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Homemade Vegetarian Detroit-style Pizza Recipe

Close up shot of a piece of Detroit style pizza

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Homemade Vegetarian Detroit-style Pizza Recipe - Soft bread and chewy, crispy cheesy crust meets your favorite pizza sauce! 

Ingredients

Scale

For the dough

  • 1 and 1/3 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 packet of dry active yeast (about 2 teaspoons dry active yeast)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

For the pizza

  • 1 and 1/2 cup pizza sauce of your choice
  • 6 ounces cubed cheese of your choice (I like to use Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3 medium-size Roma tomato, sliced
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  1. Dissolve the sugar in lukewarm water. Once the sugar is all dissolved, add the yeast and let it bloom for about 10 minutes. 
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the salt and 2 cups of flour. Add the yeast mixture and stir to mix. Slowly add the rest of the flour and knead the dough until it comes together. This will take about 10 minutes. 
  3. In a 9 x 13 non-stick metal pan, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Make sure to coat all the corners and sides of the pan by using a brush. 
  4. Place the dough in the pan and try to flatten the dough to cover the bottom of the pan. Flip the dough a couple of times to coat it completely with the olive oil that's added to the pan. If the dough does not cover the bottom of the pan, don't worry. The dough will rise and eventually cover the whole pan. Cover the pan loosely with a plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise until the dough fills the baking pan, about 2 hours. 
  5. Preheat the oven to 450 to 475F (either temperature works).
  6. If the dough has risen unevenly, gently tap the dough with your fingertips to make the even surface. Be careful not to deflate the dough completely. 
  7. Spread the pizza sauce evenly on top of the dough. 
  8. Sprinkle the cubed cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
  9. Place the tomato slices and sprinkle them with some black pepper. 
  10. Bake the pizza in the oven for 17 to 20 minutes until all the cheese melts. 
  11. Take the pizza out of the oven and let it cool for a couple of minutes. 
  12. Using a spatula, loosen up the edges of the pizza in the pan. The pizza should slide out. Slice them into 12 pieces and serve. 

Notes

  • The dough may not cover the bottom of the baking pan at first. But once the dough has risen, it will. The important part is to cover the dough and the pan completely with olive oil. This step is crucial so that your dough won't stick to the pan.
  • When adding the sauce and the cheese to the dough, careful not to deflate the dough. This will ensure a soft, fluffy, and airy crust.
  • You can bake this at either 450 or 475F. Everyone's oven temperature is different. I tried both temperatures and the pizza came out good either way!
  • If you'd like the signature look of the Detroit-style pizza, you may add the sauce at the end (on top of the cheese). 
  • Feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings to make it your own.