Hi, I am here to share my homemade pepperoni pizza recipe. I am always looking for new ways to make the most basic of recipes taste better and this is one of them!
I’ve also included some extra tips on how you could take your pepperoni pizza to the next level.
Printpepperoni pizza recipe
Tasty homemade pepperoni pizza, with this recipe take it to the next level with some tasty additions. This is the best pepperoni pizza i’ve had and is much better than any you can get from a pizzeria.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
- 1x 250g Dough Ball
- 1/2 Cup Tomato Pizza Sauce
- 2 Cloves Of Garlic thinly sliced
- 12oz Grated Cheese
- Slices Pepperoni
- 1 tbsp Grated Parmesan
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Spoon the sauce onto the pizza dough and cover using the backend of the spoon. Make sure to leave a 1inch gap from the edge of the pizza
- Sprinkle the sliced garlic cloves. This gives a nice extra layer of flavour to the pizza.
- Add the cheese to the pizza, make sure to keep the cheese on the pizza sauce and keep the 1inch gap around the crust
- Place the pepperoni onto the pizza. If your using big slices then you might need 4-5. If smaller slices then you can add a lot more. You dont want to completely cover the pizza as you want the cheese to get nice and melted but make sure they are evenly spread out.
- Bake the pizza in your pizza oven or conventional oven. It will usually take 90 seconds in a pizza oven, where as in your home oven it will take 10-15 minutes. Ensure its fully cooked before removing.
- Add the grated parmesan on the top of the pizza. This again adds a really nice extra level of flavour.
- Add a little olive oil onto the pizza
- Sit back and enjoy!
Pepperoni Pizza
Pepperoni Pizza is one of the most well-known and common pizzas. its one of my go to pizza’s. I like making them as it only requires 4 key ingredients. Pizza Dough, Pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni.
The pepperoni filling in the pepperoni pizza is a curing and seasoning combination of beef and pork that has been smoked.
To make pepperoni pizza, simply place the toppings on a prebaked pizza crust. Begin with sauce, then cheese, followed by pepperoni and additional cheese.
Best Pepperoni For Pizza
There are many different types of pepperoni. You could get the big slices, where you’ll probably only fit around 5-6 slices. Or you can get the small slices, these tend to cook a little better and you get that “cup” shape when cooked.
I find the bigger slices a bit thicker and have a more chewy texture.
You don’t however want to put to many on your pizza or it ends up getting a bit greasy. I like a little extra cheese to soak up the oil that comes from the pepperoni.
Pepperoni Pizza Calories
Lets face it, pepperoni pizza is not going to be the healthiest meal in the world. Pepperoni is classed as a processed meat, so tends to be higher in sodium and cholesterol.
Many people wonder how many calories are in a pepperoni pizza, the answer is simple. It depends.
A lot of the calories come from the pizza dough itself. For example Neapolitan style pizza dough is less calories than other types of pizza. At the same time homemade pizza is going to be healthier than those you get from a takeaway.
On average a slice of pepperoni pizza is 230 calories. In moderation, thats not too bad at all.
What Toppings Go Well With Pepperoni Pizza
One of the great things about pepperoni pizza is the varied topics you can add.
Topping ideas include:
- olives
- bell peppers
- hot peppers
- pineapple
- sausage
- Different cheese
- chicken
- arugula
- bacon
Additions To Take Your Pepperoni Pizza To The Next Level
There are a couple of things that I like to add to my pepperoni pizza, these take the flavour to the next level.
I’ve not included them in the main recipe as they are optional, but would 100% recommend giving them ago.
Nduja Paste
Nduja is a spreadable salami that comes from Calabrian cuisine in the southern part of Italy.
Generally, nduja is made with pork, garlic and red pepper (though there are exceptions like black pepper or chili). The red color comes from ground scarlet peppers which also give it a nice subtle sweetness. As you can imagine its an extremely rich and satisfying condiment for many dishes.
The spices in this paste and the pork really compliment the pepperoni and gives it an extra texture.
Chilli Oil
Chilli oil can add additional flavour to the pizza and would replace the drizzle of olive oil. It’s typically made with chilli peppers, such as cayenne pepper, bird’s eye chillies or habaneros. Chilli oil ranges from mild heat to incredibly spicy based on the ingredients used. If you want a milder version of the recipe, use a mix of jalapeno peppers and any other type of bell peppers for color and sweetness.
If you do like a little heat to your pizza, this can make a great addition to the pepperoni.
FAQ
What Goes Good With Pepperoni On Pizza
The great thing about pepperoni is that many things can go with it and give that extra flavour. As mentioned above just changing the cheese can make a big impact on the taste. Bacon, chicken and ground beef can add some extra meatiness to the pizza.
You could also look at mushrooms, peppers and onions for some additional toppings.
Pineapple is something that divides many people but the sweetness of them, really plays off against the spiciness of the pepperoni and this can work really well together.
Does Pepperoni Need To Be Cooked Before Putting On Pizza?
No, pepperoni doesn’t need to be cooked before putting it on pizza. It is cured and will cook perfectly well.
If you don’t like the grease that comes from pepperoni then you could slightly pre-cook it to reduce it.
What Causes Pepperoni To Cup?
Cupping or roni cups is basically when you cook the pepperoni and the edges fold in to form a cup or bowl.
This is something that I always look for when doing pepperoni pizza, it looks good but it also captures a little puddle of pepperoni oil which gives you bursts of flavour when you eat it.
Final Thought
There you have it, a quick and easy homemade pepperoni pizza recipe. This is one of my go to’s when it comes to pizza night. Hopefully its given you some ideas on how you can take your pepperoni pizza to the next level.
