Detroit Style Pizza with Mozzarella & Neapolitan Style Tomato Sauce
Detroit style is one of our favourites for its bold, cheesy edges and thick, airy base. This version keeps things simple yet deeply satisfying, using low-moisture mozzarella in place of the traditional Wisconsin brick cheese, a rich Neapolitan style tomato sauce, and a finishing touch of Grana Padano.
Detroit style pizza was born in the mid-20th century, and what started in Motor City is now loved all over the world. Detroit style pizza was first baked in rectangular steel trays originally designed as automotive drip pans or to hold small industrial parts in the city’s factories. Today, it’s still defined by its distinctive shape and method: cheese is spread right to the edges of the pan, caramelising against the sides to form the golden “crown” that makes this style so iconic. Instead of spreading sauce directly on the dough, it’s ladled in bold stripes across the top, giving each slice a punch of flavour while letting the cheesy crust shine.
Finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, more Grana Padano, and a sprinkle of dried oregano, this pizza is simple, classic, and utterly delicious. It’s proof that when done right, just a handful of ingredients can deliver maximum flavour.
Detroit Style Pizza with Mozzarella & Neapolitan Style Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- Detroit Style pan (32.4 x 24.1 x 5.9 cm) or similar
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough
- Pizza sauce
- Low moisture mozzarella cheese
- Grana Padano cheese
- Dried oregano
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: You can follow any of our dough recipes. We used our cold fermentation dough recipe for this particular bake. You will need to prepare the dough at least 24 hours ahead of time.
- Prepare Sauce: We recommend our standard pizza sauce which is simple, versatile, and vibrant Spice up this sauce however you like, remember the best part about making pizza is the creative process!
- Prepare Cheese: Use low-moisture mozzarella for the main topping.Grate or tear into medium-sized pieces, making sure you have plenty to cover the dough, especially around the edges of the pan to create that signature caramelised cheese crown.Set aside a little extra Grana Padano for finishing after the bakeFinely grate grana padano. Set aside.
- Preheat Home Oven with Pizza Steel:Place a pizza steel or stone inside the oven and preheat to 250°C (482°F) for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Base: After cold fermentation, transfer the dough to a well-oiled tray or pan (we recommend the Lloyd Pans Detroit Style pan, 32.4 x 24.1 x 5.9 cm). Drizzle extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) over the top and begin to gently press and stretch the dough, pulling from underneath until it nearly reaches the edges of the pan.Cover and proof for another 15-20 minutes to allow the dough to relax and expand further.After proofing, press and stretch again until the dough comfortably reaches the edges of the pan. Drizzle with a little more EVOO, then use your fingertips to create dimples across the surface.
- Assemble Detroit Style Pizza: Sprinkle a thin layer of grated Grana Padano directly over the dough.Scatter the low-moisture mozzarella generously across the entire surface, making sure to push extra cheese right up against the edges for the caramelised crust.Using a ladle, stripe the Neapolitan tomato sauce lengthwise across the pizza in 2–3 bold lines.Finish with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake Your Pizza:Bake at 250°C (482°F) for ~20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on top.
- Serving: Once baked, remove pizza from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack or a serving board. Sprinkle more grated Grana Padano over the top, followed by a pinch of dried oregano.Slice into squares and enjoy that crispy-edged, cheesy Detroit style goodness!
