Sausage and Pepper Pizza

When Friday rolls around, everyone knows it’s pizza night at our house. One of the great things about homemade pizza is its versatility, which means one week we can focus on margherita, and another week we can tackle a supreme. Although I’m partial to veggies, the rest of my family enjoys hearty meat lover’s pizza, so this sausage and pepper pizza offers something for everyone. And it’s no sweat if I forget to make the pizza dough earlier in the day; this pie still goes from prep to the table in less than an hour—which is definitely something my whole family appreciates!

Sausage and Pepper Pizza Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Quick-rise yeast
• Sugar
• Warm water
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Dried basil
• Pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh spinach
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Pork sausage
• Onion
• Fresh mushrooms
• Sweet yellow pepper
• Pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
• Fresh basil

Directions

Step 1: Make the pizza dough

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour with the quick-rise yeast and sugar. Add the warm water and beat until smooth. Add the olive oil, salt, dried basil, pepper, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and 2 cups flour. Beat until it’s blended. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, about six to eight minutes. Cover the dough and let it rest for five minutes.

Editor’s Tip: It’s vital that the water is the perfect temperature to proof the yeast. Take the time to make sure it’s not too hot or cold—ideally between 120 and 130°—before adding it to the bowl.

Step 2: Wilt the spinach

While the dough rests, place the spinach in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave it on high for 30 seconds or just until wilted. Uncover and set aside.

Step 3: Prep the pizza

Press the dough into a greased 15×10×1-inch baking pan. Spread it evenly with pizza sauce. Sprinkle it with 2-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, cooked and crumbled sausage, chopped onion, spinach, sliced mushrooms and chopped yellow pepper. Top it with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Sprinkle it with the pizza seasoning.

Step 4: Bake the pizza

Bake the pizza for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Sprinkle it with fresh basil, if desired. Cut the pizza into squares.

How to Store Sausage and Pepper Pizza

After allowing the pizza to cool completely, leftover sausage and pepper pizza slices should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Whether you like leftovers hot or cold, they’re best consumed within three to four days.

Sausage and Pepper Pizza Tips

What is the best type of sausage to use for sausage and pepper pizza?

Seasoned pork sausage will add the most flavor to the pizza. If you only have unseasoned ground pork, sprinkle on a combination of Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and fennel seed while it cooks to add flavor. Or, try this pizza with ground chorizo, which will add a kick of spicy flavor.

Can you use store-bought crust to make sausage and pepper pizza?

Store-bought crust comes in clutch when time is of the essence. Use your favorite brand or try one of our Test Kitchen’s picks for the best store-bought premade pizza crusts. If you’d still like to make dough from scratch, no-yeast pizza dough is quicker to prepare than most other pizza crust recipes.

What can you serve with sausage and pepper pizza?

I love to serve a fresh green salad as a side on pizza nights. A Caesar salad is always a good idea, but when summer fruit is at its ripest, nectarine arugula salad and berry beet salad can’t be beat. Also, who could say no to garlic bread with pizza?