Name: Chicago-Style Sausage & Pepperoni Pizza
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6-8 slices
Ingredients: For the Crust; 1 Mary’s Chicago-Style Pizza Dough; Olive oil for the pizza pan; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more to lightly oil the pan; One recipe of Mary’s Pizza Sauce; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons chopped green onions; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; ¼ cup grated Pecorini Romano cheese; 2 cups shredded mozzarella; 6 ounces mild Italian sausage, casing removed, and sauteed until just cooked through; 4 ounces sliced pepperoni

Mains

Chicago-Style Sausage & Pepperoni Pizza

Author: Mary DiSomma

If you’re a fan of delicious pizza with plenty of toppings, this meat lover’s pizza with a homemade crust is for you. Chicagoans know that the best pizza is hearty and satisfying, and the crust plays a huge role here. Our family absolutely loves a thick crust pizza. Chewy on the inside and crispy, golden brown on the outside. This Italian Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza recipe is my personal tribute to the pie my whole family loves the most: Salerno’s pizza, which inspired this recipe.

To get that perfect combination of crispy and chewy, I focused on the dough. After a lot of trial and error, I got to one that is thick enough to hold all those delicious toppings, but still bakes up beautifully golden brown. The secret? A combination of high-gluten flour and a little bit of vegetable shortening. The savory Italian sausage and pepperoni create a rich, meaty flavor profile with my homemade pizza sauce that ties everything together. Whether you’re making this homemade pizza for a special occasion or just a casual family dinner, it’s sure to impress.

Chicago-Style Pizza Dough

I love Salerno’s pizza crust so much, I got inspired to try making my own pizza dough recipe. My family’s pizza crust recipe uses a classic yeast dough, and it makes one of the best pizza crusts you’ll ever get your hands on!

Yield: 25-27 ounces
Prep Time: 15 minutes 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes 1 hr 40 min
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes 1 hr 55 min

Ingredients

1 (0.25 ounces) package active dry yeast or 4 ½ teaspoons
2 teaspoons sugar, divided
1¼ cups warm water (110 °F)
3 to 3½ cups high-gluten flour plus more to flour your work surface
1½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

Place the warm water in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar on top of the water. Do not stir. Let the mixture set at room temperature until it is foamy and fragrant—about 5 to 6 minutes.
Place 3 cups of flour in the bowl of your stand mixer or food processor. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar, along with the salt. Mix to combine. Place the vegetable shortening in the bowl. I like to divide it into 3 pieces and put it in different places so it’s easier to blend.
If you’re using your stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Turn the mixer or food processor on and drizzle in the yeast and water mixture. If the mixture seems too wet, add a little more flour until you achieve a nice, supple dough.
Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out onto the work area and knead the dough until it’s smooth, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Grease a large bowl with the 1 teaspoon of olive oil. You can also spray the bowl with nonstick olive oil spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn it to coat lightly with the oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 1 hour or until it’s doubled in bulk.
Punch the dough down and let rise a second time for 35 to 40 minutes. Your dough is now ready to form into a pizza!

Ingredient Tips

When shopping for Italian sausage, make sure to pick one that includes fennel seeds. They add that authentic Italian taste that takes your pizza to the next level. Fennel gives the sausage a sweet, anise-like flavor that pairs perfectly with savory pepperoni and cheese.

Preparation + Preservation Tips

Use a Perforated Pan for Crispy Crust

When I want a perfect golden brown crust in a thick-crust pizza, I use a perforated pizza pan instead of a pizza stone. The holes in the pan allow heat to circulate under the crust, making sure it gets nice and crispy on the bottom. This is especially important with a thicker pizza, where the crust is super thick (not enough airflow and it can easily get soggy). If you prefer a thinner crust pizza made on a pizza stone, make sure to check out my Margherita on a Pizza Stone!

Check the Bottom for Doneness

Start checking the bottom of your pizza for doneness at around 17 minutes. Peek underneath to see if the crust is browning to your liking. If it’s not done yet, let it bake for a few more minutes to ensure the bottom is cooked all the way through.

Layer the Toppings

For the best flavor and texture, I like to layer the toppings in a particular order. Follow the directions below so the sausage stays juicy while the pepperoni gets crispy around the edges. Perfection!

Choose Quality Italian Sausage

Extra Tips

Mary’s Best Pizza Sauce→

Mary’s Chicago-Style Thick and Chewy Easy Pizza Dough→

Pizza Margherita Recipe on a Pizza Stone→