Cast Iron Skillet Brussels Sprouts Bacon Pizza.
Oh my gosh. I’ve been waiting forever to tell you about this pizza.
And by forever, I mean three days. But in Jessica years? That is forever.
It’s pathetic, really.
The toppings? I’m over the moon. I don’t need to remind you how weird it is that I love brussels sprouts because well, I do that every single time I talk about brussels sprouts and isn’t getting old? Yes and yes. I know. And over half of my recipes with these darn brussels contain bacon, so throwing the whole combo on a pizza was second nature and wow… thank goodness it was. Brussels, bacon and cheese. Just go with it.
Also go with a little balsamic glaze if you want. Trust me.
What I really have been chomping at the bit to tell you about is THIS CRUST. Not even this crust, but this method. A freaking cast iron skillet, people! This method cooks your pizza in three minutes. No lie. THREE minutes. And it might be the best crust I’ve ever had. At least until I have the next best crust I’ve ever had.
I’m no pizza connoisseur – unless eating obnoxious amounts qualifies one as an expert – but this somewhat resembles a wood fire crust or something. I dunno. I might be making that up but it’s what it reminds me of. I used my go-to dough recipe, which is from our favorite garlic bread pizza crust. Since making that nearly one year ago, I’ve never made another dough recipe. Which is huge, considering I try out doughs like they’re going out of style.
Back in December, I had to take a little trip to NYC and conned my friend Bev into coming with me. No really, I pretty much verbally harassed her into coming. It was amazing. As we walked the streets of NYC, she told me about how she had made this incredible pizza in a cast iron skillet and how I had to try it. She also watched me emotionally break down when we didn’t make it to Crumbs before leaving for the airport and she essentially saved my life when I tried to jaywalk a few times, but those are stories for another day.
Oh! And coincidentally we ate slices of pizza around midnight after already eating a full dinner earlier, but we walked about five miles in between so that more than made up for it. Yeah, we should have had two slices. We inhaled negative calories.
Oh. Sidebar. You can make “normal” pizza too. I bet you can’t guess who requested normal pizza. I instagrammed this pizza and said something inappropriate.
It’s true.
Anyhew.
I swore up and down and right and left that I was making the pizza as soon as I got home. Then I came home and promptly forgot about the pizza because, hello, it was the holidays and I decided to start shopping ten days before. But! Last week I remember and… my world was forever changed.
A slight note: um, this method works really well with two people. Additionally, this method pretty much requires a pizza peel. Guess what? I was one person without a pizza peel. In other words, I nearly died while trying to make this pizza. (Note my makeshift “peel” up above, aka a flipped over, floured baking sheet.) I would have been okay with that though because IT’S THAT GOOD. And you know I’ve been trying to reel in the drama recently so if I’m saying it’s that good… it’s that good.
I love it. Big heart.
Cast Iron Skillet Brussels Sprouts Bacon Pizza
Ingredients
crust. [NOTE: this recipe makes TWO doughs for skillet pizza]
- 1 1/8 cups warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
pizza. [NOTE: these ingredients are for ONE pizza]
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces provolone cheese, freshly grated
- 4 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
crust
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Sometimes I work in a few more sprinkles of flour if the dough is sticky. This amount of dough yielded 2 pizza crusts for my 12-inch cast iron skillet. If you’re using an 8-inch, you may get 3 doughs, but you also may just want to stick with 2 thicker doughs. Divide the dough evenly in half (or thirds). Place one dough on a well-floured pizza peel and roll into a round about the size of your skillet.
make the pizza + the cast iron skillet method
- Heat a large skillet (preferably NOT the skillet you are going to cook your pizza in) over medium heat and add bacon. Fry until crispy and fat is rendered. Remove crispy bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shallot. Cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic, sliced brussels, salt and pepper, stirring well to coat. Cook for 6-8 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
- At this point, place an oven rack directly under your broiler and preheat your broiler to the highest setting. Additionally, place your cast iron skillet on the stovetop burner, turning the heat on high. You want to heat the skillet for 10 minutes. If it begins to smoke a lot, you can reduce the heat a bit. But you want it HOT.
- While the skillet is heating, begin placing your toppings on your dough. Remember, the dough MUST be on a well-floured pizza peel (or surface) so you can simply slide the entire thing into the skillet. Add about 2-3 ounces of cheese to your dough, then cover with the brussels sprouts mixture and the bacon. Top with the remaining fontina, provolone and parmesan.
- Place a potholder or thick towel on the handle of the skillet (it will be sooo hot). Carefully slide the pizza into the skillet, dough side down. Don’t worry if a few toppings or pieces of cheese slice onto the surface – it will be totally fine. After about 30 seconds, turn off the burner, grab the skillet and pop it in the oven, right under the broiler. Broil for 1 minute, the using the potholder, grab the handle and rotate 180 degrees, broiling for only 1 more minute. Remove immediately and place on the stovetop. Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes, then use a large spatula to remove the pizza. INDULGE!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Oh who am I kidding? Drama queen for life.
205 Comments on “Cast Iron Skillet Brussels Sprouts Bacon Pizza.”
Perfect for the BBQ this summer too!
Hey there.
I love your blog/pictures. One question, and please don’t take offense… how was the bottom of the pizza?? I’m rather concerned that the bottom is burnt. Fantastic idea, though!! Looking to try this soon.
B
haha no offense taken at all! the bottom doesn’t get burnt one bit – the dough is only on the hot surface for 3 minutes, more like 7-8 if you count cooling time, but it is raw dough so it doesn’t burn at all. it’s perfectly cooked! if anything, the top of the crust may get a few blackened bubbles from being under the broiler.
Waaahhhh can I please have some right now???? I’m getting hungry for lunch and this is calling my name, but I can’t make it right now so I feel teased :P I share your love for brussel sprouts too!
LOL at “And it might be the best crust I’ve ever had. At least until I have the next best crust I’ve ever had.” I kind of think we’re twinsies.
Pretty much every time I taste something i think is delicious, I’m all like, “OMG, THIS IS LITERALLY THE BEST BREAD/EGG/COOKIE/PASTA/PIZZA/WHATEV THAT I’VE EVER HAD IN. MY. ENTIRE. LIFE!” My husband is always like, “Oh really? You said that last time you had some other bread recipe.” And I’m like, “Yeah, but this one…THIS one is the NEW best of my life.” And then two weeks later, I try a new recipe, and then that one is the new best of my life. Sometimes life is so hard.
These toppings look great! I recently did a whole pizza party using this skillet pizza method!
http://www.theluckypennyblog.com/2013/01/top-your-own-pizza-pizza-party.html
I want a slice (or three) of both kinds. They look soooooooooooooo good!
And wtf is a pizza peel? Something to help get the pizza out of the skillet?
I totally don’t mean to be “that” reader but I noticed the last sentence of the crust instructions says “the size of your size.” Maybe you meant “size of your skillet”? My apologies if that’s already been spotted though!
thanks so much! fixed it.
This pizza looks awesome. But unfortunately I don’t have a cast iron skillet, could I use a regular sauté pan or would this affect the outcome of the crust?
Looks sooo yummy. I HAVE to try that garlic pizza crust.
Uh…YUM. Totally willing to risk burning myself [or my house down] for this new method. Usually I just slide all my pizzas on the grill.
I am obsessed with brussels sprouts as well! We grow a ton of them on our farm. This pizza has everything i love all on one pie! yum!
Very interesting… The Brussels sprout pizza and skillet crust. So interesting I am dying to make it! I see this pizza in my weekend plans!
We cook our pizza almost the same way! Only we don’t have a cast iron skillet; we heat up our pizza stone in the oven on the highest setting, then once it’s suuuuper hot, slide the pizza onto it, turn it to broil and let it do it’s thing. I love it when the crust gets a bit blackened and the cheese is all bubbly and gooey and oooo I think I’ll make pizza for dinner…
Can you leave off the bacon for me? I know, don’t hate me. I can give my share. See we are destined to be friends!
All I can say is YUM!
Stop. Your making me hungry and its already past my bedtime! Brussels sprouts and bacon are a match made in heaven. I recently cooked burgers using the SUPER HOT method and they turned out great so I trust you on this one Jess.
i have to make these this weekend! thanks!
Maybe…you should just have me over for dinner.
mmm… i will need to try this! My home is very cold and I swear to you every time I have ever tried anything with yeast that is supposed to rise it has been an epic failure. I assume its because of the chilly temps my husband insists we keep it at! Is there a way to make the dough rise if the ambient temps aren’t warm enough? Lol!
Try covering the dough and heating your oven to 80 degrees. It should only take an hour to rise. Good luck!
You can also turn your oven on the lowest setting for about 5 minutes, just so it warms up a bit, then put the dough in there to rise. Also, the top of your refrigerator might be a little warmer than the surrounding area. It would be worth a try.
This looks so effing good, I might cry. I might.
I saw this recipe, and immediately went to the store to get a cast iron skillet (why I didn’t own before now is still a mystery…) I made the crust gluten-free. This. is. amazing. I did a happy dance. I may have also instagram-ed it.
I am snowed in. All I want is a piece of pizza. the regular pepperoni kind. stuck with no flour and no pepperoni.
This looks awesome! I love to use cast iron for most of my cooking.
I tried this last night and it was so good. My sister and husband couldn’t believe it only took 3 minutes to bake- although truthfully mine took closer to 5 minutes. Still nothing to complain about. They loved the brussel sprouts and bacon :) Thanks for the delicious recipe!
This just looks/sounds so amazing, I can’t stand it. Want asap.
This is a brilliant technique. I am definitely going to have to experiment with it. But the real reason I wanted to comment is I think your photographs of this pizza are really amazing and beautiful. You seem to have the cheese pull thing down to a science! And I love the crumpled paper under the pizza. So pretty. I am very inspired.
Considering how much I love wood fired pizza crust, this could either be really good or really bad. But I’m leaning towards really REALLY good.
So this made me think to add bacon to the Brussels sprout grilled cheese sandwich . Duh!! So good!
This looks like one of those things I just want to inhale. Like I’m so excited about eating it that I forget to enjoy it, and then once it’s gone I still want more. Yeah, let’s try that.
All my favorite flavors… in a skillet?! I’m totally obsessed with this pizza, Jessica, and I’ve been wanting to try out Bev’s quick skillet pizza cooking method… this pizza needs to happen soon.
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I am extremely excited about this method. My favorite kind of pizza is one with slightly charred crust. And when there are brussels sprouts AND fontina cheese, I am in love. Thanks for being such a food genius, Jessica. :)
this.looks.incredible. Seriously. Trying this out SO soon.
Made this last weekend for some friends who came over and let’s just say it’s all gone. SO good. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve never thought to put Brussels sprouts on pizza. This looks delish! I am in love with iron skillet pizza!
AHHHHH, combo of my favorite ingredients ever = dish from heaven. Amazeballs. PS I used that in a sentence with some friends on saturday and they asked me what i meant! Clearly I need new friends.
This recipe looks so delicious! I love brussel sprouts more than any other veggie! I’m making this for sure!
i made this saturday and i added onion and mushrooms. OMG! it was awesome the crust was perfect. i did use store bought dough though. dough is bogo this week and we will be having a pizza night a our house :)
I swore I would not buy one more kitchen item but I think this pizza total justifies the purchase……………………..
Can you freeze the other crust if you only want to make 1 pizza?
im making this for dinner tonight..in the shape of a heart….awwwwww…(i’m SO not the romatic type…) but it looked delish so i figured i would try it out. I think i have made pretty much everything you have made on your site so this can steer me wrong!!! THANK YOU JESS!!! I have never wanted to cook..i mean ever and i’m 43 until a friend of mine send me the link to your blog back last June and i have been loving cooking ever since….THANK YOU!!!
p.s. I look forward each week to your crumb section…that makes my day!!!
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Just tried it, thanks, it’s awesome! :)
brussel sprouts and pizza YUM!!!!!
I love brussels sprouts any way, shape, and form. This pizza looks SO good, and YAY — I FINALLY purchased a cast iron skillet a couple of weeks ago. I’ve got no idea why I waited so long, but this pizza will help break it in!
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This pizza is AHHHmazing! I felt like I was doing a quick fire on Top Chef with preparing it! I can’t believe how good the pizza crust is when you prepare it in a cast iron skillet. The flavor of the cheeses, with the sprouts and bacon is incredible – salty and creamy!
Drizzled reduced balsamic on top, SO GOOD!
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