Posted Jan 26, 2024, Updated Sep 30, 2024 My very first job when I was 14 was working at a local pizza restaurant in the suburbs of Chicago. As a result, I am incredibly passionate about good pizza, and pepperoni pizza is one of my family’s favorite pie varieties. However, the pizza scene where we live now is pretty sad – so we always choose to make our own pizza at home! So, I perfected this pepperoni pizza recipe (using my homemade pizza dough and homemade pizza sauce). It’s loaded with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese making a delicious pie that will make you forget about takeout once and for all!
Pepperoni Pizza Ingredients & Substitutions
Pizza dough. I suggest this homemade pizza dough, but store-bought works well too. Pizza Sauce. this is the best homemade pizza sauce! You can use store-bought, if desired. Pepperoni. I have use both regular and turkey pepperoni with great results. Or try making sausage pizza! Mozzarella cheese. You can substitute some of the mozzarella with different cheese varieties like cheddar, but mozzarella yields the most authentic taste!
How to Make Pepperoni Pizza
Begin by placing a pizza stone in the oven while you preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Then, roll out the pizza dough to a 14” circle on a piece of parchment paper (for easy transfer to the pizza stone). Next, spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough. Then, sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. Then, evenly distribute the pepperoni on top of the cheese. Finally, add the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top of the pepperoni. The two layers of cheese is one of my secrets to the best homemade pizza! Then, use a pizza peel to transfer the pepperoni pizza on the parchment paper onto the baking stone in the oven. Bake the pepperoni pizza in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. I suggest lifting up the bottom of the pizza with a spatula to ensure the bottom crust is golden brown. Then, remove the pizza from the oven (using the pizza peel) and transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Serve
Once the pepperoni pizza has cooled slightly, cut it with pizza scissors or transfer to a large cutting board and use a pizza cutter, and serve warm. I suggest serving it with a salad like burrata salad, panzanella salad, spinach salad, or kale salad! Or, of course, other pizza varieties like cheese pizza and BBQ chicken pizza.
Store/Freeze
Let the pepperoni pizza cool completely before storing in a single layer in an airtight container. It will last for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven set to warm. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
