Description
This Cheesy Sheet Pan Italian Sausage Pizza is a flavorful and easy-to-make pizza recipe featuring a crispy sheet pan crust topped with savory Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. Perfect for feeding a crowd, it combines aromatic herbs and spices with melty cheese in one satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Italian Sausage
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Pizza Assembly
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb pizza dough
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tsp fresh oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Cooked Italian sausage (prepared above)
- Large pepperoni slices (amount to preference, about 20-30 slices)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)
- Red chili flakes (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Place the sheet pan inside while the oven heats to help the bottom of the crust crisp up.
- Cook Sausage: In a medium skillet over medium heat, crumble the Italian sausage. Add fennel seeds, garlic powder, dried oregano, and black pepper. Cook for about 6–8 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat and set aside.
- Prepare Dough: Lightly flour a surface and roll or stretch your pizza dough to roughly fit your 9×11 inch sheet pan.
- Prepare Pan: Carefully remove the hot sheet pan from the oven and drizzle with olive oil, spreading it evenly.
- transfer Dough: Transfer the stretched dough into the hot sheet pan and gently press it out to the edges.
- Add Sauce and Seasoning: Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle garlic powder and fresh oregano evenly over the sauce.
- Add Cheese: Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese across the surface of the sauce.
- Top with Meats: Distribute the cooked Italian sausage evenly over the cheese and layer pepperoni slices on top.
- Bake: Bake the assembled pizza in the oven for 18–20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crisp and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and red chili flakes to taste. Let cool slightly, then slice into 12 squares and serve hot.
Notes
- For a crisper crust, preheating the sheet pan before placing the dough on it is key.
- Drain excess fat from the cooked sausage to avoid a greasy pizza.
- Adjust red chili flakes to your desired spice level or omit for a milder pizza.
- You can substitute mild Italian sausage for spicy if you prefer more heat.
- This recipe yields 12 slices, perfect for a party or family meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
