Chicago Tavern Style Pizza Recipe- Thin Crust Pizza!!
You are in the right place if you want the best Chicago Tavern-style pizza recipe. This post will walk you through making the perfect thin-crust Chicago tavern-style pizza.
Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizza, but one fails to give it the credit it deserves for its thin-crust tavern-style pizza, which is consumed more than its deep-dish counterpart.
If you have never tried a tavern-style pizza crust, this is your chance to make the best Chicago tavern-style pizza. This recipe covers all the components that make a fine pizza.
But before we get started, let’s jump into some history about the Chicago tavern-style pizza recipe.
Table of Contents
What is a Chicago tavern style pizza?
Chicago tavern-style thin-crust pizza, characterized by its thin, crispy crust, originated in Chicago, Illinois.
Unlike the deep-dish pizza for which Chicago is renowned, tavern-style pizza has a much thinner crust. It is similar to New York-style pizza but has its own distinct characteristics.
The crust of Chicago Tavern’s thin-crust pizza is typically cracker-like and crispy, satisfying each bite’s crunch.
This style of pizza is commonly served in taverns as it encourages customers to stay longer, socialize, and potentially order more drinks.
Toppings for Chicago Tavern thin-crust pizza can vary widely. Still, traditional options often include a simple tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers.
One of the defining characteristics of Chicago tavern thin-crust pizza is its square-cut slices, known as “party cut” or “tavern cut.” This slicing style results in smaller, bite-sized pieces you can enjoy alongside a cold beer.
Chicago tavern-style pizza recipe
This is the recipe section, where I have broken down the entire recipe into three parts: the pizza dough recipe, the pizza sauce recipe, and finally, the ‘how to make Chicago tavern-style pizza’ discussion, where I mention how you can cook this pizza in a home oven.
Part 1- Chicago Tavern-style Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 grams (about 2 cups) of all-purpose flour- You can try making this pizza recipe with 00 flour, but I would say to save that flour for better projects like Neapolitan pizzas. This recipe goes well with all-purpose flour, and a pizza dough made with all-purpose flour is much easier to handle as well.
- 160 grams (about 2/3 cup) lukewarm water—You can also use normal-temperature water as long as you use instant yeast and not active dry yeast.
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
How to make Chicago Tavern Style Pizza Dough
1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, including the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt; mix the flour well so all the dry ingredients are well combined.
2. If you have the water measured, you can directly add it to the dry ingredients mix that we made above and start mixing the dough. You could also knead it a little with your hands until you get a homogenous dough ball.
3. Now, add some olive oil and knead the dough again in the bowl with your hands until it becomes a nice, smooth, homogenous ball. This will not take much time, so you must do it for a minute.
4. Cover the bowl with a plate or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 5-6 hours or until it has doubled in size.
5. Once the dough has risen, it’s ready to make pizzas, but there are a few more steps before this.
6. Roll out a small dough ball until you get a circular sheet. Now, make sure you roll out the dough thin. Keep this rolled-out dough in the refrigerator for about 3-4 hours. This is to dry out the dough to get a crispier texture.
Chicago Tavern Style Pizza Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes, crushed or pureed
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2-3 leaves of Fresh Basil, or 1/2 tsp of fresh basil
How to make Chicago Tavern Style Pizza Sauce
1. Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil(you can use vegetable oil if you do not have olive oil) to a pan over low heat. Add minced garlic to the hot oil and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until the oil is fragrant.
2. Pour the crushed or pureed San Marzano tomatoes(you can use any good-quality canned tomatoes you like) into the bowl and stir well to combine with the garlic.
3. Add the salt, sugar, and dried oregano to the saucepan, stirring to incorporate the seasonings.
4. Let the sauce cook gently on high, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes or until it thickens to your desired consistency.
5. Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar quantity as needed.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and let the pizza sauce cool slightly before using it to top your pizza. Add dried or fresh basil, mix the sauce, and let it rest for the basil flavor to incorporate.
How to make Chicago Tavern Style thin Crust Pizza
Now that you have prepared the sauce and the dough, it is time to make the pizza.
Toppings used-
- Pepperoni
- Bell Peppers
- Onions
1. Take the rolled-out pizza dough from the refrigerator and ensure it is a little dry on the surface. You can freeze the dough for 1-2 hours, which would also do the trick.
2. I first cooked the crust with a little sauce in the oven for about 10 minutes at 200°C. I didn’t do this on a pizza stone.
3. Now spread some pizza sauce on top of it, and then spread some mozzarella cheese on top of the pizza sauce. Finally, add some toppings of your choice. So I went with some pepperoni, green bell peppers, and Onions.
4. Cook this Pizza for another 10-15 minutes at 200°C inside a convection oven. That’s it. Your Chicago Tavern-style pizza is ready. Cut it up in squares and enjoy!
How to cut Chicago Tavern-style pizza?
Chicago Tavern-style pizza is cut into rectangles, and you need to cut them the same way to get the feel of the tavern-style pizza.
1. Divide into Rows: Cut the pizza horizontally to create rows. Decide how large you want the pieces to be; typically, they are cut into 3 to 4 horizontal rows, depending on the pizza size.
2. Cut into Squares or Rectangles: Working one row at a time, cut perpendicular to the initial cuts to create squares or rectangles. Again, the size is determined based on preference, but they are often around 3 to 4 inches wide.
3. Serve: Once the pizza is cut, use a spatula to carefully transfer the pieces to a serving plate or directly onto individual plates.
Chicago Tavern Style Pizza vs. St. Louis Style
There are some distinct differences between Chicago tavern-style pizza and St. Louis-style pizza, which are listed in the table below.
| Aspect | Chicago Tavern Style Pizza | St. Louis Style Pizza |
|---|---|---|
| Crust | Thin, crispy crust with a cornmeal-dusted dough | Ultra-thin, cracker-like crust, unleavened |
| Shape | Small, rectangular pieces (“party cut” or “tavern cut”) | Cut into rectangular pieces, easy to be held |
| Cheese | Mozzarella cheese, often covering the entire pizza | Provel cheese blend (provolone, Swiss, white cheddar) |
| Sauce | Rich, sweet and tangy tomato sauce with herbs like basil | Slightly sweet tomato sauce, sometimes with a strong oregano flavor |
| Toppings | Traditional pizza toppings like sausage and Giardiniera. These two are the classic toppings. | Traditional pizza toppings, may include St. Louis-style sausage, onions, bell peppers and bacon. |
| Overall Flavor | Robust, savory flavor profile | Unique flavor combination of sweet sauce, tangy Provel cheese, and crispy crust |
What toppings go on Chicago Tavern-style pizza?
The most common toppings used on Chicago Tavern style pizza is Sausage and Giardiniera.
1. Sausage: Sausage is the most important topping for Chicago Tavern-style pizza, known for its savory flavor and ability to complement the crispy, thin crust. Whether crumbled or sliced, sausage adds a satisfying taste depth integral to the traditional Chicago pizza experience.
2. Giardiniera: Giardiniera is a mix of pickled vegetables, typically including carrots, cauliflower, peppers, celery, and olives, seasoned with herbs and spices. It adds a tangy, slightly spicy kick to pizza. Strain the veggies and spread them sparingly on the pizza before or after baking to infuse each bite with its vibrant flavors.
As you can see in my pizza recipe, I didn’t use any of the above toppings(LOL) because I didn’t have them on hand. I went for the classic pepperoni, onions, and bell pepper combo.
If you want to be creative, then here are some additional toppings for Chicago Tavern-style pizza:
- Mushrooms: Sliced mushrooms offer an earthy taste and pleasing texture, enhancing the pizza experience.
- Green peppers: Diced green peppers provide a fresh, crunchy element that complements the other toppings.
- Onions: Whether caramelized or raw, onions add depth and sweetness to the pizza.
- Black olives: Sliced black olives have a nice salty, sour flavor added to the savory flavor of the sausage.
- Bacon: Crumbled or diced bacon imparts a smoky, savory essence that elevates the pizza’s taste profile.
- Pepperoni: A classic choice that delivers a punch of flavor and a slightly crispy texture. It’s not a common topping on Chicago Tavern-style pizza, but you can try it.
Chicago Tavern Style Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 250 grams All-purpose flour
- 160 grams Lukewarm Water
- 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Pizza Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 5-6 Cloves Minced Garlic
- 1 Can San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed and pureed
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Basil , dried or 3-4 leaves of fresh basil
Making Pizza
- 7-8 Slices Pepperoni
- 9-10 Slices Bell peppers
- 9-10 Slices Onion, thickly chopped so it wont burn in the oven when cooked
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- Begin by gathering all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt, ensuring thorough mixing to incorporate all the dry components evenly.
- Add water to all the dry ingredients and start mixing the dough, perhaps using your hands to knead it until a uniform dough ball forms.
- Introduce some olive oil into the mixture and knead the dough once more in the bowl. Aim for a smooth, cohesive ball of dough, which should only take about a minute or two to achieve.
- Cover the bowl with a clean plate or clean kitchen towel. Let the dough to rise at room temperature for approximately 5-6 hours or until it has doubled.
- Once the dough has sufficiently risen, it's ready for making pizzas.
- Take a small portion of the dough and roll it out until you achieve a circular sheet. Ensure that you roll the dough thinly, or as thinly as possible, since we are aiming for a cracker-like crisp crust. Place this rolled-out dough in the refrigerator for approximately 3-4 hours. This step dehydrates the dough, enhancing its crispiness when cooked.
Pizza Sauce
- Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil(you can use vegetable oil or any nuetral oil if you do not have olive oil) to a pan over low heat and add minced garlic to the hot oil and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until the oil gets the garlic fragrance in it.
- Pour the crushed or pureed San Marzano tomatoes( use any good quality canned tomatoes that you like) and stir well to combine with the garlic.
- Add the salt, sugar, and dried oregano to the saucepan, stirring to incorporate the seasonings.
- Let the sauce cook gently on high, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes or until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar quantity as needed.
- Take the pan off heat and let the pizza sauce cool slightly before using it to top your pizza. Add dried basil or fresh basil, mix the sauce and let it rest for the basil flavor to incorporate in the sauce.
Making the Pizza
- Take the rolled-out pizza dough from the refrigerator and ensure it is a little dry on the surface. You can freeze the dough for 1-2 hours, which would also do the trick.
- I first cooked the crust with a little bit of sauce in the oven for about 10 minutes at 200°C. I didn't do this on a pizza stone.
- Now spread some pizza sauce on top of it, and then spread some mozzarella cheese on top of the pizza sauce. Finally, add some toppings of your choice. So I went with some pepperoni, green bell peppers, and Onions.
- Cook this Pizza for another 10-15 minutes at 200°C inside a convection oven. That's it. Your Chicago Tavern style pizza is ready, cut it up in squares and enjoy!
