Description
This Sheet Pan Pizza recipe offers a simple and delicious way to enjoy homemade pizza with a crispy crust, savory Italian sausage, tangy pizza sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or casual gathering, this recipe yields 4 to 6 servings and is ready in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sausage
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 pounds ground sweet or mild Italian sausage
For the Dough and Pizza
- 16 ounces pizza dough
- 1 Tablespoon cornmeal (for the pan)
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) to ensure it’s hot enough to cook the pizza evenly with a crispy crust.
- Cook Sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the ground Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces, and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
- Prepare Sheet Pan: Grease a 13×9-inch sheet pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly across the pan to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Shape Dough: Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface, then gently stretch it to fit the sheet pan. If the dough resists stretching, allow it to rest for 5 minutes before trying again to relax the gluten.
- Add Sauce: Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the stretched dough, leaving a small border around the edges to create a crust.
- Add Cheese Layer 1: Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza sauce.
- Add Sausage: Distribute the cooked Italian sausage evenly over the first cheese layer.
- Add Cheese Layer 2: Top the sausage with the remaining mozzarella cheese to ensure a cheesy finish.
- Bake: Place the sheet pan pizza in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly, lightly golden, and the crust is cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving to allow the cheese to set slightly.
Notes
- You can substitute Italian sausage with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- Allowing the dough to rest if it resists stretching helps achieve a tender crust.
- Sprinkling cornmeal on the pan adds a slight crunch to the crust and prevents sticking.
- For extra flavor, consider adding toppings like sliced bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms before baking.
- Leftover pizza can be reheated in the oven for best texture preservation.
