If you’ve been craving an authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza recipe you can make at home, you’ve landed in the right place. This buttery, flaky, cornmeal-kissed crust is layered with oozy cheese and a chunky tomato sauce—just like the pies found in Chicago’s most beloved restaurants. Made easily at home, in a standard cake pan!
Every layer is intentional, from the buttery laminated dough to the crushed tomato topping. Read on to learn how to make Chicago deep dish pizza from scratch, step-by-step—even if it’s your first time!
Why You’ll Love This Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
- Authentic technique -- real Chicago deep dish layers (cheese, toppings, then sauce)
- Buttery, laminated crust with cornmeal for authentic texture
- Achievable at home—no special deep dish pan required
- Make-ahead friendly (the dough and sauce both store well)
- Family favorite -- perfect for pizza night
Whether you're a Chicago native or just love a cheesy, hearty slice, this recipe delivers.
What Is Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza?
Contrary to what many think, Chicago style pizza isn’t just “thick crust.” It’s a buttery, flaky dough formed up high along the sides of a deep pan, layered with cheese first, then toppings, and finally tomatoes on top to prevent the cheese from burning.
This recipe is a basic cheese pizza, but you can add whatever toppings you like to that middle layer! We often layer with slices of pepperoni or cooked Italian sausage.
Ingredients
For the Deep Dish Crust
- Flour
- Cornmeal
- Butter
- Yeast
- Salt
- Sugar
- Warm Water
For the Sauce
- Butter
- Onion
- Oregano
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic
- Petite-diced tomatoes
- Basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Pinch of sugar
For Assembling & Topping
- Shredded mozzarella
- Grated Parmesan
- Optional: favorite toppings (such as pepperoni, cooked sausage, sauteed mushrooms, peppers, etc.)
Tip: Because the sauce tops the pizza, you want a chunky, bright tomato flavor. Use San Marzano–style tomatoes if possible.
How to Make Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza (Quick Steps)
1. Make the Dough
Mix dry ingredients; add water + melted butter. Knead until smooth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 45–60 minutes.
2. Laminate the Dough
Roll into a rectangle; spread softened butter. Roll up, flatten, fold into thirds, and form a ball. Chill 40–50 minutes.
3. Make the Sauce
Sauté onion, oregano, and salt in butter. Add garlic, tomatoes, and sugar; simmer to reduce. Stir in basil + oil; season.
4. Assemble
Roll dough to 13 inches; press into 9-inch pan and up the sides. Layer mozzarella → sauce → Parmesan.
5. Bake
Bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes until golden. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes one 9-inch pizza, though the technique is adapted from a version that makes two. Times for kneading, sauce prep, and baking were adjusted based on testing. If you decide to double the recipe, expect a slightly longer cook time for the sauce and potentially more baking time.
FAQ: Chicago Deep Dish
What makes Chicago deep dish different from stuffed pizza?
Stuffed pizza adds a second layer of dough over the cheese and fillings, then sauce on top.
Chicago deep dish has only one crust, pressed into the pan with cheese directly against it.
Do I need a special pan?
A dedicated deep dish pizza pan is great, but a tall-sided cake pan works too.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes! Store it in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.
Tips for the Best Deep Dish Pizza
-
Cheese first—always. It keeps the crust from getting soggy.
-
Use whole-milk mozzarella for maximum melt.
-
Let the pizza rest before slicing.
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Use butter lamination for the flakiest crust.
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San Marzano–style tomatoes = best sauce texture + flavor.
Storage
This deep dish pizza keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store leftovers tightly wrapped, then reheat in a 375°F oven for 10–15 minutes to crisp the crust.
You can also freeze baked slices for up to 2 months.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Prepare dough through lamination.
- Refrigerate overnight OR freeze; thaw in refrigerator.
- When ready to bake:
- Place pan in oven while it preheats to 425°F, so it warms gradually.
- Once preheated, bake about 20. minutes, until golden.
Chicago Style Deep Dish At Home
This authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza recipe brings Windy City flavor straight into your kitchen. With its buttery laminated crust, tall sides, bold tomato sauce, and layers of mozzarella, it’s a recipe worth slowing down for—and sharing!
Try it for your next pizza night and let me know how your family loves it!
Loved This Recipe?
Leave a rating or comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Photos by Lindsay Evers Photography
Recipe Card
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
Ingredients for the dough:
- 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons water at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Ingredients for the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- Pinch of dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- 14.5 oz. can petite-diced tomatoes
- Pinch granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Remaining Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces whole milk Mozzarella shredded (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
To make the dough:
- Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, until well blended. Attach the dough hook and mix in the water and melted butter on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-‐low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Coat a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Once dough is risen, turn it out onto a dry work surface and roll into an 8-‐ x 6-‐inch rectangle. To laminate the dough, spread the softened butter over the surface, leaving a ½-‐inch border around the edge. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With the seam side down, flatten the cylinder into a 9-‐ x 2-‐inch rectangle, then fold into thirds like a business letter. Pinch the seams to form a ball, and return to the oiled bowl. Cover tightly again with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator for 40 to 50 minutes. (Mine did not double in size, but it rose to about size and a half.)
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onion, oregano and salt. Saute until the liquid has nearly evaporated and the onion is golden brown, stirring often, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar, then increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1 ¼ cups, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the pizza:
- Preheat oven to 425˚F. Coat a 9-‐inch round cake pan with olive oil. Move the dough to a dry work surface and roll out into a 13-‐inch disk about ¼-‐inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan and lightly press to line the bottom of the pan and up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, wait 5 minutes before trying again. Lightly brush the tops of the crust with olive oil.
- Layer the shredded Mozzarella into the pan, then top with the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden. Let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the whole pie onto a cutting board, or slice and serve from the pan.
Nutrition
Kirsten says
Hello! I came across this recipe when it was posted a long time ago, and made it and loved it. I have made it so many times over the years that, not only do I no longer even need a recipe, I've made several adaptations of my own over time. It's my favorite! I recently started my own food blog, and just posted my version of your delicious pizza tonight. And now I'm stopping by to say thank you 🙂
Cheers!
Kirsten
Nikki Gladd says
Love it, Kirsten! Thank you for sharing!
Ron says
You nailed it, this is great pizza! This is the closet I have ever tasted to Zelda's Chicago style. Our crust was a little too thick but nothing that will not be adjusted the next time. Sauce was excellent too.
Thank you,
Ron
Nikki Gladd says
Thank you, Ron! I'm so glad it worked out for you! 🙂
Ron says
Just found this today on Pinterest, we are trying it tonight. I have never been to Chicago and had the real deal. Has anybody ever been to "Zelda's Original Gourment Pizza" in Sacramento? I was taken there about 25 years ago and it is different than any pizza I have ever had and absolutely the best! I moved from Sacramento to Southern CA and have tried every place that I see that "claims" to be Chicago style. Always disappointed. So it is with high hopes we are going to try your recipe.
Thanks for posting and keeping the dream alive!
Katie says
So freaking good! Like so, so, so, so, so good! Love this! I live in Chicago and love this recipe more than Uno's, Gino's, Lou's or Giordano's. Don't make it often since it's quite a calorie splurge, but when I do my family savors it. Thank you for posting!
Nikki Gladd says
haha! Thanks, Katie! Love your enthusiasm, and I would have to agree! 😉
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
People and their, "This isn't authentic because of cornmeal!" comments crack me up / make me roll my eyes. I've been looking at different deep dish recipes and it's not just yours - it's like this on all of them with cornmeal (which I love and use :))
You go on with your cornmeal! 😀
And happy holidays!
Traci says
I just made this pizza tonight and it was awesome! I lived in Chicago for one year and I miss the pizza. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Ashley says
Hi! My dough didn't rise and was hard so I tossed it and made a simple pizza dough - it came out great. Sauce was very yummy!
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Ashley! I'm glad you persevered and still liked it! Maybe the yeast you used wasn't good? 🙂
Agos says
I made this yesterday and it was so good! For some reason the dough didn't rise much, but when baked it tasted almost like a biscuit. I loved the cornmeal too. The downside is that there were 4 of us so we remained a little hungry 😛 But I had apples lying around so i fixed it with a quick apple crumble.
Annoyed says
The worst recipe i have ever followed, the amounts must have been measured by a complete idiot. nothing is right with this recipe.
Yours sincerely.
Annoyed pizza lover
Nikki Gladd says
Sorry, Annoyed Pizza Lover. We make this recipe all of the time, as shown above. Although I know not all recipes work out the same for everyone, I do wish you had chosen a nicer tone to share your experience. Sounds like you might be a novice homemade pizza maker, so you can always email me for help, as well.
Kristl says
I don't have a stand mixer...will a hand mixer work? I do have a bread machine that I could use for mixing and rising. Thoughts??? Thanks!
Nikki says
If your hand mixer has a dough hook, you can use that. Otherwise, this all can be done by hand or probably with the bread machine, too. I've never used a bread machine, but I'm pretty sure you can use it for the mixing and rising part. 🙂
Christine @ Christine's Kitchen Chronicles says
Hi Nikki,
How many people does a single pie serve? Do you have the instructions for doing 2 pies? I don't have a subscription to Cook's Illustrated or would look it up directly.
Thanks,
Christine
Nikki says
Hi Christine,
One pie is about 3-4 servings, depending on how big the appetites are in your party. 🙂 I cut it into 8 small pieces and most people can eat at least two pieces. When I make two, I actually don't double the recipe and instead just go through making it twice, separately. I no longer have a subscription to CI either, so I don't have the instructions. Sorry!
Dana says
I clicked through the links and read about the King family. It was quite beautiful to see that 3 years later Veronica has remarried and donated monies generated from her blog in December to a newly widowed woman. A circle completed....
Nikki says
I love it! Thanks, Dana! 🙂
Kirsten says
Just wanted to stop by and let you know- I've used this recipe about a dozen times or so. It's perfect. Thanks so much!!
Nikki says
I'm so glad, Kirsten! Thank for letting me know! 🙂
amanda says
Looks amazing ...I want to make this for my husband but I'm confused on the lamonating the dough part.... Do I butter the whole thing or just the edges ...thanks
Nikki says
Hi Amanda. After rolling out the dough to the 8x6 inch rectangle, you want to spread the butter over the whole thing (the surface/top) and leave about a half-inch border around the edge that is not buttered. Hope this helps!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Holy yum. As a Chicago girl who has sadly moved away a few years ago, I happen to prefer the double crust of Giordanos. HOWEVER, this would be a very very good runner up. LOVE IT.
donna says
OMG! i am so excited to try this! i love chicago style pizza- we are nancy's people- we would go there everytime we would visit my grandma! i have had the frozen uno pizza and have been to the one in washington dc- it was fantastic and i was so excited to take my husband and son to the "original" uno when we went on a trip to chicago and much to my dismay it was terrible 🙁 the crust was dry and not buttery and the toppings were wattery- needless to say they weren't impressed. this sounds great and i cant wait to try it tonite! maybe i can bring them back to the dark side 🙂
Nikki says
Yay! It's one of our favorite pizzas. Enjoy! 🙂
Karen says
Addison just made this for dinner for us tonight. My first experience with Chicago Pizza...YUM!!!
Nikki says
Nice!! 🙂
Victoria says
I am making this tonight for my husband who has been out of town. We were in Chicago last year and never got to have Lou Malnati's because I ended up getting sick! Your recipe looks amazing and Im heading to the store and will let you know how it turns out! Thanks for sharing! This will be a great surprise for the hubbers! 🙂
Nikki says
I think you'll love it, Victoria! It's a favorite in our home, for sure! 🙂
Victoria says
I'd be nuts if I didnt give you an update to let you know that we (including my 2 little ones) demolished the pizza! I wish we would have made double recipe! It was soooooooooo good and it will be on rotation for our once a week pizza night! Thanks again soooo much for sharing this! 🙂
Jennie says
Made this tonight and it was AWESOME! I can't believe I actually made a pizza that tasted that great!! Super easy and sooo good. Thanks for the great recipe. I will be making this again for sure!
Nikki says
Haha, Jennie! You have little faith in yourself! lol! 😉 Really happy you liked it!!
Elizabeth says
WOW. This was an amazing pizza! I was afraid of how it would turn out since my dough did not rise very much at all (I had active dry yeast, not instant) but it worked out just fine. In testament to the excellence of this pizza, my boyfriend at 3/4 of the whole thing in one sitting. Yummy!
Anna says
Must try!!
Elissa says
This looks so delicious! I can't wait to make this for dinner tonight! Thank you for sharing!
Emily says
My husband and I just moved very far away from Chicago too! I made this pizza a couple weeks ago, I added extra toppings (pepperoni) because my husband pretty much won't eat anything without meat on it. Anyway, WE LOVED IT, I think it is better than many deep dish pizzas I ate while we were in Chicago, and better than anything anyone can make out here...anyway, Thank you for this, I am making it again this Friday night and can't wait!
Nikki says
I'm so glad you're able to enjoy a piece of Chicago while living so far away. 🙂 I also make this with pepperoni most of the time now. Yum yum!!
steve says
Not quite right! There is--and never has been--any cornmeal is Chicago deep dish pizza. The butter taste (if that's what you're going for) comes from corn oil. Your fat content is low--the ratio of 3 Tablespoons oil to 1 cup flour is correct. Also, to achieve the biscuit-like texture of authentic Chicago deep dish pizza, you need a very short kneading time (just like biscuits)--i minute mix and 2 minutes knead.
Nikki says
Hi Steve. I'm not sure what's not quite right about this as there is not just ONE Chicago-style pizza recipe out there. Many variations exist, so while I"m sure your recipe is delicious, the one I have posted above (with cornmeal and with butter) is what I have now made several times and love. Judging from others' comments, it's a successful recipe. Have you even tried it?
J says
https://www.cheftalk.com/t/980/ginos-east-pizza-crust
J says
You've almost nailed it. Get rid of the gritty corn meal. The yellow of the real dough is yellow food coloring. Put a couple drops in the dough during mixing and you'll see. You have the butter right!
Nikki says
Gah! No food coloring, please! 😉 There is actually corn meal in Chicago-style pizza. I can't speak for all of the pizzerias, but the places we ordered, there definitely was. The crust doesn't turn out gritty at all, but has a wonderful flavor to it from the cornmeal. Of course, I understand there are different variations and preferences, so thank you for sharing! 🙂 Maybe one of the readers who doesn't like corn meal will benefit from your suggestion.
J says
People believe what they want to believe and disregard the rest.
Nikki says
Not sure what you mean by that, but the thread you provided proved what we both said - corn meal is used, and it's not used. Gino's East (the thread topic) was actually my least favorite Chicago-style pizza. My favorite deep-dish was Lou's and my favorite stuffed was Giordano's. Although, I never had the chance to try Pizzeria Uno. What's yours?
Lisa says
Amazing!!! Made this tonight for my family and it was so good!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!! I will be making it again!
Nikki says
Thanks for the feedback, Lisa. SO glad you and your family enjoyed it! 🙂
sara says
My husband and I are from NY and grew up w/ NY style pizza- then my husband answered a call to ministry and we ended up near chicago for seminary- we now live in NOLA and miss both kinds of pizza. I make killer NY style but this is one we have to try- chicago pizza is great too. blessings to both of you on your journey.
Naina @ chow bella says
Chicken Fajita deep-dish pizza from Pizzeria Uno reminds me of my childhood. This looks beyond delicious - thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Maeghan says
I've made this at least once or twice a week for the last month. It's absolutely phenomenal, and so easy to whip up. Makes living in Australia, away from my home in the US, much more tolerable now that I can have some of my favorite dishes!
Georgina says
What is ''pinch the seams to form a ball'' mean?
What seams, and how will the 'folded letter' form a ball?
Nikki says
Hi Georgina,
When you fold the rectangle in thirds like a letter, it actually forms a thick square. Because it is so thick, when you pinch the seams of the folds, it will shape itself into sort of a ball. Does this help? Have you tried it yet? If not, I believe that once you're doing it, it will actually make sense. 🙂
Rachel says
Nikki - If you ever make it up to Sacramento, you should head to Chicago Fire (they now have 3 locations). They offer thin crust, deep dish, and stuffed and we can never decide which one we want. We frequented it quite often when I was missing my midwest roots, but now we've just moved to follow God's calling for my husband to minister in Canada. I LOVE this recipe when I can't get the real thing 🙂
Nikki says
Thanks for the tip, Rachel!
Carmelina Milovich says
great post! keep it on!
Jordan says
My boyfriend and I are planning on making this together for Valentine's Day because we're both obsessed with Pizzeria Uno and Lou Malnati's. I was wondering if it would be alright to use a springform pan for this-- would it make a difference? It just seems like it would be easier to serve it that way. Thanks!
Pennies on a Platter says
Hi Jordan,
What a neat idea for Valentine's Day! I think you'll be fine using the springform pan. But, it is super easy to serve in the cake pan as well.
-Nikki
PenneeSue says
I really don't know how you do it living away from Chicago. I just moved here from Kansas and I don't ever wanna leave I love it here. Thanks for the Deep Dish recipe it looks amazing I can't wait tell I have some time to make it myself.
Casey says
Hi Nikki- I'm a friend of Veronica's so I've been stopping by daily this month. My husband, 2-year-old son and I literally just polished this off and it was awesome! I've made a lot of homemade pizzas and this was by far the easiest one ever... between not having to knead the dough by hand at all, just pressing everything in the pan, and super fast clean up, I am seriously impressed. Not to mention how authentic it tastes. Excited to add this to my recipe box. 🙂 Thanks, especially for what you're doing for Vee!
Emily says
Just made the pizza- doubled batch and cooked directly on stone, no dish, at 475 for 12 min. Turned out great- thanks for posting the awesome recipe!!!!
Muriel says
I came across your blog off of foodie blog roll and I'm so glad I did! Your pictures are amazing and I can't wait to try so many of your recipes including this pizza. Thanks for sharing.
Melissa @ Made in Melissa's Kitchen says
Oh my gosh Nikki! This looks so GOOD! I love the pizza at Pizzeria Uno, so I can't wait to make this!
melissa @IWasBornToCook says
looks amazing...would love a piece right about now!
Kim says
Thanks for sharing this recipe...I'm looking forward to making it!
Carrie says
Now that's a pizza! It looks absolutely perfect!
darcyeats says
This looks AMAZING! I'm having a pizza night this week!
Cookie says
My hubby went to school in Chicago and still raves about Uno's deep dish pizza. I can't wait to make this for him!
Linda says
Thanks so much! I grew up in Chicago and miss deep dish pizza so I will have to try and make this!!!
Amy's Cooking Adventures says
This looks phenomenal! I will definitely be making this soon!
katie says
What an amazing pizza! I still prefer NY style pizza, but Chicago deep dish is nice to mix it up every now and again.
Vicki says
YUMMMM!!!! Now, if only this were a part of my diet plan... hehe 🙂
Catherine says
OMG this was the pizza recipe I suggested in the giveaway post! I think I should get bonus points! 🙂
Keeley says
This looks so good, especially for a cold night! I've been to Chicago once and we ate at Giordano's. I loved the pizza, my mom did not. We're from the Philly area and my mom insists that Chicago-style pizza is a casserole or a pie, not an actual pizza. I don't care what you call it, I like it, especially with broccoli and cheese.
Karla says
I ADORE this pizza! Yours looks delicious! No sooner than we finish it up at dinner, my husband requests it again...and soon!
amanda @ fake ginger says
That's looks amazing! Would it be weird to make pizza at 6 am? 😛
MaryMoh says
Wish I can have a slice now! Looks very delicious. I love the deep dish chicago pizza. I always buy them from the frozen section of the supermarkets. I should be making now. Thanks very much for sharing.
Liz @ Blog is the New Black says
Looks AMAZING!