Dutch Oven Pizza with Pear, Brie & Prosciutto Recipe

This Dutch oven pizza elevates a simple pie into something special. Topped with pear, brie, prosciutto, and peppery arugula, this deep-dish pizza delivers a restaurant-quality experience you can make in your backyard or oven.

Homemade Pizza in a Dutch Oven

A great Dutch oven pizza depends on three key things: the crust, the toppings, and the baking method. The crust must be light enough to cook through yet sturdy enough to hold a generous load of toppings. This dough recipe is tuned to withstand the high heat of a Dutch oven, crisping on the outside while staying chewy inside. It also comes together quickly—about 30 minutes—making it ideal for backyard cooking when coals are ready or your oven is preheated.

Deep dish pizzas are unique because they’re baked in a pan with vertical sides, creating a golden rim and a bowl-like center for flavorful toppings. This version uses red pear, brie, prosciutto, and arugula for an upscale balance of sweet, salty, creamy, and peppery flavors. You can swap in your favorite toppings, but avoid piling on too much sauce or very wet ingredients, which can make the pizza soggy.

The baking method matters: high heat and cast iron produce the best deep-dish results. Cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly, helping the crust brown and the cheese melt to a bubbly finish.

How to Make Dutch Oven Pizza

Follow these steps for a dependable Dutch oven deep-dish pizza.

1. Make the dough. This dough requires a few steps but rewards you with a sturdy, tender crust. Scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements and a printable version.
2. Preheat coals and Dutch oven. Light charcoal and let it ash over while the dough rises. When ready, preheat the Dutch oven by placing about 10–12 coals under it and 10–12 on the lid. Let it heat while you assemble the pizza.
3. Assemble the pizza. Roll out a large sheet of parchment and dust it with cornmeal. Press the dough into an 18-inch circle on the parchment. Spread a thin layer of balsamic glaze, then top with shredded low-moisture mozzarella, thin red onion slices, sliced brie, prosciutto, and thin pear slices. Transfer the pizza on the parchment into the heated Dutch oven, pressing the dough up the sides to form a rim.
4. Bake. Replace the lid and cook for about 25–35 minutes, checking at 15 minutes. The pizza is done when the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
5. While it bakes, toss arugula with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
6. Slice and serve. Use the parchment to lift the pizza from the Dutch oven to a cutting board. Top with the dressed arugula, slice, and serve immediately.

How Long to Cook Dutch Oven Pizza

Plan on roughly 25–35 minutes of cook time, but this varies based on dough thickness, heat consistency around the Dutch oven, and coal temperature. Start checking at 15 minutes and adjust as needed. The pizza is finished when the crust edges are a rich golden brown, the interior is cooked through, and the cheese is fully melted.

Tips for Making Deep Dish Dutch Oven Pizza

These practical tips will help you get consistent, delicious results.

• Create a vent. Lay two metal skewers across the Dutch oven before replacing the lid to allow steam to escape. This prevents a soggy top and helps the crust brown.
• Make personal pizzas. The dough recipe yields one large, thick pizza, but you can divide the dough to make two smaller pizzas that fit a 14-inch Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet.
• Use your oven if needed. If you aren’t cooking over coals, you can follow the same steps using a 14-inch cast-iron skillet in a 400°F oven. Two 8-inch cake pans also work, though they won’t retain heat like cast iron and may yield a less-crispy crust.

More BBQ Pizza Ideas

If you enjoy grilled or wood-fired pizzas, try other flavor combinations like BBQ chicken, Thai chicken, or a red pesto with grilled chicken. Experimenting with toppings on a hot cast-iron surface or over coals is a great way to discover new favorite pies.

Dutch Oven Pizza Recipe

Dutch Oven Pizza with Pear, Brie, and Prosciutto

Prep time: 40 minutes • Cook time: 15–35 minutes • Total time: about 55 minutes • Serves 4

Ingredients

Pizza Crust

• 2 packages instant yeast
• 2 cups warm water (120–130°F)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4½–5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1–2 teaspoons cornmeal (for parchment)

Pizza Toppings

• 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
• 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• ⅛ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red pear, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces brie, sliced
• 2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for arugula)
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Proof the yeast. In a large bowl combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Make the dough. Add salt and honey, then stir in flour one cup at a time. When the dough becomes too stiff to mix, knead by hand until it’s thick, soft, and slightly tacky. Knead 3–4 minutes.
3. Rise. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and knead into a ball. Drizzle with another tablespoon of oil, cover, and let rise 30 minutes.
4. Preheat coals/Dutch oven. While the dough rises, get charcoal to a cooking-ready state (about 20 minutes). Place 10–12 coals under the Dutch oven and 10–12 on the lid to preheat about 5 minutes.
5. Form the crust. Roll a large sheet of parchment and dust with cornmeal. Press the risen dough into an 18-inch circle on the parchment, working from the center outward and pressing the dough up the edges.
6. Add toppings. Brush or drizzle a thin layer of balsamic glaze, then layer mozzarella, red onion, brie, prosciutto, and pear slices.
7. Transfer to the Dutch oven. Remove the lid, lift the pizza by the parchment into the preheated Dutch oven, and press the dough up the sides. Place 2–3 long metal skewers across the top before replacing the lid to create a vent for steam.
8. Cook. Bake until the crust is golden and cheese is melted, about 25–35 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes to make any heat adjustments.
9. Prepare arugula. While the pizza cooks, toss arugula with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
10. Serve. Lift the pizza from the oven using the parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Top with the dressed arugula, slice, and serve immediately.