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The Best Sheet Pan Pizza Recipe

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5 from 53 reviews

This Best Sheet Pan Pizza recipe features homemade-style sausage seasoned with fennel seeds and Italian herbs, cooked until perfectly browned, then layered on a stretched pizza dough with flavorful pizza sauce and plenty of melted mozzarella. It’s an easy, crispy, cheesy, and delicious sheet pan pizza baked in the oven for a quick and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Sausage

  • 1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Pizza Assembly

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound room temperature pizza dough
  • ½ cup pizza sauce, or to taste
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 450°F (232°C) to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking the pizza, which helps achieve a crispy crust and evenly melted cheese.
  2. Prepare fennel seeds: Crush the fennel seeds finely using a mortar and pestle, coffee grinder, or by placing them in a plastic bag and smashing with a rolling pin to release their aromatic flavor.
  3. Make the sausage mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ground pork, crushed fennel seeds, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand for even seasoning.
  4. Cook the sausage: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage mixture and break it apart with a spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink and lightly browned.
  5. Drain sausage: Transfer cooked sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate to remove excess grease while preparing the pizza base.
  6. Prepare the baking sheet: Brush a 9×13 inch rimmed baking sheet evenly with olive oil to prevent sticking and add flavor.
  7. Stretch the dough: Place the room temperature pizza dough on the prepared pan. Stretch it evenly to cover the entire surface. If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.
  8. Apply sauce: Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving approximately a ½ inch border around the edges for the crust.
  9. Add cheese and sausage: Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella over the sauce, then evenly distribute the cooked sausage on top. Follow with the remaining mozzarella.
  10. Season the pizza: Sprinkle dried oregano and garlic powder over the cheese and toppings to enhance flavor.
  11. Bake the pizza: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly with golden spots.
  12. Cool and serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve topped with grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • Allowing the pizza dough to rest if it is difficult to stretch helps relax the gluten for easier shaping.
  • Using a rimmed baking sheet prevents sauce or toppings from spilling over during baking.
  • Crushing fennel seeds fresh maximizes their flavor in the sausage.
  • Letting the cooked sausage drain reduces grease on the pizza for a cleaner, crisper crust.
  • Adjust pizza sauce amount to taste; you can add more or less depending on preference.
  • Use room temperature dough so it is more pliable and easier to stretch.
  • For extra crispy crust, preheat the baking sheet in the oven before adding the dough.
  • Feel free to substitute ground pork with Italian sausage or ground turkey if preferred.

Find it online: https://dishesbydaisy.com/the-best-sheet-pan-pizza-recipe/