I love pizza and lasagna, so I combined the two into a lasagna pizza baked in a cast iron skillet. After buying a cast iron I looked for every chance to use it — this recipe was one of the best. I wasn’t sure how the pizza would turn out while it was cooking, but spoiler: it was fantastic.
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Cast Iron Pizza Recipe
While developing this cast iron pizza lasagna I looked at deep-dish pizza and lasagna recipes and combined the best techniques. Everything here is made from scratch, from the dough to the filling, to produce a hearty, layered pizza that holds up beautifully in a skillet.
Home Made Smoked Pizza Dough
You can use premade dough, but making your own is quick and rewarding. It takes about ten minutes to combine the ingredients and roughly 15–20 minutes for the dough to rise.
Start by dissolving active dry yeast (not instant), sugar, and warm water. Let it sit until foamy. In a large bowl combine the flour, the bloomed yeast mixture, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Mix until smooth, cover, and let the dough rise for 15–20 minutes.
After the rise, place the dough on a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky. The dough is now ready to become the base for your cast iron lasagna pizza.
Simple Lasagna Filling
A good deep-dish style pizza needs a relatively dry first layer, so we reduce the sauce in a skillet before assembling.
In a large skillet cook 1 pound ground Italian sausage, 1 pound ground beef, and one small diced onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease, then return the meat to the skillet.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, minced garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
Smoked Pizza Dough Prep
While the sauce simmers, roll the dough on a floured surface to fit your cast iron skillet (a 12″ skillet works well). Press the dough into the skillet and drape it up the sides.
Preheat your smoker to 350°F. Place the skillet with the dough in the smoker and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the dough browns along the top edges. Remove the crust once the edges are browned.
More Smoked Lasagna Filling
In a small bowl mix ricotta cheese with one egg, a pinch of salt, and minced parsley. This mixture adds creaminess and helps the layers bind together.
Time to Make the Smoked Pizza Lasagna
Once your meat sauce has thickened, begin assembling the pizza. Spread a layer of meat sauce over the prebaked crust, then add the ricotta mixture, a generous layer of shredded mozzarella, and no-boil lasagna noodles. Layer again in the same order until the skillet is filled.
Bake the assembled pizza in the smoker uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, cover the pizza with foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the surface is brown and bubbly.
Checking the internal temperature ensures the lasagna layers are fully cooked and safe to eat. A quick probe thermometer makes this step easy and reliable.
Cast Iron Pizza Lasagna Recipe
I cooked this for six adults and initially worried it wouldn’t be enough, but it turned out very filling—leftovers reheated wonderfully and the crust stayed crisp under the toppings. This method combines familiar lasagna flavors with a deep-dish pizza approach for a satisfying, shareable meal.
I enjoy smoking traditional barbecue like brisket, pulled pork, and spare ribs, and this cast iron skillet pizza was just as fun to make. It’s a great way to use a smoker and a cast iron skillet together, and I’ll definitely make it again.
Cast Iron Smoked Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 2 cups water warm
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Pizza Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb mild ground italian sausage
- 3 cloves garlic
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp parsley minced
- 2 tsp basil
- ¾ tsp salt
- 15 ounces Ricotta Cheese
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 pkg no boil lasagna noodles
Instructions
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Dissolve active dry yeast with sugar and warm water until foamy.
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In a large bowl add the flour, bloomed yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Mix until smooth, cover, and let rise 15–20 minutes.
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After rising, knead on a floured surface until the dough is no longer sticky.
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In a large skillet cook the sausage, ground beef, and diced onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain and return to the skillet.
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Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, parsley, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened.
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Roll the dough to fit a 12″ cast iron skillet, press it into the pan, and drape the edges up the sides.
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Preheat the smoker to 350°F. Bake the crust in the skillet in the smoker for about 15 minutes until the edges brown, then remove.
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Mix ricotta with an egg, salt, and parsley in a small bowl.
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Layer meat sauce, ricotta mixture, shredded mozzarella, and no-boil lasagna noodles, repeating until the skillet is full.
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Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes, cover with foil and bake another 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the top is brown and bubbly.