Pepper Lover's Sheet Pan Pizza Recipe

Pepper Lover's Sheet Pan Pizza

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Spicy Fresno chiles, tangy banana peppers, sweet bell peppers, and a dash of crushed red pepper team up with any easy no-knead dough in this party-worthy pie.

Ann Taylor Pittman

Published on August 26, 2023

Southern Living Pepper Loverâs Sheet Pan Pizza in the pan cut into pieces to serve — Photo:
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Andrea Fanning

Active Time:

25 mins

Rise Time:

4 hrs

Total Time:

4 hrs 50 mins

Servings:

You might never order pizza again when you taste this pepper-packed pizza with its easy, no-knead dough. Fresno chiles, banana peppers, bell peppers, and a dash crushed red pepper join forces for a pizza that’s perfectly spicy and balanced thanks to the creamy, salty fontina cheese.

Ingredients

8 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/3 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast (from 1 [1/4-oz.] envelope)
2 tsp. kosher salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (from 1 [24-oz.] jar)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
8 oz. pre-shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
4 oz. fontina cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 yellow bell pepper, trimmed and thinly sliced into rings
1 red bell pepper, trimmed and thinly sliced into rings
4 orange sweet mini peppers, thinly sliced into rings
3 red Fresno chiles, unseeded and thinly sliced into rings
1/2 cup drained mild banana pepper rings (from 1 [12-oz.] jar)

Directions

Cook bacon in a large skillet, stirring occasionally, over medium until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate, and set aside. Remove 2 tablespoons bacon drippings from skillet; pour onto an 18- x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the baking sheet, tilting to coat the bottom of the baking sheet. (Reserve remaining bacon drippings for another use.)
Pour warm water into food processor bowl. Stir in sugar and yeast; let stand until mixture looks cloudy or bubbly, about 5 minutes. (If mixture does not become cloudy or bubbly, yeast is not active. Start over with new yeast.) Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to water mixture in processor bowl; add salt, and stir gently to combine. Add flour; process until dough forms, about 1 minute. Process until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Transfer dough (it will be sticky) to prepared baking sheet, turning to coat with bacon drippings. Pat dough into a rectangle. (Dough will not cover sheet.) Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place (85°F), free from drafts, until puffy and slightly bubbly, 3 hours, 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Place a pizza stone in oven. Preheat oven to 500°F, leaving stone in oven as it preheats. Uncover dough. Pat dough to edges of baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes.
Uncover dough. Spread marinara sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Sprinkle pizza evenly with mozzarella and fontina. Top evenly with bell peppers, sweet mini peppers, and Fresno chiles; sprinkle with reserved bacon. Place pan on pizza stone, and bake in preheated oven until crust is browned on edges and cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with banana pepper rings.

Pepper Lover's Sheet Pan Pizza

Ingredients

Directions

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