No-Knead Deep-Dish Pizza

Craving pizza on a weeknight but you’re tired from work and don’t really feel like cooking up something too complicated? I’ve been there and I’ve done that. Before you pick up that phone to order delivery, though, why not give this No-Knead Deep-Dish Pizza a chance? It comes together so easily, no mixer or heavy elbow grease required. In just about an hour and a half, less time than what you’d have to wait for your local pizza shop to deliver, you can have a delicious homemade deep-dish pie that you won’t feel so guilty about. Did I mention there’s no kneading involved? The dough literally comes together in a bowl with a wooden spoon in no time at all. A short rise means you can get this on the table in a flash. The toppings are endless so you can customize it according to what you have on hand. Need I say more?

Let’s start by making the dough. The best part is that no mixer is required. You can make it with just a bowl and a wooden spoon. It’s that simple!

In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water, olive oil, all-purpose flour, semolina flour, salt and instant yeast.

**Tip: Using instant yeast makes this so much easier to make because you don’t have to worry about proofing like you would active dry yeast, and it cuts down on the rising time by half. Also, if you don’t have semolina flour on hand, you can just use all ap flour instead.**

Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft, slightly sticky dough is formed. You don’t have to worry about creating a perfectly smooth dough. This is a no-knead recipe so you won’t get a perfect smooth ball and that’s okay!

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm spot.

**Tip: I like to rest it in an oven that is turned off but the light is on. That’ll create a nice warm environment for the dough to rise. You don’t want anything too hot or too cold. Above the refrigerator is great too!**

Place the dough in a well-oiled 9×13-inch baking pan and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat and stretch it to cover the bottom of the pan. Let the dough rest, covered, for another 30 minutes.

**Note: Don’t be afraid to really oil the pan well. You need plenty of olive oil to create a crispy golden brown crust. That coupled with the very hot oven is what creates the perfect crust texture underneath.**

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, place the tomatoes (with their juice), garlic, oil, and seasonings in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

**Tip: The sauce can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months and then just thaw in the fridge the night before you plan on using it!**

Top the the dough with the sauce, spreading it into an even layer. You might have some sauce leftover, depending on just how saucy you like your pizza. You can use any leftover as a dipping sauce for the pizza itself.**

Then sprinkle on the mozzarella and parmesan cheese, top with lots of pepperoni and season with a bit of crushed dried oregano.

**Note: At this point you can really top the pizza with whatever you prefer! Get your favorite pizza toppings on because there is no wrong way to top a pizza!**

Bake in a preheated 425°F oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sprinkle the top with a bit of grated parmesan and crushed red pepper (just like in a pizza parlor) and serve with a crisp Caesar salad. I’m a sucker for pepperoni pizza with Caesar salad on the side or even on the top!

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just rewarm in a preheated 350°F oven on a baking sheet lined with foil, just for a few minutes to reheat and crisp up a bit. 

Keep this little deep-dish pizza recipe in mind for when you’re craving a pizza night at home but don’t want to order in. Making homemade pizza from scratch, especially on a weeknight, might sound like the last thing you want to do but it can actually be a lot easier than you think! Let me know if you have any questions or comment below. Stay safe my friends!

No-Knead Deep-Dish Pizza

This No-Knead Deep-Dish Pizza from King Arthur Flour is the easiest pizza you'll ever make. It's much faster than ordering take-out!

Servings 8 to 10 servings

Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

Sauce:

• 1 14.5 ounce can whole tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Topping:

• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 4 ounces pepperoni
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the water, oil, flour, semolina, salt and yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft, slightly sticky dough is formed. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
• Place the dough in a well-oiled 9x13-inch baking pan and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat and stretch it to cover the bottom of the pan. Let the dough rest, covered, for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, place the tomatoes (with their juice), garlic, oil, and seasonings in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
• Top the the dough with the sauce, spreading it into an even layer. Then sprinkle on the cheeses, top with pepperoni and season with a bit of oregano. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Author: The Candid Appetite