This pepperoni pizza recipe is straightforward once you have got the technique down.
Pepperoni pizza is the world’s most popular pizza for good reason. Cooked in a proper pizza oven at 450-500°C, the pepperoni crisps at the edges and curls into little cups that collect pools of spicy oil. The result is something entirely different from delivery pizza. Here’s how to do it.
Ingredients (makes 2 pizzas)
For the Dough
- 300g 00 flour
- 195ml warm water
- 4g fast-action dried yeast
- 6g fine salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Topping
- 200g passata or crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 150g low-moisture mozzarella, grated (not fresh mozzarella – see note below)
- 80-100g pepperoni slices
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- Olive oil
The Mozzarella Choice Matters
For pepperoni pizza, use low-moisture mozzarella (the block or pre-grated kind) rather than fresh mozzarella. Low-moisture mozzarella melts differently – it stretches and browns rather than releasing water. This is what gives American-style pepperoni pizza its characteristic stretchy, golden cheese. Fresh mozzarella is better for margherita; low-moisture is better for pepperoni.
Make the Dough
Follow our full pizza dough recipe. Make the dough the night before if possible – a cold overnight ferment gives noticeably better flavour. Divide into 2 balls and refrigerate. Take them out 45-60 minutes before cooking.
Make the Sauce
Season the passata with a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Stir and taste – it should be well seasoned but not sweet. See our full pizza sauce recipe for more detail.
Preheat the Oven
Preheat your pizza oven to 450-500°C. Check the stone temperature with an infrared thermometer. For pepperoni pizza, a stone temperature of 400-450°C is ideal – slightly lower than the absolute maximum helps the pepperoni crisp without burning before the cheese has melted.
Assemble and Cook
Step 1: Stretch the Dough
On a floured surface, stretch a dough ball into a 10-12 inch round using your hands. Keep the centre thin and leave a thicker border for the crust. Place on a semolina-dusted pizza peel. Read our guide on how to stretch pizza dough for technique.
Step 2: Add Sauce and Cheese
Spread 80-100g of sauce thinly across the dough, leaving a 2cm border. Scatter the grated mozzarella generously across the sauce. Don’t be shy with the cheese for pepperoni pizza – a good coverage of mozzarella is part of the character of the dish.
Step 3: Add Pepperoni
Lay the pepperoni slices evenly across the cheese. The pepperoni goes on top of the cheese rather than underneath – this is what allows it to crisp and cup during cooking. Use about 15-20 slices for a 12-inch pizza, spread with slight gaps between them.
Step 4: Cook
Slide the pizza off the peel onto the hot stone. At 450-500°C, cook for 60-90 seconds, rotating after 40 seconds. The pepperoni will curl at the edges and collect oil in the cups – this is exactly what you want. The cheese should be golden and bubbly. The crust should have some char spots.
Step 5: Finish
Remove from the oven and add a pinch of chilli flakes if you like heat. A drizzle of honey over pepperoni pizza is an American-style addition that works brilliantly if you enjoy sweet-heat combinations. Serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Pepperoni Pizza
- Use quality pepperoni – the cups of oil are what make pizza oven pepperoni special. Cheap pepperoni releases less oil and doesn’t cup as dramatically. Look for natural casing pepperoni if you can find it.
- Don’t overcrowd – leave slight gaps between pepperoni slices so heat can circulate and crisp each slice individually.
- Oregano in the sauce – this is the flavour backbone of a good pepperoni pizza. Don’t skip it.
- Rotate for even cooking – pepperoni closest to the flame will crisp faster. Rotate halfway through to get even crisping across the whole pizza.
- Let it rest 1 minute before cutting – the cheese needs a moment to set so it doesn’t all slide off when you slice.
Variations
- Double pepperoni – add a layer of pepperoni under the cheese and another on top. More crispy pieces, more flavour.
- Pepperoni and jalapeno – scatter pickled jalapeno slices alongside the pepperoni for a spicy kick.
- Pepperoni and honey – drizzle Mike’s Hot Honey (or similar) over the finished pizza. A genuine revelation.
