How to make Chicago-style deep dish pizza in a slow cooker (video)

Pizza is by far one of our favorite excuses to put our feet up and let someone else do the work come dinnertime. It's always a winner with the little ones, and it's just so enjoyable that we order this guilty pleasure more than necessary. But now, with the help of our trusty slow cookers, we can enjoy the bliss of a perfect pizza (deep dish, no less!), while putting in as much effort as it takes to find the takeout menu and dial it in. Try out this scrumptious recipe for slow cooker Chicago deep-dish pizza and see for yourself!

This amazing recipe calls for simple pizza dough and a basic (yet incredible) and quick recipe for homemade pizza sauce. You can easily replace the pizza sauce recipe with a jar of store-bought pizza sauce, although we highly recommend this no-cook sauce recipe to keep up your sleeve for later use. We guarantee you won't regret it! As with any brilliant pizza, you can adapt the toppings to suit your taste. We've recommended our personal favorites to start with: sweet peppers, red onions, black olives and bacon!

Cooktop Cove

Slow Cooker Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

5-6

30 minutes

2 hours

2 hours, 45 minutes

1 12-ounce refrigerated pizza dough (or see the tip for how to make your own!)

6 ounces tomato paste

3/4 cup water

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons honey

2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

For Toppings:

1 green pepper, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

5 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped

1 handful black olives, chopped

Line a 6-quart slow cooker with parchment paper. The parchment should be long enough to extend up to the upper rim of the slow cooker.

To make the pizza sauce: In a large bowl, combine the tomato paste, water, chopped garlic, honey, anchovies, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, red chili flakes and Parmesan cheese. Stir well with a wooden spoon until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 minutes, or until the flavors have had time to meld together.

Spread the pizza dough over the bottom of the slow cooker, taking care to press it along and up the edges of the slow cooker a bit.

Spoon the pizza sauce into the middle of the pizza dough. Using the back of the spoon, make a spiral motion with the sauce until it evenly covers the dough.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top.

Place the toppings over the mozzarella. Line the top of the slow cooker with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Cover and cook on high 2 to 2½ hours (depending on your slow cooker). Once cooked, remove the lid and allow the pizza to cool for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove the pizza by lifting the parchment paper. Slice and serve.

Pro tip: Take this winning meal one step further by making your own pizza dough!

To make your own dough, you'll need:
1 0.25-ounce package of dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups strong bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Simply dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water until frothy. Using your hands, mix in the flour, olive oil and salt until a soft dough forms. Lightly knead the dough on a floured surface until elastic. Use immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to a week before using.

Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here.

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