Cast iron pan pizza: a crisp base in your home oven
A skillet makes pizza practical without a separate oven. Start with a measured dough portion and keep the toppings light enough for the base to bake.
For a roughly 30 cm skillet, start with 250 g flour, 160 g water, 5 g salt, 2 g instant yeast and 10 g olive oil in the dough. Add another 10–15 g oil for the pan. This makes a substantial pan pizza; adjust future dough quantity to the actual base area and preferred thickness.
Check your pan first
Use a skillet whose full construction is oven-safe at the baking temperature. Include handles in oven clearance. This recipe starts with an unheated, oiled pan; it does not ask you to preheat enamel empty.
Compare the 30 cm cast iron skillet with our size guide. A 35 cm cast iron pizza pan needs a different dough quantity and enough oven space.
Mix and let the dough rise
- Mix flour, water, instant yeast, salt and the 10 g dough oil.
- Knead until cohesive and elastic, or use short rests and gentle folds.
- Cover and let rise until clearly expanded, often around 2–3 hours at 22°C.
- Oil the pan, place the dough inside and gently press it out.
- If it springs back, cover for 15–20 minutes, then continue pressing.
Use the dough's behaviour rather than an exact schedule. A warm summer kitchen can shorten the rise considerably.
Give it a final rest in the pan
Let the spread dough become visibly puffier, usually another 30–60 minutes depending on temperature. Do not crush out all the gas when checking it. While it rests, prepare toppings and preheat the oven to 240°C conventional heat, if your pan permits this temperature.
Keep the topping controlled
Use about 60–80 g thick tomato sauce and 80–100 g well-drained mozzarella as a starting point. Very wet vegetables and heavy toppings make the middle harder to bake. Pre-cook ingredients that need more time than the pizza will receive.
Read the sauce and mozzarella guide for moisture control. Add delicate herbs after baking.
Bake and check the base
Bake on a lower-middle shelf for roughly 15–22 minutes, watching both crust and topping. Timing varies with dough thickness, oven and pan. Lift an edge with a suitable utensil to check that the base is browned and set.
If the top colours before the base is ready, try a lower shelf next time. If the base burns, raise the shelf or reduce the heat. Do not move a very hot skillet onto a hob as an improvised fix unless the cookware and handling method suit it.
Serve, learn and clean
Rest briefly, then transfer to a suitable board and slice with a pizza rocker cutter. Avoid cutting directly on a coated pan. Note dough weight, shelf position and time so the next pizza is easier to repeat.
Follow seasoned iron cleaning or enamel care. For a larger rectangular meal, try tray-baked pizza. The pizza guide connects dough choices and equipment, while pizza accessories and cast iron cookware provide the relevant tools.
