Stuffed Crust Pizza Delight (Print version)

A golden crust filled with gooey mozzarella, 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 (7 g)
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 sticks or block, cut 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

# Steps:

01 - Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and warm water, then mix until forming a soft dough.
02 - Knead on a floured surface for about 7 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
03 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm environment for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - Set oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).
05 - Roll dough into a 13-inch circle on a floured surface and transfer onto a baking tray or pizza stone.
06 - Arrange mozzarella strips around the dough's edge, fold the dough over, and pinch tightly to seal.
07 - Spread pizza sauce over the center, then top with shredded mozzarella, pepperoni (if using), bell pepper slices, mushrooms, and sprinkle oregano.
08 - Brush the stuffed crust generously with olive oil to promote browning.
09 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.
10 - Allow pizza to cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • That gooey cheese crust surprise hits different when you're not expecting it, especially after a long day.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour because the dough rises while you prep, not against you.
  • It's forgiving enough to make on a weeknight but impressive enough to pull out when friends show up hungry.
02 -
  • If your dough is too sticky to work with, resist the urge to dump flour on it—a light dusting of flour on your hands is enough, and sometimes wet hands work better than dry ones.
  • The stuffed crust seal is crucial; if it's not tight, the cheese will leak out and crisp up on your baking sheet instead of staying tucked inside the dough.
  • Watch the oven around the 15-minute mark—every oven is different, and you want to catch it right when the edges turn golden, not when they're dark brown.
03 -
  • If you don't have a pizza stone, a baking tray works fine, but a stone really does distribute heat more evenly and gives you a crisper bottom crust.
  • Make the dough ahead and refrigerate it overnight—it actually develops more flavor that way, and you can just pull it out, let it come to room temperature, and bake whenever you're ready.
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