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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Pizza

    Healthier Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

    Published: Apr 5, 2018 · Modified: May 11, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 40 Comments

    1327 shares
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    Diet: Vegetarian
    Jump to Recipe
    Chicago Deep Dish Pizza title picture
    Deep Dish Pizza long pin
    Chicago deep dish pizza with a text title overlay.

    If there is one thing that Chicago is famous for, it’s their incredible deep dish pizza. A thick deep crust, with the toppings upside down - you can see why they call it a pie. Use our easy recipe and grab yourself a homemade slice of Healthier Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.

    A whole deep dish pizza topped with herbs, sat on some parchment paper.

    You will find a lot of debate about where the best pizza in the world is. Is it Rome or Naples? Maybe the dollar slices in NYC get your vote! Popolinos in Manchester was a favourite student haunt for us at 4am. (Seriously - check it out if you're ever in Manchester!)

    Or maybe the famous deep dish crust from Chicago is calling your name? Whilst Rome will always come out top for me, Chicago deep dish is a close second. This is our homemade, lighter version. A healthy deep dish pizza that is easy to adapt.

    Fancy some more pizza recipes? Try our easy Tortilla Pizza, super tasty Garlic Mushroom Pizza or our delicious Greek Pizza.

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make deep dish pizza - Step by step
    • Why is Chicago pizza different?
    • Variations
    • What to serve it with
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More pizza recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Healthier than an average pizza - We have lightened up the cheese and added some veggies to make this a healthier option to a Chicago pizza.
    • Easy to adapt with different fillings - Whatever your favourite pizza toppings are will work here.
    • Low calories - Less than 200 calories per slice.
    • Kids will love it - I am yet to meet a kid that doesn't like pizza and this "upside down" version will intrigue them.

    Ingredients needed

    • Pizza dough - You can use store bought, but it really is easy to make your own pizza dough. Why not try our Wholewheat Pizza Dough recipe.
    • Pizza sauce - Homemade is best. Follow our recipe for Pizza Sauce. If using store bought, try to use the best quality one you can.
    • Courgette (zucchini) and Bell pepper - These were out vegetables of choice, but we have given lots of other options for others.
    • Cheese - A mature cheddar works well, as it has a strong flavour so a little goes a long way. You could use mozzarella too.
    • Basil - Some fresh basil adds lots of flavour.

    How to make deep dish pizza - Step by step

    Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Lightly grease the tin.
    One: Start with the base and the cheese first.

    Deep baking tin with pizza dough and grated cheese.

    Two: Add the vegetables.

    Deep Dish Pizza tin with pizza dough, cheese and vegetables.

    Three: Top with marinara.

    Deep Dish Pizza tin with vegetables and sauce.

    Four: Add more cheese before cooking.

    Deep Dish Pizza before cooking.

    Five: Cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

    Why is Chicago pizza different?

    If you haven’t had it before, it is like an upside down pizza. Kind of. You put the cheese on the base first and then the toppings and then you top it with the tomato sauce – it’s genius.

    You have to try it to believe just how good it is. It’s the debated whether you finish with more cheese, but we did because how can you debate whether more cheese is an option or not?

    Variations

    We went with onion, red bell pepper and courgette (zucchini), but don't limit it to those. You could add mushrooms, sweetcorn, tomatoes, jalapenos or even some aubergine (eggplant). This is a good opportunity to use up any veg you have left over.

    Stay away from root vegetables or any that take a long time to cook - unless they have already been cooked, then throw them in too!

    Any meat that you would put on a pizza will work in this - just make sure it's cooked first. Chicken, turkey, ham, ground beef, salami all work really well.

    Deep dish pizza sat on a wooden serving board.

    What to serve it with

    Pizza and fries is the perfect combo isn't it? Why not try our Best Air Fryer Fries or Garlic Polenta Fries. Want something a little lighters? These Baked Carrot Fries are delicious.

    A nice big salad like our Little Gem Salad is a nice way to have a more filling meal, without eating more pizza.

    Deep Dish Pizza with a slice cut out and slightly pulled out.

    FAQs

    Can it be made vegan?

    The only non-vegan part of this pizza is the cheese. Simply swap that out for one of the many great vegan cheeses available and you have yourself a vegan deep dish pizza!

    Storing deep dish pizza

    In the fridge, the pizza will be good for up to three days. To freeze, wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap and keep in the freezer for up to three months.

    Reheating deep dish pizza

    Make sure the pizza is fully defrosted before reheating. You can reheat in a microwave, but you will end up with limp, soggy pizza! For best results follow these steps: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Place a slice of pizza on some foil on a baking tray and spray with a little cold water. Cover the pizza loosely with more foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. This will result in a perfectly heated pizza with a crispy crust.

    What makes this healthier?

    Why is this healthier? Well, portion size for a start. If you have eaten an authentic one of these in Chicago, you will know just how huge they are. This is a good size for 4 people with a side salad. We also went pretty easy on the cheese to keep it lower in calories.
    At the end of the day – it’s pizza. It is never going to be a health food or a food that I can eat in unlimited amounts.
    But with a couple of small changes, like using whole wheat homemade dough and not going overboard on the cheese and packing it with veggies, it can be made a bit healthier.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Use up any vegetables you have - it's a good fridge raid pizza!
    • Store bought pizza dough and sauce will work perfectly well for this, but nutritional values will change.
    • You can skip adding the cheese on top to save a few calories.
    • Change up the vegetables each time to make it different.

    More pizza recipes

    • A Christmas Tree Pizza on a wooden board with Christmas decorations surrounding it.
      Christmas Tree Pizza
    • Courgette and lemon pizza on a wooden surface surrounded by sliced courgette.
      Courgette and Lemon Pizza
    • A pizza topped with tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream.
      Mexican Pizza
    • Easy naan pizza next to a pizza slice and some corn on the cob.
      Easy Naan Pizza

    If you’ve tried this deep dish pizza recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Chicago Deep Dish Pizza on a serving board surrounded by basil.

    Healthier Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

    By: Dannii Martin
    If there is one thing that Chicago is famous for, it’s their incredible deep dish pizza. Use our easy recipe and grab yourself a homemade slice of Healthier Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
    An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
    Vegetarian
    4.92 from 25 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Prep: 10 minutes mins
    Cook: 20 minutes mins
    Total: 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 197kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a carton of milk.
    Dairy
    An illustration of two ears of wheat.
    Gluten
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    Ingredients

    • 1 portion Homemade whole wheat pizza dough
    • 12 tablespoon Marinara
    • 40 g (0.33 cups) Cheddar cheese - grated; for the base
    • 40 g (0.33 cups) Cheddar cheese - grated; for the topping
    • 0.5 Courgette (zucchini) - diced
    • 0.5 Red bell pepper - diced
    • 4 tablespoon Fresh basil - chopped

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
    • Make the 1 portion Homemade whole wheat pizza dough according to the recipe.
    • Roll it out so that it is a little wider than the pan you are using. we used a 10 inch diameter spring-form cake tin and it worked perfectly. Put the dough in the greased tin and push the dough up the sides a little.
    • Put 40 g Cheddar cheese on the bottom and then top with 0.5 Courgette (zucchini) and 0.5 Red bell pepper.
    • Top with 12 tablespoon Marinara and then sprinkle with 40 g Cheddar cheese and 4 tablespoon Fresh basil.
    • Put into the oven for 20 minutes.
    • Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving to make it easier to cut.

    Recipe tips

    • Use up any vegetables you have - it's a good fridge raid pizza!
    • Store bought pizza dough and sauce will work perfectly well for this, but nutritional values will change.
    • You can skip adding the cheese on top to save a few calories.
    • Change up the vegetables each time to make it different.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 0.25pizza | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Vitamin C: 44.6mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 1.4mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ladyjorns

      April 21, 2020 at 11:11 am

      According to Amer, it doesn t matter what time of the day you eat pizza, it can still be a balanced meal choice. And yes, that includes breakfast, too.

      Reply
    2. Kelly Anthony

      September 14, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      Healthier pizza you have my attention. This looks delicious and I don't think I'll miss the extra calories.

      Reply
    3. James

      April 13, 2018 at 11:35 pm

      THIS SHALL BE DONE!

      Reply
    4. Elaine @ Dishes Delish

      April 12, 2018 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      This deep dish pizza looks fabulous! I love that it's healthier but it doesn't look like it! Hubby probably loves pizza more than I do, which is saying a lot since I love it! So, I can't wait to make your deep dish pizza and surprise him! He's going to be so happy!

      Reply
    5. Helen @ family-friends-food

      April 10, 2018 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      Looks fabulous! I've only ever spent a day in Chicago and somehow the pizza passed me by completely. At least I can make one at home now :-)

      Reply
    6. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

      April 09, 2018 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      Chicago is such a great food city. It's funny that every time I go, I have such a bad case of FOMO, I have the hardest time deciding what to eat! Nice job making this healthier!

      Reply
    7. Anu

      April 09, 2018 at 10:44 am

      5 stars
      Wow! I'm already craving for pizza! Thanks for such a wonderful recipe

      Reply
    8. Carrie

      April 09, 2018 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      Wow this pizza looks insane, love that it's made healthier too, even better!

      Reply
    9. Veena Azmanov

      April 09, 2018 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      Wow, this looks so delicious! Beautiful presentation. Is good food and this looks like one of the BEST! I can't WAIT to try this! Thank you for this great recipe!

      Reply
    10. Sara

      April 09, 2018 at 8:01 am

      That is one good looking pizza. Some pepperoni would be a good addition in there too and I think my boys would love it. Definitely trying this one.
      When is your next book out?

      Reply
    11. Erica

      April 09, 2018 at 8:00 am

      Oh I’m not sure I am brave enough to make my own pizza base, but this looks amazing. It actually looks like a pie.

      Reply
    12. Heidi Roberts

      April 08, 2018 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      The colours are amazing! The pizza is mouthwatering -.

      Reply
    13. Jem

      April 08, 2018 at 6:05 pm

      5 stars
      You can’t beat a homemade pizza! Love the look of all that cheese too.

      Reply
    14. Kristi

      April 08, 2018 at 2:55 pm

      5 stars
      This would be a perfect pizza for my kids to make some evening. I just started a new job with odd hours which leaves two teens getting creative with food. This looks much better than the watermelon malts they made this past week.

      Reply
    15. Veena Azmanov

      April 08, 2018 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness this look absolutely amazing! Its fantastic! One of my favs. Can't wait to try this one. Thanks for the recipe! YUMMY!!!

      Reply
    16. Claudia Lamascolo

      April 08, 2018 at 12:16 pm

      I love chicago style pizzas and this one is over the top delicious looking. I had my first one in Chicago this year and I am hooked!

      Reply
    17. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

      April 08, 2018 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      This looks super delicious! I am a big fan of deep dish pizzas but don't have them too often as they are just too big and not too healthy, this looks like such a tasty healthier alternative.

      Reply
    18. Kelly Welsh

      April 08, 2018 at 10:45 am

      This looks so cheesy and comforting. It’s the last day of half term, so I think this would make a nice dinner to finish on.

      Reply
    19. Heidi

      April 08, 2018 at 10:44 am

      That’s such an awesome way of making a pizza. I love that the toppings are upside down and I always choose a nice thick base.

      Reply
    20. Jenni

      April 07, 2018 at 10:03 am

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness I would never have thought of a pizza pie, it looks so good! I need to try and make this x

      Reply
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