Name: Detroit Style Cheese Pizza
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 1 cup All purpose flour*; ½ tsp Instant Yeast; ½ tsp salt; ½ cup Warm Water; 2 cups Tomato puree; 1 Garlic clove, finely minced; 1 tsp Dried Oregano; 1 tsp Dried Basil; 1 tbsp sugar; To taste Salt Pepper; ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese; 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated; 1 cup Pepper jack cheese, grated; Pinch of Dried Oregano

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Detroit Style Cheese Pizza is a cheesy and delicious dish that is sure to WOW everyone.

Steel rack with Detroit style cheese pizza

Who doesn't like pizza?? My picky daughter also likes it and that is something to say because she says she doesn't like cheese (???).

I don't even know where she came from sometimes. My son and I, on the other hand, eat cheese like there is no tomorrow 🙂

So when she says, she liked this Detroit style cheese pizza -- it is a BIG deal.I have quite a few pizza recipes on the blog already. But I don't think there are too many pizza recipes, ever.

Unique Recipe

This Detroit style pizza is slightly different from both New York and Chicago style ones. Recipe is simple and easy enough to make.

This recipe is made in a square baking pan which makes the crust thick and chewy. It is then topped with a sweet homemade tomato sauce and lots of ooey-gooey cheese.

Ingredients

This recipe needs the same ingredients as any pizza. Flour, yeast, cheese for the crust.

Traditionally Detroit brick cheese and grated mozzarella are used on this pizza. I didn't have the brick cheese, so I used pepper jack cheese instead. You can also use monterey jack or muenster cheeses as substitute.

To make the tomato sauce, you will canned tomato puree, garlic, dried oregano and dried basil.

Instructions

Start by making the dough:

Step by step photos showing the making of pizza crust

Combine all the ingredients for the crust in a mixing bowl. Mix and knead to form a soft, pliable dough. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and set aside for 15~20 minutes.
Lightly grease a 8" or 9" square baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment and grease it lightly.
Transfer the dough into the pan and spread it out in the bottom of the pan till the edges. Cover and let the dough rise until it is ½" thick.

Make the Sauce:

Combine all the ingredients for the tomato sauce in small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook for 10~15 minutes. Keep the sauce warm.

Make the Pizza:

Step by step photos with dough being spread in a square baking pan and sprinkled with grated cheese

Preheat the oven with 450°F. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese along the edges of the pizza. Spoon sauce over the pizza and top it with the pepper jack and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven. Use a knife to loosen the edges of the pizza and slide it onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Slice the pizza and serve with more tomato sauce on the top. Enjoy!!

Blue plate with Detroit Style pizza slice and green salad

Taste Test

After baking, the cheese melts and forms a delicious golden brown crust on top. Chewy crust, delicious tomato sauce and cheese -- what else would you want from a pizza. Go ahead -- bake this and enjoy!!

Serve with a side salad -- so you don't feel guilty for eating that much cheese. I served a simple massaged kale & white bean salad (recipe courtesy Minimalist Baker).

Tips

Pepper jack, monterey jack or muenster cheeses as good substitute to brick cheese.
Blend 4~5 medium size fresh tomatoes to make the puree.