Thick doughy crust sets the stage for sauce, Italian sausage, and gooey cheese. This thick crust sausage pizza is perfect for a fuss-free pizza night.
Got no plans this weekend? Long weekends call for being lazy and cooking some of my favorites like this Thick Crust Sausage Pizza made with Michigan’s Own Jiffy Mix Pizza Crust.
Jump to:
What is the best sausage for pizza?
Italian sausage is always the best sausage to use for topping pizza. I pick up the sausage recipe that is made by my local grocery store that has seasonings like fennel seed, oregano, and garlic. You can also find big-name brands like Johnsonville and Premio.
What movie pairs well with a slice of sausage pizza?
Up for this Mitten Movie Night is a movie that was actually a surprising gem we stumbled upon. Most people know Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries and a million other rom-coms, but she is also in this weird but interesting sci-fi/comedy, Colossal.
I will say if you look this up online it didn’t get really great ratings. I don’t think it lasted long in theaters, but if you’re looking for out-of-the-box thinking, dark and brooding comedy then you will be in for a treat.
What craft beer pairs well with easy thick-crust pizza?
The beer: Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale
If you love Bell’s beer, don’t forget that right now is the yearly release of Hopslam. My husband looks forward to it every year, and I know he is now alone. Now on to the pizza recipe!
Ingredients
This easy sausage pizza recipe uses-
- Two boxes of Jiffy pizza crust mixed with warm water. My go-to easy pizza crust.
- Prepare pizza sauce to save time. Of course, you can use your favorite homemade pizza sauce or marinara as well.
- Cooked Italian sausage. Skip the name-brand sausage recipes and check out your local grocery store meat counter and see if they have their own Italian sausage.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese.
- A mix of garlic powder and Italian seasoning to sprinkle over the top. Adding seasonings on top of the cheese before baking adds even more flavor to this pizza.
How to make this thick-crust pizza with sausage recipe
To start the pizza, combine two boxes of Jiffy Pizza Crust with 1 cup of warm water in a bowl. Stir to combine until there are no clumps, then place a towel over the bowl and let rise for 10 minutes.
While the crust rises, in a pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Breaking it up as it cooks into small bite-size pieces.
Cook sausage over medium heat until completely cooked through and no longer pink. Set aside until the dough has risen.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and add parchment paper to a 9″x13″ baking sheet (make sure it has an edge to it).
Flour your hands a bit and take the dough out of the bowl. Form the baking sheet. Push the dough all the way to the edge and then up the sides a bit.
Using a baking sheet versus a pizza stone for this recipe means that it creates a lip for the crust to nicely form as it expands while baking. The parchment paper is also handy to remove the pizza from the sheet to give access to all sides for cutting.
Spread the sauce and top the crust with it, pushing to all sides. Top off with the sausage. Then add the shredded cheese.
Something that I do and I think makes a delicious difference in the overall taste of this pizza is to sprinkle over the top of the cheese 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder and then 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
FAQ’s
Do you have to cook sausage before using it on pizza?
Yes. To ensure that ground sausage is cooked thoroughly cook the sausage in a pan on the stovetop until no longer pink.
I can only find Italian sausage in links, can I use those for this pizza?
Yes, just remove the casing on the outside of each link and cook according to the directions above.
Tips & Variations
- Add a mix of mild and spicy Italian sausage to add a little heat.
- Spoon over some caramelized onions, sauteed peppers, or roasted mushrooms to the top.
Storage
To store, add leftovers to a covered container and refrigerate. Eat within 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
It is not recommended to freeze this recipe.
More sausage recipes
Cut into 12 pieces. And here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Thick Crust Sausage Pizza
Equipment
- 9×13 baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 6.5 ounce boxes Jiffy Pizza Crust Mix
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 15 ounces prepared pizza sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- To start the pizza, combine two boxes of Jiffy Pizza Crust with 1 cup of warm water in a bowl. Stir to combine until there are no clumps, then place a towel over the bowl and let rise 10 minutes.2 6.5 ounce boxes Jiffy Pizza Crust Mix, 1 cup warm water
- While the crust rises, in a pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Breaking it up as it cooks into small bite-size pieces.1 pound Italian sausage
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and add parchment paper to a 9"x13" baking sheet (make sure it has an edge to it).
- Flour your hands a bit and take the dough out of the bowl. Form the dough to the baking sheet size. Push the dough all the way to the edge and then up the sides a bit.
- Take prepared sauce and top crust with it pushing to all sides. Top off with the sausage. Then add the shredded cheese.15 ounces prepared pizza sauce, 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Optional: Over the top of the cheese, sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, then 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning.1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Cut into 12 pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure that the sausage is cooked before adding it to the top of the pizza.
- To store: add leftovers to a covered container and refrigerate. Eat within 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
Originally published in January of 2018. Updated post in April of 2021 with new photos, same great recipe.
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Last Updated on May 15, 2023 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
I have to say, I just love pizza with a thick, chewy crust! Topped with sausage and paired with beer, and you just described one of my #1 comfort foods! 🙂
I agree, beer and pizza is always a winner no matter the time of year. Thank you for stopping by!!