Chorizo Pizza
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Loaded with chorizo, roasted red peppers, olives, queso fresco, and more, this Mexican-style pizza is out of this world! Deep dish and baked in a cast iron skillet, this Chorizo Pizza recipe is sure to be a total smash hit!
Have you ever tried making pizza in a cast iron skillet? If not, you’re in for a real treat. It makes the crust on the pizza all the more crispy on the outside. And those white fluffy things on the chorizo pizza that look like marshmallows? That’s Queso Fresco, a fresh whole milk Mexican cheese. But I guess you could almost think of them as a savory version of marshmallows, because they’re likewise slightly charred on the outside and slightly oozing on the inside and just oh so good!
Pizza’s always a welcome dish, whether it’s for a casual family dinner, a gathering of friends, or for Game Day. You can make any size you want: A larger 12-inch cast iron skillet will make a deep dish pizza that will easily serve 4 or you can use a 6-inch skillet to make singles (and then some), which is always fun. Of course if they insist on a 12-inch’er all to themselves, you can do that too. (Just be prepared with a stretcher on hand.)
Whether you prefer a thick or a thin crust, this is fully customizable and the cast iron skillet method is perfect for either. Want a thinner crust? Use a large skillet or simply use less of the dough. Want a thick crust? Use the 12-inch skillet recommended. And as I already mentioned, you can make singles 6-inch pizzas by simply halving the recipe.
Whichever way you go, you’re going to love how easy this crust is to make, its incredible texture and the powerhouse of flavors packed into this cast iron skillet Mexican Chorizo Pizza!
Chorizo Pizza Ingredients
Chorizo
If you really want your chorizo pizza to taste extra amazing, make your own – it’s super easy! And it freezes really well. I like to freeze it in 1/4 to 1/2 pound portions so I can conveniently grab what I need. Get my recipe for homemade Chorizo. Trust me, you have to make it. Ignore how unappetizing it looks. Sometimes looks really are overrated. Mexican chorizo is the poster child for this truth.
In that recipe post for homemade chorizo you’ll also read about the tragic ending of my relationship with store-bought chorizo and hear me sing a sad love song over the breakup. Yeah, it’s pretty dramatic. I’m finally over it.
Queso Fresco
I wanted to avoid the typical mozzarella and Mexican cheese blend options so I went for something more traditionally Mexican. Queso fresco, a fresh whole milk cheese. It’s the perfect choice for this pizza. It bakes up so nicely with a golden brown exterior and soft and gooey interior.
Some other flavor touches in this Mexican Chorizo Pizza include:
- roasted red peppers for color and a wonderful smoky flavor dimension that echo the spicy notes in the chorizo (to make your own check out my tutorial on how to roast red peppers)
- sliced black olives
- caramelized onions (those make practically anything taste better)
- diced tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- fresh cilantro
The next thing I was after was a great crust and so I used a cast iron skillet. I drizzled the bottom of the skillet with olive oil before laying down the dough. That accomplishes two things: It allows the oil to penetrate the crust while baking to infuse it with flavor and moistness while simultaneously creating a wonderfully crispy bottom and chewy interior. The cast iron skillet approach also allows you to pile in the ingredients for an awesome deep-dish pizza. Yummmm.
Chorizo Pizza Recipe
Let’s get started!
Prepare the dough by dissolving the yeast and sugar in the warm water and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes or until frothy. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer attached with a dough hook and create a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well along with the olive oil. Knead on the “bread” setting (“2”) until the mixture comes together and then knead for another 3-5 minutes or until the dough comes together in a ball. Lift the ball out, spray the bowl with some olive oil, place the ball back in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. The dough is ready.
Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet (I use and like this skillet from Lodge). Place the dough in it and use your fingers to spread the dough evenly across the pan and up the sides. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before you add the fillings then stretch the dough back into place as needed. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for another 10 minutes.
Spread on the tomato sauce. Add the toppings: Caramelized onions, tomatoes, chorizo, queso fresco, roasted red peppers, black olives.
The pizza is ready for the oven.
Bake it on the middle rack in the oven preheated to 450 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned.
As soon as it comes out of the oven, brush the crust with some olive oil.
If you prefer, you can also brush it with your favorite garlic butter.
Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes then sprinkle with some chopped cilantro.
The pizza will easily slide right out of the pan. Transfer it to a platter to cut and serve or cut it in the pan and serve.
Enjoy!
For more favorite Mexican recipes be sure to try my:
- Chicken Tostadas
- Birria Tacos
- Albondigas Soup
- Pozole Rojo
- Queso Fundido
- Steak Fajitas
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Mexican Meatballs
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Enchilada Sauce
- Stuffed Mexican Cornbread
- Restaurant Style Mexican Salsa
- Sincronizadas
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Chorizo Pizza
Ingredients
- For the Pizza Crust:
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- For the Pizza Toppings:
- 8 ounces Mexican chorizo, crumbled and fried (HIGHLY recommend Easy Homemade Mexican Chorizo)
- 1 large yellow onion ,cut in half the thinly sliced, then caramelized for 15-20 minutes in 2 tablespoons of butter
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce combined with 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large Roma tomato ,diced
- 8 ounces Queso Fresco ,crumbled or diced
- 1/3 cup roasted red peppers peppers , diced
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- To make the pizza crust: Prepare the dough by dissolving the yeast and sugar in the warm water and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes or until frothy. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer attached with a dough hook and create a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well along with the olive oil. Knead on the “bread” setting (“2”) until the mixture comes together and then knead for another 3-5 minutes or until the dough comes together in a ball. Lift the ball out, spray the bowl with some olive oil, place the ball back in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. The dough is ready. During the last few minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- To make the pizza: Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet (get a little of the oil up the sides of the pan as well). Place the dough in it and use your fingers to spread the dough evenly across the pan and up the sides. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before you add the fillings then stretch the dough back into place as needed. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for another 10 minutes.
- Spread on the tomato sauce. Add the toppings: Caramelized onions, tomatoes, chorizo, queso fresco, roasted red peppers, black olives.Bake it on the middle oven rack for about 15 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned.As soon as it comes out of the oven, brush the crust with some olive oil. If you prefer, you can also brush it with your favorite garlic butter.Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes then sprinkle with some chopped cilantro.The pizza will easily slide right out of the pan. Transfer it to a platter to cut and serve or cut it in the pan and serve.
Notes
*The caramelized onions and chorizo can be prepared either well ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use, or they can be made while the dough is rising, hence the 15 minute cook time (for the pizza only). The dough can also be made in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to use. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
Nutrition
Originally published on January 22, 2017
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This was extremely delicious! So much flavor, will definitely be making it again!
Thank you so much, Joann!
No stand mixer here – can I knead the dough by hand instead?
Yes you can, Jenn – knead it by hand for 10-12 minutes.
Can the pizza crust be made and frozen,skipping the rise then thaw and let rise once it’s at room temp? Thanxabunch!! ~~ Judy
Hi Judy, I haven’t tried freezing this particular dough but the feedback I’ve gotten is that it can be frozen but the texture of the baked crust won’t be quite as crispy.
Odd instructions that say to brush the crust with olive oil after baking. Well, color me stupid, but the sauce and toppings are already baked on so how is one supposed to brush the crust with oil?
Robin, take a look at the picture in the step-by-step instructions for a visual reference. The crust, meaning the exposed rim of the crust.