This yummy Pepperoni Sheet Pan Pizza is an easy way to create restaurant-quality pizza at home. Offering crispy edges, ooey-gooey cheese, homemade garlic-infused oil, and an array of mouthwatering toppings, it will be your new go-to for weeknight and weekend dinners.
This pepperoni sheet pan pizza is everything you want in pizza and more! It’s a great option for satisfying pizza cravings without spending the money on takeout. While I recommend including the noted toppings for a delicious flavor, you can easily swap out the pizza toppings for your favorite options.
Try these other yummy pizza-inspired recipes to satisfy any additional cravings you may have: Air Fryer English Muffins Pizzas, The Best Pizza Tortilla Wrap, or an Easy Pizza Bowl.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy edges – Adding garlic-infused oil underneath the store bought dough helps create mouthwatering crispy edges for this pepperoni sheet pan pizza.
- Recipe uses store-bought pizza dough – Save prep time on this easy pepperoni sheet pan pizza with store-bought pizza dough versus homemade.
- Quick prep – It only takes about ten minutes to prep the pepperoni sheet pan pizza toppings and dough.
- Comforting – There’s nothing more comforting than a slice of warm, ooey-gooey pepperoni pizza.
- Great for parties/gatherings – This recipe is sure to impress family and friends at gatherings and special occasions, like birthdays.
- Easy choice for large families – This crispy sheet pan pizza is easy to double, triple, etc., making it a great choice for bigger families (and hungry kids/teens!).
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Store-Bought Pizza Dough: You can find store-bought pizza dough for this pepperoni sheet pan pizza recipe at many different shops, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Central Market, and Tom Thumb. If you can’t find ready-made pizza dough, see the instructions below.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make a Pepperoni Sheet Pan Pizza
Quick Overview
- Preheat oven.
- Prep toppings.
- Arrange dough + ingredients.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Remove the plastic wrap and let the dough rest so it’s easier to work with.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and place a rack in the lower third position. Place the pizza dough on a 13” x 18” baking sheet and let it rest while you sauté the garlic.
Step 2: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, about 1/4 cup of olive oil, and a big pinch of salt. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally, for approximately 15 minutes until softened. Use the back of a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Step 3: Use a spoon to carefully remove the oil (without the garlic) from the saucepan. Spoon this oil around the dough on the sheet pan. Gently lift the dough to coat the bottom side of the dough as well. Ensure the entire surface is well-oiled to prevent sticking. You may need to use more oil.
Step 4: Spread the softened garlic evenly over the top of the pizza dough, then gently stretch and dimple the dough to cover the entire pan.
Step 5: Spoon the sauce evenly over the garlic-covered dough.
Step 6: Sprinkle all of the cheese on the dough.
Add sufficient oil underneath the dough to prevent sticking and create a crispy crust.
Step 7: Arrange the onions evenly over the cheese. Layer the pepperoni on top of the onions.
Step 8: Bake the pizza on the lower third rack of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Step 9: Allow the pizza to cool for about 5 minutes before carefully running an offset spatula around the edge to loosen it from the pan. Transfer the pizza to a wire rack or cutting board and slice it into 12 pieces.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish the pepperoni sheet pan pizza with fresh basil, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and a side of extra sauce. I love serving this Italian pepperoni sheet pan pizza with other comforting finger foods for a more casual meal. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Don’t skimp on the oil. Create the best pepperoni sheet pan pizza by using a good amount of oil underneath and on top of the dough. If you skimp on the oil, the crust won’t be as crispy.
- Shred the mozzarella fresh from a block. I always recommend freshly shredded cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese when you want an ooey-gooey consistency. To keep the pre-shredded cheese from sticking to itself, they add an anticaking agent, which also keeps it from melting properly.
- Use good quality ingredients. I highly recommend using the Hormel Cup N Crisp Pepperoni since it gets so crispy and is not overly oily. Using other high-quality ingredients, like a good cheese and pizza sauce will also make a difference in flavor.
Homemade Pizza Dough
If you can’t find store-bought pizza dough for this pepperoni sheet pan pizza, you can make a homemade version with the instructions below.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together 488 grams (approximately 3 3/4 cups) of bread flour, 2 teaspoons of Morton kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of yeast. Stir in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Roughly form the dough into a ball. It will be sticky.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- After the initial rise, gently punch down the dough with wet hands to release excess air. Then, stretch and fold the dough to form a tight ball. (Wetting your hands will help the dough not stick to them.)
- Generously oil a clean bowl and place the dough in it. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days.
- When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
Additions & Variations
- Swap the onions for a different topping, but don’t overload the pizza. If you prefer another topping on this pepperoni sheet pan pizza, you can also include bell peppers, yellow peppers, or jalapeño slices. Just be sure to add them sparingly.
- Use other proteins. Other proteins will also work for this recipe instead of pepperoni. Try Canadian ham, pre-cooked Italian sausage, salami, etc.
- Include different cheeses. For a bolder flavor in this pizza dough recipe, consider including a combination of cheeses. For example, asiago or provolone pairs well with mozzarella on a pizza.
Recipe FAQs
You can put pepperoni directly onto pizza from the package; it does not need to be cooked first. This type of meat is typically cured, which means it is already cooked before it gets packaged. If you prefer crispier pepperoni slices, you can cook the slices for about eight minutes in the oven at 350°F.
Yes, you can bake pizza on a baking sheet if you don’t have a pizza stone. I actually recommend using one for this pepperoni sheet pan pizza recipe, as it helps create crispy edges.
Ultimately, this is dependent on your preferences. Some people prefer adding the pepperoni on top, while others enjoy it hidden under the cheese. It will not make a difference in flavor if you decide to put one under the other. However, I always recommend adding your favorite pizza toppings over the layer of cheese.
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Crispy Pepperoni Sheet Pan Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 pounds store-bought fresh pizza dough*
- 6-7 cloves garlic
- 1 cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 16 ounces mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 purple onion, sliced thinly
- 1 5- ounce bag pepperoni, preferably Hormel Cup N Crisp
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) and place a rack in the lower third position. Place the pizza dough on a 13” x 18” baking sheet and let it rest while you sauté the garlic.2 pounds store-bought fresh pizza dough*
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, about 1/4 cup of olive oil, and a big pinch of salt. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally, for approximately 15 minutes until softened.6-7 cloves garlic
- Use the back of a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Use a spoon to carefully remove the oil (without the garlic) from the saucepan. Spoon this oil around the dough on the sheet pan. Gently lift the dough to coat the bottom side of the dough as well. Ensure the entire surface is well-oiled to prevent sticking. You may need to use more oil.
- Spread the softened garlic evenly over the top of the pizza dough, then gently stretch and dimple the dough to cover the entire pan.
- Spoon the sauce evenly over the garlic-covered dough.1 cup pizza sauce or marinara
- Sprinkle all of the cheese on the dough.16 ounces mozzarella, shredded
- Arrange the onions evenly over the cheese. Layer the pepperoni on top of the onions.1/2 purple onion, sliced thinly, 1 5- ounce bag pepperoni, preferably Hormel Cup N Crisp
- Bake the pizza on the lower third rack of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Allow the pizza to cool for about 5 minutes before carefully running an offset spatula around the edge to loosen it from the pan. Transfer the pizza to a wire rack or cutting board and slice it into 12 pieces.
Notes
- Store-Bought Pizza Dough: You can find store-bought pizza dough for this pepperoni sheet pan pizza recipe at many different shops, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Central Market, and Tom Thumb. If you can’t find ready-made pizza dough, see the instructions below.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Don’t skimp on the oil. Create the best pepperoni sheet pan pizza by using a good amount of oil underneath and on top of the dough. If you skimp on the oil, the crust won’t be as crispy.
- Shred the mozzarella fresh from a block. I always recommend freshly shredded cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese when you want an ooey-gooey consistency. To keep the pre-shredded cheese from sticking to itself, they add an anticaking agent, which also keeps it from melting properly.
- Use good quality ingredients. I highly recommend using the Hormel Cup N Crisp Pepperoni since it gets so crispy and is not overly oily. Using other high-quality ingredients, like a good cheese and pizza sauce will also make a difference in flavor.
- Swap the onions for a different topping, but don’t overload the pizza. If you prefer another topping on this pepperoni sheet pan pizza, you can also include bell peppers, yellow peppers, or jalapeño slices. Just be sure to add them sparingly.
- Use other proteins. Other proteins will also work for this recipe instead of pepperoni. Try Canadian ham, pre-cooked Italian sausage, salami, etc.
- Include different cheeses. For a bolder flavor in this pizza dough recipe, consider including a combination of cheeses. For example, asiago or provolone pairs well with mozzarella on a pizza.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
