Thick-Crust Pizza
A crowd-pleasing vegetarian built around instant yeast, tomato sauce and dried basil — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (5)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, salt and instant yeast, then pour in the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix to a shaggy dough.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then shape into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.
- Meanwhile make the sauce by simmering the tomato sauce with the crushed garlic, sugar, dried oregano, basil and parsley for 12 to 15 minutes until thickened, then season with salt and pepper and let it cool.
- Brush a deep rectangular pan or 30cm round tin with the remaining olive oil, press the risen dough into it stretching to the edges, then cover and let it puff for another 20 to 30 minutes for a thick crust.
- Heat the oven to 230C (450F) with a rack in the lower third so the bottom crust crisps properly.
- Spread the cooled sauce evenly over the dough leaving a small border, then scatter the shredded mozzarella right to the edges.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling and blistered, then let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets.
You'll use: Oven · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan · Whisk
Tips & common questions
How long does Thick-Crust Pizza take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 13 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Thick-Crust Pizza vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Thick-Crust Pizza is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Thick crust pizza (1).jpg by jeffreyw, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.