A crowd‑friendly, crispy-edge pepperoni pizza baked right on a sheet pan — no special pans needed!
Recipe Card
Servings: 6–8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 15–20 minutes
Total Time: ~35 minutes
Dietary Info:
✅ Quick Meal | 🧀 Contains Dairy & Gluten | ❗ Contains Pork (pepperoni)
Ingredients Checklist (without exact amounts):
- Pizza dough (store‑bought or homemade)
- Pizza sauce (or tomato sauce)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni slices
- Olive oil
- Cornmeal or flour (for dusting)
- Italian seasoning (or dried oregano + basil)
- Salt & black pepper
- Optional: red pepper flakes, fresh basil, grated Parmesan
Instructions (concise):
- Preheat oven and prepare sheet pan.
- Stretch dough onto pan, dust with cornmeal/flour.
- Spread sauce, sprinkle cheese, and arrange pepperoni.
- Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden.
- Cool slightly, slice, garnish, and serve.
Notes:
- Let dough rest so it’s easy to stretch.
- Don’t overload sauce or toppings — too much weight can make the crust soggy.
- Use a rimmed sheet pan for easier handling and edge structure.
👋 Introduction
Pizza night, simplified. This sheet pan pepperoni pizza gives you that classic pepperoni-cheese combo — but in a flatter, rectangular format that’s great for feeding a group. No pizza stone, no flipping, no scaling recipes — just one pan, a little elbow grease, and a slice you’ll want seconds of.
This recipe is perfect for weeknights, movie nights, or any time you want the comfort of pizza without fuss. Let’s get into it.
🧰 Step‑by‑Step Cooking Guide
1. Preheat & ready your pan
Preheat your oven to around 425‑450 °F (220‑230 °C). Grease a sheet pan (rimmed baking sheet) with a little olive oil, and optionally sprinkle cornmeal or flour to prevent sticking and give a slight crunch.
2. Stretch and place the dough
Take your room-temperature dough and gently stretch or press it to fill the sheet pan. Let some dough push up the sides for a crust. If it resists, let it rest for a few minutes and try again.
3. Sauce it up
Spread an even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges for the crust.
4. Cheese & toppings
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella (or your preferred blend) evenly over the sauce. Then arrange pepperoni slices all over (as many or as few as you like).
Below that, sprinkle salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add red pepper flakes if you want some heat.
5. Bake until golden
Place the pan in the oven on a middle rack. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust edges are golden brown. If you want crispier pepperoni edges, you can broil for a minute at the end — watch carefully!
6. Cool, slice, garnish, serve
Let your pizza rest for a minute or two so it sets. Use a sharp pizza cutter or knife to slice into squares or rectangles. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or extra Parmesan if desired. Serve while hot.
🥫 Ingredients Explained & Substitutions
- Pizza dough: You can use store‑bought dough, refrigerated pizza dough, or homemade. Let it warm to room temperature for easier stretching.
- Pizza sauce: Homemade or store-bought both work. You can also use crushed tomatoes seasoned with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts better than pre-shredded. You can mix in cheddar or provolone for variation.
- Pepperoni: Classic spicy pepperoni works great. If you want less grease, use low-fat or turkey pepperoni.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning (blend of oregano, basil, thyme) is an easy all-in-one.
- Cornmeal/flour: Sprinkled under dough for texture and to prevent sticking.
Substitution ideas:
- Vegetarian: Omit pepperoni, add vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, olives.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pizza dough.
- Dairy-free: Use a dairy-free “mozzarella” or cheese alternative.
- Heat lovers: Add jalapeños, chili flakes, or hot honey drizzle.
🌟 Variations & Serving Suggestions
- Half‑and‑half style: Top one side with pepperoni and the other with veggie toppings to satisfy everyone.
- BBQ twist: Swap tomato sauce for BBQ sauce and use cooked chicken instead of pepperoni.
- White pizza version: Use garlic‑olive oil base, ricotta, spinach, and mozzarella (skip tomato sauce).
- Sides & combos: Serve with a crisp salad, garlic knots, or a side of marinara for dipping.
🧊 Storage, Make‑Ahead & Reheating
Storage
Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven or toaster oven at ~350°F until warmed through and crust is crisp again. You can also reheat on a skillet over medium heat with a lid.
Make‑ahead
You can assemble the pizza in the morning or a few hours in advance (minus cheese or toppings) and refrigerate. Just bake when ready.
Notes on texture changes:
Crust may soften slightly if stored; reheating properly helps restore crispness.
📊 Nutrition (Estimate per slice)
Calories: ~280 kcal
Carbs: ~28 g
Protein: ~12 g
Fat: ~12 g
These are rough estimations and depend heavily on dough, cheese, and toppings used.
❓ FAQs
Q: Can I use a round pizza pan instead?
A: Yes — it won’t be “sheet” style, but the method works with round pans too.
Q: My crust turned soggy in the middle — why?
A: Too much sauce or toppings can weigh it down. Also, not preheating fully or overloading can lead to sogginess.
Q: Should I pre-bake (par-bake) the dough?
A: For very thick dough, a brief par-bake (3–5 min) helps firm it before adding sauce and toppings.
Q: Can I freeze leftover slices?
A: Yes — wrap slices tightly and freeze. Reheat in oven for best results.
💬 Final Thoughts & Invitation
This sheet pan pepperoni pizza is one of those recipes that delivers big on flavor with minimal fuss. It’s perfect for families, get-togethers, or simply when you need a satisfying meal without a delivery wait.
