Cast Iron Pizza — A Sunday Worth Staying Home For

Drove Tuesday-Wednesday. On the way home from Sioux City I detoured five miles south on Highway 20 to look at a closed cafe I had heard about. Too remote, too small.

Gayle had a steady week.

Sunday: roast chicken.

After two days of highway driving and detours to nowhere, Sunday felt like a gift — and I wasn’t about to waste it on takeout. Gayle had held down the fort all week without complaint, and the least I could do was put something real on the table. This cast iron pizza has become my go-to when I want the satisfaction of homemade without spending the whole afternoon in the kitchen — the skillet does the heavy lifting, and the result is that perfect crispy-edged crust that makes everyone feel like Sunday was worth it.

Cast Iron Pizza

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb store-bought or homemade pizza dough, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Toppings of choice (pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, etc.)
• Fresh basil for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and pan. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (or as high as your oven goes). Allow the skillet to heat for at least 20 minutes while you prep the dough.
2. Stretch the dough. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a rough 12-inch circle. Let it rest for 5 minutes if it springs back.
3. Oil the skillet. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides.
4. Transfer the dough. Lay the stretched dough into the oiled skillet, pressing it gently to fit the pan and up the edges slightly. Brush the top surface with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Add the sauce and toppings. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Scatter mozzarella and Parmesan over the sauce, then add desired toppings. Sprinkle with oregano and red pepper flakes.
6. Bake. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 14–18 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned in spots.
7. Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let the pizza rest in the skillet for 3 minutes. Run a thin spatula around the edges to loosen, then slide onto a cutting board. Top with fresh basil, slice, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 20g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 820mg