Stuffed Crust Pizza (Printable)

Golden crust filled with gooey mozzarella and topped with tomato sauce and fresh toppings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet instant dry yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon warm water

→ Cheese Filling

07 - 7 ounces mozzarella cheese sticks or block mozzarella, sliced into thin strips

→ Sauce & Toppings

08 - 3/4 cup pizza sauce
09 - 7 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
10 - 1.75 ounces pepperoni slices (optional)
11 - 1 small bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - 1.75 ounces sliced mushrooms
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon olive oil (for brushing crust)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and warm water. Mix until a soft dough forms.
02 - Knead dough on a floured surface for 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
05 - Roll dough into a 13-inch circle on a floured surface. Transfer to baking tray or pizza stone.
06 - Place mozzarella strips around dough edge. Fold dough over cheese and pinch tightly to seal the stuffed crust.
07 - Spread pizza sauce over center. Top with shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, bell pepper, mushrooms, and oregano.
08 - Brush stuffed crust with olive oil for golden color.
09 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crust is golden and cheese bubbles.
10 - Allow to cool slightly. Slice and serve warm.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • That first bite where the cheese literally pulls out of the crust is honestly worth every minute of the process.
  • You get to customize every topping exactly how you want it, no pizzeria compromise.
  • The whole thing comes together in less than an hour, and most of that is just letting the dough do its thing.
02 -
  • If you skip the pinching step when sealing the crust, your cheese will escape into the pan and you'll just have a regular pizza, which isn't terrible but defeats the whole purpose.
  • Overloading with toppings makes the crust soggy and extends the baking time unpredictably—restrain yourself, and you'll get better results.
  • Room temperature mozzarella strips work better than cold ones because they soften and seal more easily as you fold the crust over them.
03 -
  • Keep your dough at room temperature while working with it; cold dough fights back and tears, while warm dough rolls like a dream.
  • If your oven runs hot or cold, trust what you see over the timer—golden and bubbling is the real test, not the clock.
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