For many pizza lovers, the savory and satisfying flavor of sausage pizza ranks among the all-time favorites. The combination of easy pizza dough, zesty tomato sauce, creamy melted cheese and crumbled spicy sausage is simply hard to beat. But instead of settling for takeout or frozen, why not learn how to make high-quality sausage pizza right in your own kitchen? With a few tips and techniques, you can achieve the perfect homemade sausage pizza worthy of any pizzeria.
Benefits of Homemade Sausage Pizza
Making your own sausage pizza has many advantages:
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Total control over ingredients for quality and freshness
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Customize toppings to your preferences and dietary needs
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Uses homemade dough for superior flavor and texture
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Save money compared to takeout or delivery
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Fun weekend activity with family and friends
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Ability to experiment with creative recipes and ingredients
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Satisfaction of mastering a useful cooking skill
With the right pointers guiding you, nothing beats the taste of homemade when it comes to sausage pizza.
Tips for Making the Best Sausage Pizza
Here are some helpful guidelines for success with homemade sausage pizzas:
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Use high-quality ingredients: Splurge on the good mozzarella, Parmesan, tomato sauce and anything else that makes a difference in flavor.
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Opt for fresh sausage: Buy links of raw Italian sausage and squeeze out the meat rather than pre-cooked crumbles. This allows you to control the texture and flavor.
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Make your own dough: While store-bought dough works, homemade is much tastier. An overnight rise yields the best results.
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Don’t overdo the toppings: Overloading the pizza can make it soggy. Practice restraint for the ideal balance.
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Pre-bake the dough: This extra step makes the crust crispy yet chewy in a standard oven. Then add toppings and finish baking.
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Grate your own cheese: Shred or grate mozzarella and Parmesan rather than buying pre-shredded which contains anti-caking agents.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for flawless homemade sausage pizza:
1. Prepare the dough
Make pizza dough 1-2 days before to allow for proper proofing and flavor development. Cut into two pieces.
2. Preheat oven and bake dough
Heat oven to 450°F. Stretch dough pieces to fit two pans. Prick all over with fork. Partially bake for 5-7 minutes.
3. Cook sausage and prep toppings
Squeeze sausage from casings and cook in skillet until no longer pink. Drain fat. Slice mushrooms, onions, peppers if using.
4. Assemble the pizzas
Spread sauce on crusts. Top with mozzarella, then sausage and any other toppings.
5. Bake pizzas
Bake pizzas for 12-15 minutes until crust is browned and cheese is melted and bubbling. Finish with grated Parmesan.
Choosing the Perfect Toppings
While sausage is the star, additional toppings help make the perfect pizza:
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Onion and bell pepper: Sliced onions and bell peppers add a delicious crunch and pop of color.
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Mushrooms: Meaty, earthy flavor of sliced mushrooms pairs wonderfully with sausage.
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Jalapeños: For spice lovers, add sliced or chopped jalapeños for heat.
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Olives: Sliced black olives offer a briny, salty contrast to rich sausage.
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Spinach: Quick-wilting spinach adds color and good-for-you greens.
Handy Tools for Pizza Making
Having the proper gear contributes to pizza success:
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Pizza stone – Mimics a brick oven for crispy crusts
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Pizza peel – Allows easy transfer of pizza in and out of oven
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Pizza cutter – Slices pizza neatly and efficiently
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Measuring cups – For accurately portioning out ingredients
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Digital kitchen scale – Ensures correct dough measurements
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Instant-read thermometer – Checks doneness of cooked sausage
While not absolutely necessary, these items can simplify the process.
Creative Ways to Serve Sausage Pizza
Homemade sausage pizza tastes amazing:
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As individual personal-sized pizzas for parties
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Cut into fun shapes with a cookie cutter for kids
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On homemade flatbread or naan for a twist
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Topped with BBQ sauce instead of tomato sauce
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With added pineapple, bacon crumbles and red onion for Hawaiian-style
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Substitute spicy chorizo for a more adventurous sausage
The options for customizing are endless, so unleash your creativity!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common sausage pizza questions:
Can I use pre-cooked sausage? Yes, but flavor and texture will be best if you buy raw links, squeeze it out and cook yourself.
Do I have to make my own dough? No, store-bought fresh dough can be used with excellent results.
What cheese works best? Mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone are perfect choices for sausage pizza.
How do I reheat leftover pizza? Preheat oven to 350°F and place pizza on a sheet pan or pizza stone until hot, 5-10 minutes.
Can you freeze homemade sausage pizza? Yes! Allow to cool completely before freezing. Thaw in fridge before reheating.
Conclusion
With just a little time and effort, you can master restaurant-quality sausage pizza in your own kitchen. Pay attention to details like dough, cheese and sausage selection for the very best results. Let your creativity run wild coming up with fun topping combinations to please any crowd. Get ready to impress your family and friends with your homemade pizza prowess!
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How to Store Sausage Pizza
Keep leftover sausage pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to three days. Put pizza in a 400° oven for a few minutes or in the toaster oven to warm it up again. Microwaving leftover pizza is fine, but it will be less crispy. And of course, cold pizza is sometimes just perfect.
Ingredients for Sausage Pizza
- Another easy way to make a great pizza crust at home is to use our best pizza dough recipe. Everyday flour is used to make it, but 00 flour is even better. You can, of course, use pizza dough instead of bread dough if you need to.
- Italian sausage: Use hot or mild Italian sausage. When cooking, take the meat out of the links if that’s all you can find.
- Pizza sauce: You can make your own pizza sauce or buy your favorite pizza sauce from the store.
- It’s part-skim mozzarella cheese that we shred for our sausage pizza. It is always worth the time and effort to grate your own cheese because it tastes and melts better. But you can easily use mozzarella cheese that has already been shred or even a pizza cheese mix. Here’s the best mozzarella cheese, according to our Test Kitchen.
- On top of our pizza are red onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms. Leave out the ones you don’t like and raise the ones you do. You should chop the bell pepper and red onion, and thinly slice the mushrooms and red onion.