Deluxe Pizza Recipe

Preheat and prepare crust

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating. Lightly flour a work surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a piece of parchment or a lightly oiled pizza peel/pan. Brush the dough edge lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to promote browning.

Sauce and cheese

Spread 3 tablespoons pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauced surface, reserving the rest for finishing. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated parmesan evenly over the mozzarella.

Cook ground beef and sausage

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef (6 oz) and italian sausage (4 oz, removed from casings). Cook, breaking up with a spatula, until no pink remains and liquids have evaporated, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed and season with 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.

Prepare sliced meats

Slice or tear the canadian bacon into bite-sized pieces. Have 12 slices of pepperoni ready. These require no pre-cooking (pepperoni will crisp in the oven; canadian bacon will heat on the pizza).

Sauté mushrooms and aromatics

In the same skillet used for the meats, add 1 tsp minced garlic and the sliced mushrooms (3 oz) with a small splash of oil if the pan is dry. Sauté over medium heat about 2–3 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.

Prepare peppers and onions

Thinly slice 1 green bell pepper and 1 small red onion. If you prefer softer vegetables, sauté them 2–3 minutes in the skillet until slightly softened; otherwise use raw for more crunch. Pat any excess moisture from vegetables with a paper towel before topping the pizza.

Distribute the cooked ground beef and italian sausage evenly over the sauced, cheesed crust.

Scatter the sautéed mushrooms across the pizza, then arrange the green pepper slices and red onion evenly.

Place the canadian bacon pieces and pepperoni slices evenly on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella over everything to help bind toppings.

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using) evenly over the pizza.

Slide the pizza (on parchment or peel) onto the preheated stone or place the pizza pan in the oven. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Baking time will vary with oven and thickness of dough—watch closely after 7 minutes.

If you like extra crisp pepperoni edges, switch to broil for 30–60 seconds at the end, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley over the top. Slice into 8 pieces and serve hot.