Stuffed Crust Cheese Pizza

There's something about the moment you bite through a crispy pizza crust and hit that molten cheese surprise inside—it feels like discovering a secret that was waiting for you. I stumbled onto stuffed crust pizza during a late night at a pizzeria near my old apartment, and I couldn't stop thinking about how simple the idea was: just take the thing people already love and tuck cheese into the edges. Years later, I finally decided to make it at home, and that first time I folded the dough over those mozzarella strips, I felt like I'd cracked some kind of code. Now it's become my go-to for impressing people without much fuss.

I made this for my roommate once when he was having a rough week, and watching him take that first bite felt like the smallest thing I could do that actually mattered. He went quiet for a second, then asked if I'd be making it again, and I knew I had something worth keeping in my rotation. Now whenever someone visits, they ask if I'm making the stuffed crust, and I'm always happy to oblige.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (350 g): The foundation of everything—make sure it's fresh because old flour can be stubborn and won't rise as nicely.
• Instant dry yeast (7 g): This is what transforms flat dough into something bubbly and alive; don't skip it or substitute without knowing what you're doing.
• Sugar (1 tsp): Just a tiny bit to feed the yeast and help it wake up.
• Salt (1 tsp): Flavors the dough and keeps the yeast from going wild.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp for brushing): Gives the dough tenderness and the crust that beautiful golden color.
• Warm water (220 ml): It should feel like a comfortable bath temperature—too hot kills the yeast, too cold and nothing happens.
• Mozzarella cheese sticks or strips (200 g): The star of the crust; look for fresh mozzarella if you can find it, though regular works beautifully too.
• Pizza sauce (180 ml): Use whatever you love; homemade is amazing but jarred is perfectly honest.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese (200 g): This goes on top and bubbles into little pools of deliciousness.
• Pepperoni slices (50 g, optional): Adds a salty, slightly spicy edge if you want it.
• Bell pepper (1 small, thinly sliced): Brings freshness and color without trying too hard.
• Sliced mushrooms (50 g): They get soft and almost melty when they bake.
• Dried oregano (1 tsp): The signature pizza herb that ties everything together.

Instructions

Mix your dough base:

Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl, then add the olive oil and warm water. Stir it together until a shaggy dough forms—it won't be pretty yet, but that's normal.

Knead until smooth:

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 7 minutes, using the heel of your hand to push and fold. You'll feel it transform from sticky and rough to smooth and elastic, almost springy under your fingers.

Let it rise:

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it loosely, and leave it somewhere warm for an hour. You're looking for it to roughly double in size—the dough should feel puffy when you poke it.

Prepare your oven:

Preheat to 230°C (450°F), and if you have a pizza stone, put it in now so it gets hot and ready.

Roll out the dough:

On a floured surface, gently stretch and roll the dough into a 33 cm circle. If it springs back, let it rest for a minute and try again—dough has a mind of its own sometimes.

Create the stuffed crust:

Lay your mozzarella strips around the outer edge of the dough circle, then fold that edge up and over the cheese, pinching tightly as you go to seal it all in. This is where the magic happens.

Add sauce and toppings:

Spread pizza sauce over the center, then scatter shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, bell pepper, and mushrooms however feels right to you. Sprinkle oregano over everything.

Brush the crust:

Use a pastry brush to paint that olive oil onto the stuffed crust edge—this is what gives it that gorgeous golden finish.

Bake until perfect:

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, watching until the crust is golden brown and the cheese on top is bubbling and slightly browned in spots. Every oven is different, so start checking around 15 minutes.

Cool and slice:

Let it sit for a couple minutes so everything sets slightly, then slice and serve hot. The cheese inside the crust will still be molten, so take that first bite carefully.

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There was a night when I pulled this pizza out of the oven and the whole kitchen smelled like a pizzeria—garlic, yeast, melted cheese, oregano—and my kids literally followed the smell into the kitchen like they were being called by some invisible force. We ate sitting on the counter that night instead of at the table, and that felt like its own kind of celebration.

Making the Dough Feel Less Scary

The dough is honestly more forgiving than it looks. If you've never worked with yeast before, the main thing is just making sure your water isn't too hot or too cold—think of it as the Goldilocks version of water. Once the dough comes together, kneading it is almost meditative; you're just pushing, folding, and turning it over and over for a few minutes until it goes from sticky and shaggy to smooth and slightly elastic. If you press a finger into it and the indent slowly springs back, you're done. The rise time is where patience pays off; you're giving the yeast time to do its thing, creating tiny bubbles throughout the dough that make the crust light and airy.

Customizing Your Toppings Without Overthinking It

The beauty of this pizza is that it works with whatever you have on hand or whatever you're craving. Vegetarian? Use just the sauce, cheese, and vegetables. Love meat? Add sausage, bacon, or ham alongside the pepperoni. Don't like mushrooms? Swap them for olives, onions, or sun-dried tomatoes. The sauce also doesn't have to be traditional pizza sauce; I've used marinara, even barbecue sauce one time, and it all worked. The constant is the cheese in the crust, which is the real star of the show.

Getting That Golden Crust Every Time

The olive oil brush is your secret weapon for a crust that looks and tastes restaurant-quality. Brush it on after all your toppings are on, right before baking, and it'll turn golden and slightly crispy as it bakes. If you want extra flavor, mix the olive oil with a little garlic powder or dried Italian herbs before brushing. The baking time will vary depending on your oven, so start checking at 15 minutes and pull it out when the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling—you want just a touch of browning on top, which means it's cooked through and delicious.

• If your crust browns too fast but the cheese isn't melted yet, cover the pizza loosely with foil and keep baking.
• A pizza stone gives you the crispiest crust, but a regular baking sheet works fine too.
• Let it cool for just 2 minutes before slicing so the cheese inside the crust sets slightly and doesn't spill out all over your plate.

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This pizza has become my go-to for weeknights, dinner parties, and those moments when someone needs comfort food that actually feels special. It's the kind of thing that reminds you cooking doesn't need to be complicated to be memorable.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I create the stuffed crust?

Arrange mozzarella strips around the dough’s edge, fold the dough over them, and pinch tightly to seal, creating a cheesy stuffed border.

→ What temperature is best for baking?

Bake at 230°C (450°F) for 15–20 minutes to achieve a golden crust with bubbling cheese.

→ Can I customize the toppings?

Yes, you can add pepperoni, vegetables like bell peppers and mushrooms, or swap ingredients to suit your taste.

→ How long does the dough need to rise?

The dough should rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size for optimal texture.

→ How to make it vegetarian?

Omit meat toppings and use vegetables and mozzarella to maintain the rich cheesy character without animal proteins.

→ What tools are needed?

Mixing bowl, rolling pin, baking tray or pizza stone, pastry brush, and a sharp knife or pizza cutter are recommended.