Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Toppings
A classic Chicago deep dish pizza loaded with a rich tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, green bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. This hearty and flavorful topping combination captures the essence of Chicago’s iconic deep dish pizza.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Ingredients
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups crushed canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the diced green bell pepper, diced onion, and sliced mushrooms. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed canned tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to create the tomato sauce.
Layer the toppings on your prepared deep dish pizza crust as follows: first, sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the crust.
Next, evenly distribute the cooked Italian sausage over the cheese layer.
Add the sautéed vegetables (green bell pepper, onion, mushrooms) on top of the sausage.
Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the toppings, spreading gently to cover.
Finish by sprinkling the remaining mozzarella cheese over the tomato sauce.
Bake the deep dish pizza in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Remove from oven and let the pizza rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.