Sourdough Deep Dish Pizza: The Chicago-Style at Home

Chicago deep dish pizza is its own thing — more like a savory pie than what most of the world calls pizza. The crust is buttery and slightly flaky, supporting layers of cheese, sausage, and tomato. Sourdough makes the crust deeper and more interesting.

The crust recipe

For one 10-inch deep dish pizza:

• 350g all-purpose flour
• 35g cornmeal
• 230g warm water (60% hydration)
• 60g active starter
• 60g unsalted butter, softened (plus more for the pan)
• 5g salt
• 5g sugar

Method

Mix

Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer. Mix on low for 5 minutes. The dough should be tight, slightly stiff.

Bulk ferment

2 hours at room temperature, then 12–24 hours in the fridge.

Shape

Heavily butter a 10-inch deep dish pan or cast iron skillet. Press the dough into the pan, working it up the sides about 2 inches.

Layering (from bottom up)

1. Crust (already in pan)
2. Sliced low-moisture mozzarella (about 1 lb, in a single layer)
3. Cooked Italian sausage (about ¾ lb, broken up)
4. Optional: sliced pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers
5. Crushed tomato sauce (about 1.5 cups)
6. Grated parmesan on top

The cheese-first layering is essential. It creates a barrier so the sauce doesn't make the crust soggy.

Bake

425°F for 30–35 minutes until the crust edges are deep golden and the sauce is bubbling.

Rest

Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. The cheese and sauce need to set or you'll have a soup-and-crust situation.

Why the cornmeal

Cornmeal in the dough adds:

• Slight crunch to the crust bottom
• A buttery yellow color
• Subtle corn flavor

It's traditional and makes a noticeable difference. Don't skip it.

The cheese choice

Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella releases too much water and makes the pizza soupy.

Slice it ¼-inch thick. A whole sliced log of mozzarella is the right amount for a 10-inch pizza.

The sauce

Use crushed tomatoes, not pizza sauce. Drain a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes for 30 minutes in a strainer. Mix with:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

That's it. No sugar, no long cooking. The deep dish bake cooks the sauce.

Common mistakes

Soggy bottom crust — fresh mozzarella was used, or sauce went on first.

Pale crust — under-baked, or oven not hot enough.

Cheese is rubbery — over-baked, or used skim mozzarella (use whole-milk).

Crust didn't crisp — pan wasn't well-buttered, or skipped cornmeal.

A note on the pan

The classic deep dish pan is a black steel pan with high sides (2+ inches). A 10-inch cast iron skillet works almost as well.

A regular cake pan is too thin and conducts poorly — you'll get a softer, less crispy crust.

Variations

• Stuffed Chicago-style — add a thin layer of dough on top before the sauce, sealing the pizza in. Bake an extra 5 minutes.
• White deep dish — skip tomato sauce, top with pesto and ricotta dollops
• Detroit-style adaptation — bake at higher temp (475°F), sauce on top after bake, cheese to the edge

Why sourdough is great for deep dish

The long fermentation:

• Adds flavor that pairs with the rich filling
• Creates a structurally strong crust that holds up to weight
• Makes a slightly flaky texture

A yeast-only deep dish crust is fine, but sourdough adds that bakery-level depth that elevates the whole pizza.

What it takes

A deep dish pizza is a project. Plan for:

• 30 minutes of dough mixing the night before
• 24 hours of cold ferment
• 30 minutes of pizza assembly
• 35 minutes of baking
• 10 minutes of resting

Total active time: about 1 hour. Total elapsed time: about 26 hours.

For a Friday or Saturday dinner, it's worth the planning.

Serving

Cut into wedges. A 10-inch deep dish serves 4 hungry people or 6 light eaters.

Serve with:

• A simple green salad
• Italian beef sandwiches (the Chicago combo)
• A cold beer

The Chicago experience at home

Eating real Chicago deep dish in Chicago is great. Making real Chicago deep dish at home and serving it to people who haven't had it before is also great. Their reaction to the first slice — eyes wide, "this is pizza?" — is worth the effort.

Don't expect them to finish a full slice. It's filling.