6 Chicago-Style Pizza Pot Pies

Everyone has their personal pizza preferences – deep dish, stuffed crust, thin crust, thick crust, the list goes on and on! But have you ever heard of pizza pot pie before? This fun, easy way to make pizza is super popular in and around Chicago, and we can see why! Pizza pot pie is a style of pizza that gets made upside down in a crispy, golden crust that's baked in the shape of a bowl. Fill up a mixing bowl with plenty of cheese and your favorite toppings, seal the bowl with the pizza dough, and bake everything in the oven for an ingenious new take on pizza. Move over, deep dish – pizza pot pie is Chicago's real claim to fame!

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Easy

You'll Need:

For the pizza dough (for 6):

  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1¼ cups water, lukewarm

For the spicy meatball pizza pot pie:

  • chili peppers, sliced
  • jalapeños
  • 8 meatballs, cooked
  •  cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1–2 tbsp pizza sauce
  • 1 whisked egg + milk for the egg wash

For the Hawaiian pizza pot pie:

  • red onion slices
  • ½ cup canned pineapple chunks 
  • 1 slice of ham
  •  cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1–2 tbsp pizza sauce
  • 1 whisked egg + milk for the egg wash

For the mushroom & pepperoni pizza pot pie:

  • black olives, sliced
  • 3 oz mushrooms, sliced & sautéed 
  • 8 slices of pepperoni
  •  cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1–2 tbsp pizza sauce
  • 1 whisked egg + milk for the egg wash

For the caprese pizza pot pie:

  • 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 mozzarella pearls 
  •  cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1–2 tbsp pesto
  • arugula for the topping
  • 1 whisked egg + milk for the egg wash

For the 4 cheese pizza pot pie:

  • 1 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 1 oz blue cheese, crumbled
  • ¾ cup shredded cheddar
  •  cups shredded mozzarella
  • chopped scallions for the topping
  • 1 whisked egg + milk for the egg wash

For the hot dog pizza pot pie:

  • 2 hot dogs, cooked & sliced
  • slices of red onion
  •  cups shredded mozzarella
  • ketchup
  • mustard
  • pickles for the topping
  • 1 whisked egg + milk for the egg wash

Here's How:

1. For the pizza dough, put the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the sugar and dry yeast to the well, then sprinkle the salt around the outer edge of the flour. Pour the lukewarm water into the well, then add in the vegetable oil. Knead everything together until a smooth dough forms, then roll the dough into a large ball and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Once the dough has risen, divide it into 6 equal segments and roll each one out into a large circle. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then get started on assembling the pizza pot pies. For the spicy meatball pizza pot pie, place the slices of chili pepper, jalapeños, cooked meatballs, shredded mozzarella, and pizza sauce in an oven-safe bowl. Grease the edge of the bowl with a little vegetable oil, then carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough over the top of the bowl. Press the edges of the dough against the bowl, sealing it. Whisk an egg with a small amount of milk for the egg wash and brush the mixture over the dough. Transfer the bowl to the oven and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.

2. For the Hawaiian pizza pot pie, place the sliced red onion, pineapple chunks, ham, shredded mozzarella, and pizza sauce in an oven-safe bowl. Grease the edge of the bowl with a little vegetable oil, then carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough over the top of the bowl. Press the edges of the dough against the bowl, sealing it. Whisk an egg with a small amount of milk for the egg wash and brush the mixture over the dough. Transfer the bowl to the oven and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.

3. For the mushroom & pepperoni pizza pot pie, place the slices of pepperoni, sliced black olives, cooked mushrooms, shredded mozzarella, and pizza sauce in an oven-safe bowl. Grease the edge of the bowl with a little vegetable oil, then carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough over the top of the bowl. Press the edges of the dough against the bowl, sealing it. Whisk an egg with a small amount of milk for the egg wash and brush the mixture over the dough. Transfer the bowl to the oven and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.

4. For the caprese pizza pot pie, place the halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, shredded mozzarella, and pesto in an oven-safe bowl. Grease the edge of the bowl with a little vegetable oil, then carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough over the top of the bowl. Press the edges of the dough against the bowl, sealing it. Whisk an egg with a small amount of milk for the egg wash and brush the mixture over the dough. Transfer the bowl to the oven and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Top the caprese pizza pot pie off with a handful of arugula.

5. For the 4 cheese pizza pot pie, place the different kinds of cheese in an oven-safe bowl. Grease the edge of the bowl with a little vegetable oil, then carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough over the top of the bowl. Press the edges of the dough against the bowl, sealing it. Whisk an egg with a small amount of milk for the egg wash and brush the mixture over the dough. Transfer the bowl to the oven and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Top the 4 cheese pizza pot pie off with chopped scallions.

6. For the hot dog pizza pot pie, place the sliced hot dogs, slices of red onion, ketchup, and mustard in an oven-safe bowl. Grease the edge of the bowl with a little vegetable oil, then carefully place the rolled-out pizza dough over the top of the bowl. Press the edges of the dough against the bowl, sealing it. Whisk an egg with a small amount of milk for the egg wash and brush the mixture over the dough. Transfer the bowl to the oven and bake the hot dog pizza pot pie at 350°F for 12 minutes. Sprinkle pickles on top to serve.

Once these delicious pizza pot pies are done baking, just take them out of the oven and flip them over to serve. Feel free to switch up the toppings and get creative. What a fun & easy way to make pizza!

Get the recipe for the Penne Pasta In A Bread Bowl featured in the bonus video.

Comments

Also hefty