bake the crust? Because it will help more evenly bake the crust. I have experimented with the recipe, skipping this step with still successful results except that the toppings get too dark. The pizza crust still bakes throughout but it requires a few extra minutes resulting in extra crispy pepperoni and very dark edges.

Step 3: Assemble pizza

While the dough is parbaking, prepare the toppings. Combine shredded sharp cheddar and mozzarella in a bowl, then sprinkle two-thirds of the cheese mixture over the partially baked dough, ensuring it reaches the edges. This is a signature feature of Detroit-style pizza that we're going to mimic with this pan pizza.

Next, spoon pizza sauce evenly over the cheese layer and sprinkle with red chili flakes and Italian seasoning. If you want a spicier pizza, double up on the red chili flakes.

Add the remaining cheese on top of the sauce and arrange sliced pepperoni over the cheese layer. It's going to look like too much pepperoni but when the pizza bakes, it will rise and spread the pepperoni out.

I stuck with the classic Detroit-style pizza toppings which include pepperoni and the combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. However, you can get creative and choose a different variation of cheeses and other toppings. Some suggestions include cooked sausage or bacon, and adding vegetables such as bell peppers or mushrooms.

Place the cast iron pan on the lowest rack in the oven and bake the pizza for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted. To check for doneness, the internal temperature of the pizza should reach around 200-210°F (93-99°C).

Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before running a knife or offset spatula around the edges to loosen the pizza. Then, top the pizza with pepperoncini and drizzle hot honey for the final touches.

As soon as I cut into this spicy pepperoni pan pizza I knew it was going to be a winner. I'm a huge advocate for pizza dough that has the time to rest in the fridge overnight and develop amazing flavor and texture. However, if I want something quick that still tastes great, I'm turning to this recipe. Pizza dough ready in 15 minutes? How can you say no to that?

If you want a pepperoni pizza with a more traditional dough, check out this delicious spicy pepperoni pizza with roasted pepper sauce!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the pizza dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. After kneading the dough, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When ready to use, let the dough come to room temperature before shaping it and baking.
• Store: Keep leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Spicy Pepperoni Pan Pizza

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pizza

Servings: 1 10-inch pizza

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Pizza dough

• ¾ cup warm water (187 ml)
• 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (6 grams)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (296 grams)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for drizzling (20 grams)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Remaining ingredients

• 5 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
• 3 ounces shredded mozzarella
• ¾ cup pizza sauce
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3 ounces sliced pepperoni
• 2 tablespoons sliced pepperoncini
• 2 tablespoons hot honey

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Brush 10-inch cast iron pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, coating the bottom and sides of the pan.
• Make pizza dough. Combine warm water, yeast, sugar, flour, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until dough comes together. Transfer to a clean working counter and knead for 4 minutes. Alternatively, knead the dough in the stand mixer for 4 minutes. Cover dough and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared cast iron pan and gently spread to fill the pan. Bake for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine cheddar and mozzarella in a large bowl. Remove dough from the oven and sprinkle ⅔ of the cheese mixture on top, making sure to spread the cheese to the edge of the dough.
• Spoon pizza sauce on top of the cheese and sprinkle Italian seasoning and red chili flakes. Add remaining cheese and lay pepperoni on top. Place cast iron pan on a baking sheet and bake on the lowest rack in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pizza crust to loosen the edges. Top pizza with pepperoncini and drizzle hot honey on top. Slice and serve.

Notes

If you don't have a cast iron pan, can use an oven-safe pan or 9x9 inch baking dish. You can also use a 12-inch skillet but the crust will be thinner. If using a 12-inch pan, adjust the cooking time accordingly.