Motor City Deep Dish

Nothing beats a thick slice of Detroit-Style Pizza! The dough is light and airy with a crust that’s super crispy and it’s topped with two kinds of cheeses and a delicious homemade pizza sauce. This is one spectacular pie that everyone at the table is guaranteed to LOVE!

The Irresistible Allure: Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe

Prepare yourself for a pizza experience that transcends the ordinary. This Detroit-Style Pizza recipe is more than just a meal; it’s a journey into a world of rich flavors and unparalleled textures that will redefine your idea of perfect pizza. Here’s exactly why this dish is poised to become your new favorite:

• A Dough that Dreams Are Made Of: Unlike any other pizza crust you’ve encountered, this Detroit-style dough is thick, yet incredibly light and airy. Its texture is beautifully reminiscent of a gourmet focaccia – soft and tender on the inside with a delightful chew. The bottom of the crust achieves a stunning, perfectly crispy golden finish, providing a satisfying crunch with every single bite.
• The Legendary Caramelized Cheese “Frico” Edge: This distinctive feature is arguably the most celebrated aspect of Detroit-Style Pizza. By strategically adding grated Parmesan cheese along the pan’s edges before baking, we create an utterly divine, deeply crispy, and savory caramelized crust. This “frico” not only adds an explosion of flavor but also offers an amazing textural contrast that elevates the entire pizza.
• A Homemade Sauce That Sings: Ditch the store-bought jars! Our simple, quick, and incredibly flavorful homemade pizza sauce is a true highlight. Crafted with high-quality crushed tomatoes and a medley of aromatic herbs and garlic, it delivers a freshness and depth of taste that pre-made sauces simply cannot match. It’s also a more economical choice without compromising on gourmet quality.
• The Iconic Cheese-First, Sauce-On-Top Layering: Detroit-Style Pizza challenges conventional pizza construction. Here, the generous layers of cheese are spread directly onto the dough, extending to the pan’s edges, ensuring maximum caramelization. The rich, tangy sauce is then artfully dolloped in distinctive “racing stripes” on top of the cheese. This unique order ensures the cheese melts into a bubbling, golden blanket, while the sauce maintains its bright, fresh character without becoming overcooked.
• A Hearty, Satisfying Crowd-Pleaser: The robust nature of this thick-crusted pizza makes it incredibly filling and ideal for feeding a hungry crowd. Each square slice is a substantial and satisfying portion, delivering a perfect balance of savory cheese, tangy sauce, and irresistible crust. It’s comfort food perfected, guaranteed to bring smiles and appreciative murmurs around any table.

Once you experience the unique blend of textures and robust flavors in this Detroit-Style Pizza, you’ll understand why it’s more than just a passing trend—it’s a beloved American classic. It’s an adventure in home baking that promises delicious rewards and a cherished spot in your recipe collection.

Essential Ingredients: What You’ll Need for Your Detroit-Style Masterpiece

Creating an authentic and incredibly delicious Detroit-Style Pizza starts with gathering the right ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the signature texture, flavor, and appearance of this beloved pie. Here’s a comprehensive list of what you’ll need, along with notes to guide your selection:

For the Pizza Dough:

• Unbleached Bread Flour: This is a non-negotiable ingredient. Bread flour boasts a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which is crucial for developing strong gluten. This strong gluten network is what gives Detroit-style pizza its characteristic chewy, airy interior and robust structure, allowing it to rise beautifully and maintain its shape under the weight of toppings. I highly recommend using a brand like King Arthur’s for consistent results.
• Instant Yeast: Essential for the dough’s magnificent rise, instant yeast is convenient as it can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients, bypassing the need for proofing in liquid. It ensures a light and fluffy crust.
• Salt: Beyond just seasoning, salt is vital for dough structure. It strengthens the gluten, enhances flavor, and regulates yeast activity, ensuring a controlled and flavorful rise.
• Lukewarm Water: The ideal temperature for activating instant yeast is between 105-115°F (40-46°C). This warmth helps the yeast to bloom without being too hot to kill it or too cold to hinder its activity.
• Olive Oil (for greasing the pan): A generous amount of good quality olive oil is fundamental. It not only prevents the dough from sticking to the pan but also acts as a frying medium during baking, contributing significantly to the signature incredibly crispy, golden-brown bottom crust and the coveted caramelized cheese edges.

For the Homemade Pizza Sauce:

• Canned Crushed Tomatoes: The heart of your sauce. Opt for high-quality, preferably San Marzano-style, crushed tomatoes for a rich, vibrant, and authentic tomato flavor with a smooth consistency.
• Granulated Sugar: A touch of sugar helps to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes, enhancing their inherent sweetness and rounding out the overall flavor profile of the sauce.
• Dried Oregano: A cornerstone of Italian-American cuisine, dried oregano adds a pungent, earthy, and slightly bitter aroma that is instantly recognizable and quintessential to pizza. You’ll also want a little extra for sprinkling on the assembled pizza, if desired.
• Dried Basil: Complements the oregano beautifully with its sweet, peppery, and subtly anise-like notes, creating a harmonious and classic herb blend for your pizza sauce.
• Garlic Cloves (minced): Freshly minced garlic is indispensable for a robustly aromatic and flavorful sauce. Its sharp, savory notes mellow and deepen during simmering.
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that elevate all the other flavors in the sauce. Adjust to your personal preference for a perfectly balanced taste.

For the Delectable Toppings:

• Grated Parmesan Cheese: This is the secret ingredient for the legendary “frico” crust. Sprinkled along the pan’s edges, it melts and caramelizes into a deeply savory, crispy, and irresistible border.
• Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese (cut into 1/2-inch cubes): Crucial for its superior melting properties and ability to achieve beautiful browning without releasing excessive moisture, which can make a crust soggy. Cubing it ensures even coverage and those desirable pockets of gooey cheese.
• Mild Provolone Cheese (cut into 1/2-inch cubes): Adds another dimension of flavor and an excellent melt. Its slightly sharper, saltier profile perfectly complements the milder mozzarella, contributing to a more complex and satisfying cheese blend.
• Pepperoni, Sausage or Veggies (optional): Customize your pizza with your favorite additions! For pepperoni, anywhere from 8-12 ounces, sliced 1/8-inch thick, is ideal. Crumbled cooked Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions are also fantastic choices. Remember, any wetter veggies should be pre-cooked to prevent a soggy crust, and most toppings are added under the cubed cheese.

With these high-quality ingredients at your fingertips, you are well-equipped to bake an unforgettable Detroit-Style Pizza that will impress everyone!

Mastering the Art of Detroit-Style Pizza: A Step-By-Step Guide

Embark on your journey to create the ultimate Detroit-Style Pizza with these detailed, easy-to-follow instructions. Achieving that legendary thick, crispy, and cheesy masterpiece requires a little patience and precision, but the delicious reward is well worth it.

Section 1: Crafting Your Perfect Pizza Dough

1. Measure Your Flour Accurately: Begin by precisely measuring your unbleached bread flour. The best method is to spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level off the excess with the back of a knife. This prevents compacting the flour and ensures the correct amount, which is vital for dough consistency.
2. Mix Dough Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook), combine the measured bread flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the lukewarm water to the dry ingredients.
3. First Knead and Rest: Mix everything thoroughly, either by hand with a sturdy spoon or using your stand mixer, until a shaggy dough forms and all the flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. This short rest allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to begin relaxing.
4. Second Knead: After the rest, knead the dough again. Continue kneading by hand or with the mixer for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough transforms into a smooth, elastic ball that springs back when gently pressed.
5. Initial Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl (a drizzle of olive oil works perfectly). Turn the dough once to coat it evenly with oil. Cover the bowl securely and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has visibly doubled in size. This process typically takes around 2 hours, depending on your room’s temperature and humidity.
6. Prepare Your Baking Pan: While the dough is completing its initial rise, drizzle 2 generous tablespoons of olive oil into your Detroit-Style pizza pan or a standard 9” x 13” metal baking pan. Ensure the oil evenly coats the entire bottom and sides of the pan.
7. First Dough Stretch: Once the dough has doubled, transfer it carefully to the prepared pan. Gently begin to stretch the dough outwards, pushing it towards the edges and corners of the pan. The dough will likely be resistant and spring back; this is normal. Do not force it or risk tearing.
8. Relax and Stretch (Repeat if Needed): Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making it more pliable. After resting, gently stretch the dough again, aiming to cover more of the pan. Repeat this rest and stretch process one more time if necessary, until the dough completely fills the bottom of the pan and reaches all corners. Some doughs cooperate more easily, so you might not need the second repeat.
9. Final Dough Proof and Oven Preheat: Once the dough is fully stretched in the pan, cover it again and allow it to rest for another 30 to 45 minutes. During this crucial final proof, the dough will become light and airy. Simultaneously, place an oven rack in the lowest position of your oven and preheat the oven to a blistering 500°F (260°C). A very hot oven and low rack position are vital for achieving that signature crispy bottom crust.

Section 2: Preparing Your Zesty Homemade Pizza Sauce

While your dough is undergoing its final proof, take this opportunity to whip up a batch of our vibrant and flavorful homemade pizza sauce. It’s quick, easy, and infinitely better than anything you’ll find in a jar.

1. Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine all the pizza sauce ingredients: canned crushed tomatoes, granulated sugar, dried oregano, dried basil, minced garlic cloves, sea salt, and black pepper.
2. Simmer for Flavor Development: Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir all ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and allow it to cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. This simmering time is essential for the flavors to meld, deepen, and concentrate, creating a rich, aromatic sauce.
3. Cool and Set Aside: Once the sauce has simmered, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly. You will likely have more sauce than you need for a single pizza. Use your preferred amount on the pie, and store any remaining sauce in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to a week. It’s also excellent over pasta or as a dipping sauce!

Section 3: Assembling and Baking Your Detroit-Style Masterpiece

With your dough perfectly proofed and your sauce ready, it’s time for the exciting part – assembling and baking your pizza to golden-brown perfection!

1. Prepare Dough for Toppings: After the final rest, gently press down on the dough in the pan with your fingertips. This helps to release some of the larger air bubbles and creates a more even surface for your toppings.
2. Create the Caramelized Edge: Generously sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese along the very edges of the dough, ensuring it makes contact with the pan walls. This is a critical step for developing the famous crispy, savory, and deeply caramelized “frico” crust.
3. Layer the Toppings: If you are using optional toppings like pepperoni, cooked sausage, or pre-cooked vegetables, spread an even layer over the dough (these usually go *under* the cheese for Detroit-style). Next, evenly distribute the cubed low-moisture mozzarella and mild provolone cheeses across the entire surface of the dough, pushing the cubes right up to the very edges of the pan to ensure maximum cheese caramelization.
4. Add the Signature Sauce Strips: Dollop your homemade pizza sauce in two or three thick, parallel rows running down the length of the pie. This “racing stripe” method is traditional for Detroit-Style Pizza and ensures that each square slice gets a perfect balance of sauce, cheese, and crust.
5. Final Seasoning and Bake: If desired, sprinkle a little extra dried oregano over the sauce for an added aromatic touch. Carefully transfer the pan to the lowest rack of your preheated 500°F (260°C) oven.
6. Bake Until Golden Perfection: Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Keep a close eye on your pizza; it’s done when the cheese is beautifully bubbly, golden brown, and the edges have developed a deep, almost black, caramelized crust. Oven temperatures can vary, so adjust baking time as needed.
7. Loosen and Rest: Once baked, carefully remove the hot pizza from the oven. Immediately run a thin, sturdy metal spatula around all the edges of the pan to loosen the pizza. This prevents the caramelized cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes. This allows the cheese to set slightly and makes the pizza easier to handle and cut.
8. Slice and Serve: Transfer the rested pizza to a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife or a robust pizza cutter, slice the pizza into squares – the traditional Detroit way! Serve immediately and prepare to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Beyond the remarkably thick, airy crust, what truly distinguishes Detroit-Style Pizza from its traditional counterparts is the distinctive layering of its toppings. Instead of the sauce sitting directly on the dough, a generous blanket of cheese forms the initial layer, extending right to the pan’s edges. This crucial step allows the cheese to melt and caramelize against the hot metal, forging that irresistible crispy, cheesy perimeter. The rich, flavorful sauce is then artfully applied in distinctive “racing stripes” over the cheese, ensuring it maintains its fresh, bright tomato essence without being overwhelmed by the intense heat of the oven or getting lost beneath other ingredients.

Detroit-Style Pizza

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 12 servings

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Nothing beats a thick slice of Detroit-Style Pizza! The dough is light and airy with a crust that’s super crispy and it’s topped with two kinds of cheeses and a delicious homemade pizza sauce. This is one spectacular pie that everyone at the table is guaranteed to LOVE!

Prep Time 40 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Additional Time 3 hrs 45 mins

Total Time 4 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour, I used King Arthur’s
• 1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, for greasing the pan

Pizza Sauce

• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. dried oregano, plus some extra for sprinkling the pre-baked pie, if desired
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Toppings

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 oz. mild provolone, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8-12 oz. pepperoni, sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices

Instructions

Pizza Dough

1. Measure your flour by spooning it into your cup, then sweeping off excess with a knife. Mix and knead all the dough ingredients by hand or in a mixer until a shaggy dough forms.Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Knead it again until it becomes smooth and elastic.Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly-greased bowl. Cover the bowl and allow to rest until doubled, about 2 hours.Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a Detroit-Style pan or a 9” x 13” metal pan. Gently stretch the dough into the edges and corners of pan until it won’t stretch any more.Cover the pan, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before stretching again. Repeat the rest one more time, if needed, until the dough fills the bottom of the pan. You may not need to repeat.Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 to 45 minutes while you prepare the sauce. In the meantime, place a rack at the lowest position of your oven, and preheat the oven to 500°F.
2. Gently press the dough down with your fingers to get rid of some of the larger air bubbles. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese along the edges of the dough. Top the dough with an even layer of pepperoni if using, then with the cubed cheeses. Spread the cubes to the edges of the pan.Dollop the sauce in two long rows dough the pie, as pictured. Sprinkle with some dried oregano, if desired.Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven until the cheese is bubbly and the edges have turned almost black, about 15 minutes.Remove the pizza from the oven. Run a spatula around the edges to loosen from the pan. Let the pizza rest for 10 minutes, or until you can handle it. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, cut into squares and serve.Leftover pizza will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, 10-15 minutes.

Pizza Sauce

1. Add all the pizza sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until well combined. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside. You will have more sauce than you need for the pie. Use as much as you prefer and refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge.

Notes

• You can add other toppings to the pizza if you prefer. If you would like to add pepperoni, you can add anywhere from 8-12 ounces, sliced 1/8-inch thick.
• If using pepperoni, veggies or sausage, you will add it to the top of the dough right before you add the cubed cheese in the recipe.
• Right after you remove the pizza from the oven you will need to run a spatula around the edges to loosen it from the pan. You will then need to let it rest for 10 minutes before transferring the pie to a board to cut into squares.
• Don’t skip the Parmesan cheese around the edges of the pie before baking. It helps make the outside edges extra-crispy and caramelized.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 601mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 1mg

Keyword: Comfort Food, low-moisture mozzarella cheese, mild provolone cheese, Pizza, pizza sauce, yeast

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Lunch, Main Dish, Snack

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Recipe for pizza dough adapted from King Arthur Baking.