Enjoy comforting, homemade pepperoni and sausage pan pizza with a crisp, golden crust and an airy, focaccia-like interior. Below you’ll find the full recipe, tips for cooking on a Ninja FlexFlame or grill, serving suggestions, storage advice, and nutrition details.
Table of Contents
- What is pan pizza
- Pepperoni and Sausage Pan Pizza Recipe
- Ingredients
- How to cook pan pizza on the Ninja FlexFlame
- How to serve pan pizza
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More pizza recipes
- Newest Recipes
What is pan pizza
Pan pizza features a thicker crust baked in a well-oiled deep skillet or cake pan. The oil fries the bottom and edges slightly during baking, producing a crisp exterior while the interior stays light and airy—similar to focaccia.
Allowing the dough to rise is critical: time for fermentation creates air pockets and prevents a dense result. For this recipe I used pepperoni and Italian sausage, but you can swap or add any toppings you prefer.
Pepperoni and Sausage Pan Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 16 oz pizza dough
- 8 oz ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 20 pepperoni slices
Instructions
- Coat the pan: Add oil to a 12-inch cast iron skillet or cake pan and brush the bottom and sides until evenly coated.
- Rise the dough: Place the dough in the oiled pan and let it rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes. After rising, use your fingers to gently stretch the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the sausage: While the dough rises, form the ground Italian sausage into small meatballs and brown them in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through and nicely browned.
- Preheat your grill or oven: Heat to 450°F. If using a grill, place a pizza stone on the grate; on a Ninja FlexFlame use the grill/pizza setting.
- Assemble: Spread sauce over the stretched dough, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, then top with pepperoni slices and the cooked sausage meatballs.
- Bake: Place the pan on the pizza stone or directly on the heated grill/oven. Bake 12–15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.
- Rest and slice: Let the pizza cool 5–10 minutes, then slice into 8 pieces and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Ingredients (Notes)
You can make dough and sauce from scratch, but quality store-bought dough and sauce save time and work very well for this pan pizza.
- Store-bought pizza dough: Choose a fresh, airy dough—many grocery stores carry ready-to-bake dough that works great.
- Pizza sauce: Use your favorite jarred sauce or homemade marinara.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni slices
- Italian sausage: Use ground, uncased sausage; cook before adding to the pizza.
- Olive oil or avocado oil: For coating the pan to get that crispy, fried bottom.
Substitutions: Add any toppings you like—onions, mushrooms, peppers, olives, or fresh herbs.
See the recipe card above for exact amounts and servings.
How to cook pan pizza on the Ninja FlexFlame
- STEP ONE: Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a 12-inch cast iron skillet or cake pan and brush to coat bottom and sides.
- STEP TWO: Place the dough in the oiled pan and let it rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes. Stretch gently so the dough covers the pan bottom.
Pro tip: Cold dough will spring back when stretched. If you need to speed proofing, use an oven proof/proof setting to warm the dough slightly.
- STEP THREE: While the dough rises, shape the sausage into small meatballs and brown them in a skillet over medium heat.
- STEP FOUR: Once the dough is stretched, spread the sauce, sprinkle mozzarella, then add pepperoni and the cooked sausage.
- STEP FIVE: Heat the grill or oven to 450°F and place a pizza stone on the grate to diffuse direct heat. Bake the pan pizza 12–15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
Pro tip: On a Ninja FlexFlame, add the pizza stone, set the function to grill/pizza, and set the temperature to 450°F.
- STEP SIX: The pizza is done when it has risen, the edges are golden-brown, and the crust feels crisp under the pan.
How to serve pan pizza
You can slice and serve the pizza straight from the pan, or remove it to a cutting board before slicing. Let it rest a few minutes so the cheese and sauce settle and don’t run.
Offer optional toppings like grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, fresh basil, or hot honey for finishing touches.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–4 days. Reheat in an air fryer or oven to restore crispness; the microwave will warm it quickly but softens the crust.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Add a generous amount of oil to the skillet so the bottom crisps up nicely.
- Let the dough fully rise so it becomes airy and stretches without snapping back.
- Use a pizza stone on the grill grate to help prevent burning and promote even heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pan pizza is baked in a deep, oiled pan and has a thicker, often crisper-edged crust. Regular pizza is stretched thin and baked on a pan or stone for a thinner crust.
Yes—pan pizza has a thicker crust, but when made correctly it should be light and airy inside, not dense.
Fresh store-bought dough is convenient and works well. Make dough from scratch if you prefer complete control over texture and flavor; base ingredients include high-protein flour, yeast, water, and salt.
More pizza recipes
- Mushroom Pizza with Creamy Alfredo Sauce
- Artisan Pizza on the Ninja FlexFlame
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Bacon Jam Pizza
Newest Recipes
Campfire Brie Dip (And the Three Mistakes I Made the First Time)
Smoked Hot Honey
Gochugaru Hot Honey (Korean Hot Honey)
19 Best Memorial Day Recipes to Grill This Weekend
Want more grilling recipes and tips? Subscribe to the newsletter and follow the author on social channels for updates. If you try this recipe, leave a comment and rating.