This sheet pan pizza recipe is foolproof and yields a fluffy yet crispy Sicilian-style crust that you won't believe came out of your own oven. Top with as many toppings as you like or keep it simple with just tomato sauce (my fave!). No pizza oven, no problem!
What is Sicilian-Style Sheet Pan Pizza?
This sheet pan pizza is fluffy like a focaccia but with all the flavors of your favorite pizza. Some sheet pan pizza is thin but this one is chewy and crispy at the same time. Traditionally, Sicilian-style pizza is rested after it's placed in the baking sheet, giving it some extra time to rise and develop this iconic dough - and that's exactly what this recipe calls for. Additionally, Sicilian-style pizza is usually served plain with just tomato sauce but you can absolutely pile it high with toppings, if you prefer.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Comes together in a day. No need to rest the dough overnight! This dough comes together in about 3 hours so you can satisfy your pizza craving quickly.
- Simple ingredients. You'll likely have all these ingredients at home so homemade pizza is easy and attainable without placing a delivery order.
- Great as a main or an appetizer. I love serving this as a snack when people come over for drinks but it's great as a main dish, too!
Ingredients You'll Need for Sicilian-Style Sheet Pan Pizza
- Extra-virgin olive oil. For the pizza dough, this will help the dough release easily from the kneading bowl while also creating a crispy bottom. For the sauce, aromatics will fry in the oil and create depth within the sauce.
- Tomato paste. A concentrated tomato explosion for the pizza sauce.
- Garlic cloves. Personally, I think this gives the pizza sauce that home-y taste that makes this pizza iconic.
- Whole, peeled tomatoes. Use San Marzano, if you can! These are the best tomato variety for this sauce and any of tomato sauce recipe, in my opinion.
- Herbs. Fresh basil and dried parsley and oregano work together to round out this hearty tomato sauce.
- Salt. Needed to provide balance to both the sauce and the dough!
- Instant yeast. While you can use active yeast, instant yeast is a bit easier to work with since you don't have to activate it before mixing it in the dough.
- Granulated sugar. While not absolutely necessary since this recipe calls for instant yeast instead, since yeast feeds on sugar, I think this helps speed up the dough proofing process.
- Warm water. Make sure it's not boiling or else you may kill the yeast! Somewhere between 100°F - 110°F is perfect for this dough.
- All-purpose flour. You likely have some in your pantry so you can make this recipe whenever you'd like!
Step-by-Step Instructions
FOR THE HEARTY PIZZA SAUCE
- Sauté extra virgin olive oil, tomato paste and garlic on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes in a medium pot. Then, add the tomatoes, oregano, parsley and salt to the pot.
- Simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes, making sure to stir the sauce every couple of minutes.
- Set aside to cool until the pizza dough is ready.
- You can also make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge up to 10 days until you're ready to use it.
FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH
- In a stand mixer fitted with a bowl, pour in warm water, sugar, flour, salt and instant yeast. Using the dough hook attachment, knead for 4 minutes. When done, the dough should be a bit less runny than a sticky, lumpy pancake batter.
- Pour olive oil on top of the dough and then lift the dough a bit and pour more olive oil on the bottom of the dough. That way, the bowl will be well-oiled and dough won't stick to it once it rises.
- Loosely cover the bowl with a cover or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 3 hours. Make sure the bowl has enough space for the dough to rise!
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle olive oil so the dough won't stick. Pour out the rested dough on top of the parchment paper-lined sheet and let it rest for another 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat your oven to 500°F.
- Pour your prepared pizza sauce on the pizza dough and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Then rotate the pan and bake for another 8 minutes.
- Take out the pan from the oven and pour about another ¼ cup of pizza sauce on the pizza, as well as any other toppings you'd like. I prefer my pizza with just tomato sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese right out of the oven but feel free to add as many toppings as you'd like!
- Bake for another 2 minutes. Let pizza cool for about 5 minutes out of the oven before enjoying!
Equipment for Sicilian-Style Sheet Pan Pizza
- Stand Mixer. This will make your life a whole lot easier to knead the dough. However, if you don't have one, feel free to knead by hand. It may take a bit longer than in a stand mixer but it's totally doable. Start off in a bowl and then onto a floured surface until you get the right dough texture.
Storage and Reheating
This Sicilian-style sheet pan pizza is great for making ahead of time and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, preheat an oven or air fryer to 375°F oven. Bake or air fry for about 5 minutes or until it's warmed through.
As for the sauce, it's perfect to make ahead! Make sure to refrigerate in an airtight container and use within one week of making it.
FAQ
What's the Difference Between Sicilian-Style Pizza and Sheet Pan Pizza?
Traditionally, Sicilian-style pizza dough is rested twice - once after kneading and once again after it's poured into the pan. Sheet pan pizza dough is only rested after it's kneaded.
Do I Need to Use a Stand Mixer to Knead Pizza Dough?
You can simply knead this dough by hand instead but a hand mixer will help you get the dough to the right consistency quicker than kneading by hand.
What Type of Yeast Do I Use for Pizza Dough?
Instant yeast is best to use, in my opinion, because there's no need to activate it before including in the dough so it may be quicker and easier, especially for beginner pizza makers!
How Warm Should the Water be for this Pizza Dough?
Make sure your water is not boiling or else it may kill the yeast! Somewhere between 100°F - 110°F is perfect for this dough.
Tips and Tricks
- Sauce consistency. The consistency of the sauce is up to you! I like my sauce somewhere between smooth and chunky so I use and immersion blender to lightly chop my tomatoes. If you like a smoother sauce, you can always use a food mill to get your sauce extra velvety. If you like your tomatoes more coarse, you can squish the tomatoes with your (clean!) hands into the pot. Or, you can even cut them up with some kitchen scissors once in the pot - that way you'll have less dishes to clean!
- Crispy 'za. If you want your toppings or dough a bit crispier, turn on the broiler in your oven and let the pizza crisp up for another minute or two after it's done. But monitor it the whole time as the broiler can make things burn very quickly!
Did you try out this recipe? I'd love to know how it went! Leave me a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram at @AFabulousBite!
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Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Sheet Pan Pizza (Sicilian-Style)
This sheet pan pizza recipe is foolproof and yields a fluffy yet crispy Sicilian-style crust that you won't believe came out of your own oven. Top with as many toppings as you like or keep it simple with just tomato sauce (my fave!). No pizza oven, no problem!
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Servings: slices
Calories: 325kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Hearty Pizza Sauce
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 28 oz canned Italian whole peeled tomatoes see note below
- 1 bunch fresh basil whole
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Pizza Dough
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 ¾ cups warm water
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon active yeast see note below
- 5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for your hands to stretch the dough
Instructions
To Make the Hearty Pizza Sauce
- In a medium pot, sauté the olive oil, tomato paste and garlic on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley and salt to the pot until fragrant.
- Simmer on medium heat, stirring every few minutes, for 10 minutes. See note below for sauce consistency.
- Set aside to cool until the pizza dough is ready. Alternatively, keep in the fridge for up to a week until ready to use.
To Make the Pizza Dough
- Pour the warm water, sugar, flour, salt and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using the dough hook, knead for about 4 minutes. It should be a bit less runny than a lumpy pancake batter.
- In the same mixing bowl, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the top of the dough and slightly lifting the dough, pour 1 more tablespoon of olive oil on the bottom of the dough.
- Loosely cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for about 3 hours. Make sure there's enough room for the dough to rise!
- Pour 2 tablespoon olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pour in the pizza dough and stretch it out so it reaches all sides of the baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top of the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
- Pour 1 ¾ cup of tomato sauce over the top of the dough and place in the oven for 10 minutes, then rotating the pan and bake for another 8 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and pour an extra ¼ cup of tomato sauce over the pizza, along with any other toppings and/or cheese you'd like to add. Bake for another 2 minutes while making sure toppings don't burn. When done, let pizza cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Type of yeast. Instant yeast is best to use, in my opinion, because there's no need to activate it before including in the dough so it may be quicker and easier, especially for beginner pizza makers!
- Sauce consistency. The consistency of the sauce is up to you! I like my sauce somewhere between smooth and chunky so I use and immersion blender to lightly chop my tomatoes. If you like a smoother sauce, you can always use a food mill to get your sauce extra velvety. If you like your tomatoes more coarse, you can squish the tomatoes with your (clean!) hands into the pot. Or, you can even cut them up with some kitchen scissors once in the pot - that way you'll have less dishes to clean!
- Crispy 'za. If you want your toppings or dough a bit crispier, turn on the broiler in your oven and let the pizza crisp up for another minute or two after it's done. But monitor it the whole time as the broiler can make things burn very quickly!
Nutrition
Serving: 12 slices | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe? Let me know!Tag @AFabulousBite and include #AFabulousBite!
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