dinner recipes

Skillet Sausage and Basil Pizza

Does anything beat homemade pizza? I’m a huge fan of taking cheat day favorites and making them just a little bit healthier by controlling the ingredients I use in my own kitchen, and this cast iron skillet pizza is the perfect way to do that! You can use homemade or pre-made dough, tomato sauce, your favorite cheese (mozzarella for me), and toppings of your choice – I went with sausage for some flavor and protein and fresh basil. So delicious and the cast iron really gives the crust a pan pizza-like texture! What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Skillet Sausage and Basil Pizza

Cam
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 1 pizza

Equipment

  • 12" cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb pre-made pizza dough, room temp
  • 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage, without casings
  • 3/4 cup freshly-grated low-moisture mozzarella I recommend not using pre-shredded, as these are usually coated with potato starch to prevent sticking, which prevents the cheese from melting together very well
  • 1/3 cup marinara sauce
  • 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • fresh basil
  • kosher salt
  • cornmeal (a few pinches, just to help the dough from sticking)

Instructions
 

  • Place your oven rack in the top spot in the oven and preheat to 475°F. Lightly oil your hands and work surface with some extra olive oil, and place your dough on the oiled counter. Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil over top and gently run your hands around it to coat it all over. Carefully stretch the dough out in a 12" circle ( for a 12" cast iron skillet) and cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in your skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is just beginning to smoke, add your sausage. Cook until cooked through (~6-7 minutes) and browning, breaking it up into small pieces with your spatula. Remove from the skillet and set aside in a small bowl. Scrape up any stuck or burnt bits of sausage before continuing.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and generously sprinkle the skillet with cornmeal. Carefully place the dough into the pan, using the back of a spoon to help push the dough to the edges of the skillet. Add the marinara, spreading to the edges with a spoon, and season with a sprinkle of salt. Add the shredded cheese and sausage, and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil.
  • Using a spatula, try to lift up the edge of the dough just a bit to see if it's gotten any browning underneath from the hot skillet. If not, set the skillet over medium-low heat for just a few minutes, until the bottom of the crust is starting to turn crisp and golden.
  • Once ready, bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and browning in a few spots. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and another sprinkle of salt, followed by a last drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
  • Enjoy!
Keyword dinner, italian, pizza, sausage, skillet pizza

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