This pepperoni pizza recipe makes one 12-inch pie with a ball of dough, 1⅓ cups of pizza sauce, mozzarella and 2 ounces of sliced pepperoni. The crust bakes at 500°F in two stages, so it turns crisp before the toppings go on.
Regular pepperoni gives the classic taste, while turkey pepperoni is the swap to choose if you prefer poultry in your pepperoni pizza recipe.
What Is Pepperoni and Where Did It Come From
Pepperoni is an American variety of spicy salami made from cured pork and beef and seasoned with paprika and chili pepper.
According to Wikipedia’s pepperoni entry, the first use of the word for a sausage dates to 1916 at the latest, and the product was sold in New York City by 1919. Some sources cite an 1888 mention, but that claim is disputed, so this recipe does not rely on it.
The name comes from the Italian word peperoni, which is the plural of peperone and means bell pepper. The name does not describe the sausage itself, so the American product is best understood as its own style of cured meat. Turkey is often used as a substitute, and in the US poultry use must be labeled. The red color comes from nitrate or nitrite curing. For another classic topping set, compare this with the Hawaiian pizza recipe.
Ingredients for One 12-Inch Pepperoni Pizza
One 12-inch pepperoni pizza needs one ball of pizza dough, 1⅓ cups of pizza sauce, 1½ cups of shredded part-skim mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan and 2 ounces of sliced pepperoni. This pepperoni pizza recipe yields 8 slices.
- 1 ball pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons stoneground or regular cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1⅓ cups pizza sauce
- 1½ cups (6 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 2 ounces sliced pepperoni
Two optional extras work well. Add about 2 cups of thinly sliced cremini or button mushrooms, roughly 4 ounces, and finish with fresh basil. Plan on about 25 minutes of prep before the oven goes on.
The recipe uses shredded part-skim mozzarella, 1½ cups or 6 ounces, so weigh the cheese if you have a kitchen scale. A grated Parmesan finish adds a salty edge without changing the bake.
Store-bought dough is a practical shortcut when time is short. Homemade dough gives you more control over thickness, but the bake times in this pepperoni pizza recipe assume a 12-inch round, so measure your dough before you start. If you want a thinner base, see this thin crust pizza dough recipe, and for shaping tips, read how to stretch pizza dough.
Pepperoni Pizza Recipe: Step by Step
Bake the plain crust at 500°F for 8 minutes on the lowest rack, then add the toppings and finish for 10 minutes on the middle rack until the crust is golden.
The two-rack method below follows the sequence in Recipe Girl’s pepperoni pizza version, which also sets the oven to 500°F.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F with one rack in the middle position and another in the lowest position.
- Shape the dough and bake the plain crust on the lowest rack for 8 minutes.
- Spread the pizza sauce over the crust and scatter the mushrooms on top, if you use them.
- Add the mozzarella and Parmesan, then arrange the pepperoni in an even layer over the cheese.
- Move the pizza to the middle rack and bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese melts. Add basil if you like, then cut the pizza into 8 slices.
The full bake in this pepperoni pizza recipe takes about 18 minutes in the oven, which means the crust gets 8 minutes of solo heat before the toppings add moisture and weight.
Each stage has a clear job. Order matters too: sauce goes on first, then any mushrooms, then the cheese, with the pepperoni on top so the slices sit in one even layer where you can see them. The first bake sets the base so it can carry sauce and cheese without going limp. The second bake melts the cheese and browns the pepperoni while the crust finishes. Skipping the first stage can leave the center soft, because the sauce and cheese then have to heat the base as well as the toppings.
Tips for a Crisp Crust and Even Pepperoni
Keep the topping layer light and spread the pepperoni evenly so the crust can set and the cheese melts through. These habits help any pepperoni pizza recipe bake more evenly, whether you use store-bought or homemade dough.
- Spread the sauce thin enough that the center of the crust does not turn soggy.
- Lay the pepperoni slices flat in one layer rather than stacking them in clumps.
- Keep the mushrooms in a thin layer so their moisture does not pool under the cheese.
- Choose lay-flat pepperoni if you want the slices to stay flat.
- Let a refrigerated ball of dough warm up until it stretches easily, since cold dough springs back and shapes unevenly.
- Check the crust a minute or two early the first time you bake it.
Pepperoni cupping has a known cause, and it affects how a pepperoni pizza recipe looks when it comes out of the oven. According to Hormel Foods’ newsroom article, current cupping pepperoni is usually made with a rendered collagen casing that promotes cupping. Lay-flat pepperoni uses a fibrous casing that is removed before slicing, so its slices stay flat as they cook. The same article says cupping pepperoni tends to cost about 15% more than lay-flat.
The 500°F setting and the 8 and 10 minute times are the values in this pepperoni pizza recipe, not universal rules. For how home and pizza ovens differ, see pizza oven temperature. Home ovens vary in strength and rack position, so the bottom of the crust may brown faster in some units.
Turkey Pepperoni vs Regular Pepperoni
Turkey pepperoni works as a direct swap in this pepperoni pizza recipe, while regular pepperoni keeps the classic pork and beef character of the original sausage.
| Criterion | Regular pepperoni | Turkey pepperoni |
|---|---|---|
| Meat base | Pork, or a mix of pork and beef | Turkey |
| Labeling | Standard cured sausage label | Poultry use must be labeled in the US |
| Best for | A classic pizzeria-style topping | Cooks who prefer a poultry option |
If you like a milder, cheesy base, the margherita pizza recipe is a good contrast. Pick regular pepperoni for the taste most people expect from a pizzeria pie. Pick turkey if you want a poultry topping or you are cooking for guests who avoid pork.
The swap changes only the topping, so the dough, sauce, cheese and bake times stay the same. Read the package label when you shop, because the label tells you whether the pepperoni is pork and beef or poultry.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers below cover the ingredients, timing and swaps that home cooks ask about most often when they make this pepperoni pizza recipe.
What is pepperoni made of?
Pepperoni is a spicy American salami made from cured pork and beef, seasoned with paprika and chili pepper. Some versions use turkey instead, which US rules require to be labeled as poultry.
Can you use turkey pepperoni?
Yes. Turkey pepperoni can replace regular pepperoni in this pepperoni pizza recipe as a direct swap. The dough, sauce, cheese and bake times stay the same, so only the flavor of the topping changes. Look for a label that states the poultry content, since US rules require poultry products to be labeled as such.
How long does a pepperoni pizza recipe take to bake?
The plain crust bakes for 8 minutes at 500°F on the lowest rack, then the topped pizza bakes for 10 minutes on the middle rack. That is about 18 minutes of oven time in total, not counting preheating.
Why does pepperoni curl up on pizza?
Cupping pepperoni is usually made with a collagen casing that promotes curling in the heat. Lay-flat pepperoni uses a fibrous casing that is removed before slicing, so its slices stay flat. Choose lay-flat slices if you want a flat topping.
Should you precook the crust?
Yes, this pepperoni pizza recipe pre-bakes the plain crust for 8 minutes before any toppings go on. That step sets the base before the sauce and cheese are added, and the second bake finishes the cheese and pepperoni. Skipping it usually means the sauce soaks into a raw base, which leaves the center wet.
Can you add mushrooms to a pepperoni pizza recipe?
Yes. The recipe lists about 2 cups of thinly sliced cremini or button mushrooms, roughly 4 ounces, as an optional topping. Add them after the sauce and before the cheese so they bake with the pizza.
If you want the classic result from this pepperoni pizza recipe, start with regular pepperoni and keep the sauce layer light. If you cook for guests who prefer poultry, the turkey swap works without any change to the method. Check the crust a minute or two early the first time you bake it.