Homemade Pepperoni Pizza recipe- Quick and Easy!

This is one of my favorite pizza recipes, and I have used the Autolyse Pizza dough to make this homemade pepperoni pizza recipe.

I love pepperoni pizza, and it is an all-time classic, but what makes it even better is when you make a homemade pepperoni pizza and get the full liberty of adding as many pepperoni slices as you like.

Apart from the unlimited pepperoni topping, the best part is the melty cheese and the slightly crispy edges of the pepperoni in every bite that make the pizza perfect.

This recipe will take you through the step-by-step process of making homemade pepperoni pizza.

I have also included the pizza dough recipe in this post; but, if you want a fast-rise pizza dough recipe, then check out Bobby Flay’s pizza dough recipe, which is my all-time favorite.

In this blog, I have multiple pizza dough recipes, and in this pepperoni pizza recipe, I have used the Autolyse pizza dough recipe and will be quickly sharing it below.

Why I love this recipe

1. It is easy to make, and if you have the pizza dough on hand, you can assemble the pizza and finish cooking it within 5-10 minutes, depending on the pizza oven you use to cook it.

2. It takes very little time– Making pizzas is the easiest as you can cook them within 60 seconds to 10 minutes, depending on the pizza oven and how you are cooking it.

3. Inexpensive- This recipe is inexpensive, and you do not need a lot of ingredients to make it. You can also make this at family gatherings or events, as it is straightforward to make pizzas.

Not only is it easy, but this recipe would be a hit, so make sure to get some of this pepperoni pizza.

4. Add any toppings of your choice- I have made a classic pepperoni and cheese pizza in this recipe, but you do not have to limit yourself to just that. You can add more toppings, such as chicken, sausage, or other kinds of meat and vegetables.

I have used chicken pepperoni in this recipe; chicken pepperoni tastes great with cheese, too.

Ingredients and substitutions

1. Pepperoni Slices- You can use any pepperoni slices. I used the chicken pepperoni slices I had with me, but you can use any pepperoni you like. You can even add veggies to this pizza if you want a bit more of that fresh veggie pizza taste.

2. Pizza Dough- I used homemade pizza dough in this recipe, but if you are not interested in making homemade dough, I suggest you get a pre-made crust, as that would work well too. You can also use store-bought pizza dough if you cannot make it at home.

3. Cheese– I have used mozzarella cheese for this recipe. You can use fresh mozzarella with the recipe and ensure that you dry the mozzarella before putting it on a pizza.

You can use mozzarella and other cheeses that melt well; I like mozzarella cheese with pepperoni as it is, so that is the one cheese I have used in this recipe. If you want to use dairy-free cheese, then go ahead and do so!

How to make Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients

500grams 00 Flour

350 ml water

2 grams Salt

2 grams Instant Yeast

2 tbsp of Olive Oil

1/2 tbsp Sugar(Optional-I didn’t use but you can)

Making the dough

1. Mix the water and flour and let it rest for 2 hours.

2. Take it out on a flat surface as it is time to knead, and put some olive oil in your hands whenever things get sticky.

Add all the yeast to the dough and start kneading it till it gets incorporated.

If you add sugar, use powdered sugar, add it with the yeast, and knead them together.

Tip- I have used Instant yeast for this recipe; if you use dry yeast, you have to activate it with water and sugar, so you reserve some water from the total 350 ml and use it to activate the yeast. Then, you add that water yeast mix at this stage. So, your total water used will still be 350 ml.

3. Add salt to the dough and start incorporating that till you get a smooth dough ball.

4. Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.

5. Take it out the next day and let it come to room temperature, which would take about 4-5 hours. Now, you can start making a dough ball.

Pepperoni Pizza recipe

1. Since you have made your dough ball, stretch it out with your hands, slowly moving from the center of the pizza to the edges. Make sure you do not press towards the edges. You want to let the gas remain trapped in the exterior rim of the pizza so that it is all bubbly and crispy.

2. Now layer the pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni.

You can add a few mozzarella shreds on top of the pepperoni so that when the shreds melt, they will hold the pepperoni down, and the pepperoni doesn’t fall off when you cut into the pizza and stay together.

3. Preheat the cast iron skillet at 200°C for about 20 minutes and then slice your pizza on it.

Now cook in your home oven at broiler mode in a cast iron skillet for about 15 minutes at 200°C.

Different ways to cook Pepperoni Pizza

1. Pizza Stone- Preheat the pizza stone at the maximum temperature for about 20 minutes if you are using a pizza stone. Now slide your pizza on the stone and cook it for another 10-15 minutes using the broiler mode.

The broiler method involves placing the pizza stone very close to the heating element so the top of the pizza cooks at an extremely high temperature, and you have the pizza stone at the bottom that cooks the base of the pizza and crisps it up.

2. Cast iron skillet- Another way to cook the pizza is to place it in a cast iron pizza pan for about 20 minutes at the maximum temperature, then put the pizza in it and cook it for 15 minutes at 200°C using the broiler method again.

3. Cooking in a pan + Oven- This technique is a little tricky, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it.

So here, you cook the pizza on the pan and apply some water to the edges so the pizza base sticks to the pan and gets an excellent crispy base.

The pizza won’t stick because of the water at the bottom, as when you cook it on medium heat, it will slowly crisp and let go of the pizza on its own.

Make sure not to apply a lot of water, brush some water lightly on the edges of the pizza.

How to make Pepperoni crispy on pizza?

In this recipe, I got crispy pepperoni on my pizza. However, if you are still not getting the crisp on your pepperonis, you should cook it longer.

Or maybe the pepperonis are cut too thick. I used pre-cut pepperonis, and they worked well. Just ensure you get thin, sliced pepperonis or cook it longer to crisp it up.

If both do not work, then you can cook the pepperoni on a pan for around 2-3 minutes and then put it on the pizza as it would help to crisp up the pepperoni this way.

What toppings to put on pepperoni pizza?

You can put vegetarian toppings like olives, jalapenos, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes on the pepperoni pizza, and they all taste great.

You can also go for meat options like sausage, pepperoni, and chicken rashers, which would taste excellent with this pepperoni and cheese pizza.

Do you fry pepperoni before putting it on pizza?

No, I do not fry the pepperoni before putting it on pizza, especially if it is too thin. I think this would dry out the pepperoni.

I used chicken pepperoni here, and since chicken pepperoni does not have as much fat as Italian pepperoni or pork pepperoni, it was easier to crisp it up.

If you have tried this recipe and the pepperoni didn’t crisp up even after cooking for 15 minutes in the oven, you can fry them up in the pan and place them on the pizza.

If you have thick-cut pepperonis, you may fry them for 2-3 minutes, so they start to render the fat and get a bit more crispy than they would inside the oven.

Since I cook my pepperoni pizza for 15 minutes at 200°C using the broiler method, the pepperoni slices crisp up during that cooking period, especially while using the broiler method.

What is the best pizza sauce for pepperoni pizza?

Homemade cooked pizza sauce, which takes 15 minutes to make, is probably the best pizza sauce for this pepperoni pizza recipe. The homemade sauce tastes different because it is fresh and seasoned to your liking.

You can even use store-bought pizza sauces, and they would taste great. If you have San Marzano tomatoes around you, then you can even make this authentic Italian pizza sauce, as it is delicious.

Use any sauce you like, as you cannot go wrong with a Pepperoni and cheese pizza.