Detroit-Style Vegetarian Pizza
May 20, 2025
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There’s nothing quite like a thick, cheesy, crispy-edged piece of pan-style pizza — especially when it’s fresh out of your own oven. This Detroit-Style Vegetarian Pizza with Mushrooms, Olives & Red Onion is a hit combination for thick-crust pizza night.
Whether you’re making pizza night a weekly tradition or craving something extra special, this Motor City method is sure to bring good vibes and comfort to your table.
What makes it Detroit-style pizza?
- Known for a thick, airy crust – think focaccia
- Crispy, caramelized cheese edges – the brick cheese and sauce go all the way to the edge of the pan
- Baked in a rectangular, metal pan – this standard 9×13 pan works well
The crust is baked in the well-oiled pan, which gives it a crisp, fried edge. The cheese goes all the way to the sides, where it bubbles up and forms an irresistible golden crust. And while most Detroit-style pizzas put the sauce on top of the cheese, this recipe goes for more traditional layering – dough, sauce, toppings and cheese. There’s still plenty of cheese that can melt and caramelize on the edges, giving it the Motor City appeal.
What is brick cheese?
Brick cheese is a semi-soft cheese that originated in Wisconsin in the late 1800s. It’s named for the traditional processing method of pressing cheese curds with bricks during the aging process.
A main characteristic is that brick cheese melts more evenly than mozzarella, helping achieve the iconic crispy edges of Detroit-style pizza. Mozzarella, on the other hand, is a soft, stretchy cheese that’s more popular for other pizza recipes.
If you can’t find brick cheese at your local store, you can order it online. A good substitute is to mix whole milk mozzarella with Monterey Jack. But nothing beats the real deal.
how to Build a Detroit-Style Vegetarian Pizza
Step 1: Prep your dough – Stretch your dough into a well-oiled 9×13 metal pan. Let it relax after initially putting it in the pan. Then stretch it again to ensure it reaches the edges.
Step 2: Add the sauce – Spoon on your homemade sauce and use a spatula to spread it to the edges, covering all of the dough. Reserve up to 1 cup of the sauce to serve as a side dipping sauce!
Step 3: Sprinkle on the toppings – This vegetarian pizza uses sliced mushrooms, green olives and red onions. You could add other vegetables you prefer, but don’t add too many toppings. Otherwise, the pizza will be too heavy and the crust won’t get as crispy.
Step 4: Layer on the cheese – Brick cheese cut into ½-inch cubes are layered onto the pizza. Make sure they go all the way to the edge of the pan to get that magical, crispy exterior.
Step 5: Bake the pizza – Bake for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 500 degrees F. Place it on a rack positioned at the lowest level of your oven.
Now that your pizza is baked, it’s time to cool and serve. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes, then use a spatula to loosen the edges and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the pizza into 12 small squares or 8 oblong pieces to make sure every single piece includes a crispy edge. Serve it up and enjoy!
Other Pizza Recipes to Try
If this recipe has you craving more, here are some other homemade pizza favorites to try next:
- Basic Overnight Pizza Dough
- Pesto & Potato Pizza
- Egg & Arugula Pizza
- Dairy-Free Pesto as Pizza Sauce
- Simple Green Salad – the perfect side dish!
Detroit-style pizza is the kind of homemade comfort food that turns a regular dinner into something memorable. It’s great to make on weekends, when you have a little extra time to let the dough rise and get nice and bubbly. Once you master this recipe, you can riff on it with different toppings and layering combinations week after week.
Detroit-Style Vegetarian Pizza
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2½ cups bread flour, 300 grams
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup lukewarm tap water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
For the sauce:
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
For the pizza toppings:
- 12 ounces brick cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup green olives, sliced
- 4 to 5 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh basil for serving
- Red pepper flakes for serving, optional
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Add 2½ cups bread flour, 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 cup warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until combined and shaggy.
- Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, then continue mixing on medium low until a smooth dough is formed. This will take 3 to 5 minutes.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil into a bowl to coat the bottom and sides. Transfer the dough and cover. Allow to rest until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Brush remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. Stretch and press the dough into the pan. Cover and let rest for another 10 minutes.
- Continue to stretch the dough until it reaches from edge to edge of the pan. Cover again and let rest for 30 minutes while you make the sauce.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place an oven rack on the lowest position.
Make the sauce:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil into a medium saucepan. Add in 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Add in 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in 28 ounces canned crushed tomato and season with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Add in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and stir to combine. Continue simmering on low, until sauce is thickened and slightly reduced. Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the pizza:
- Spoon sauce onto the dough and use the back of a spoon or a spatula to evenly spread it all the way to the edges. You can reserve about ½ to 1 cup of the sauce for dipping.
- Layer on sliced mushrooms, sliced green olives and thinly sliced red onion in an even layer. Top with cubed brick cheese, ensuring cheese is evenly spaced all the way to the edges of the pan.
- Place pan in the center of the bottom rack of preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Edges will be slightly burnt where the cheese meets the pan.
- Remove pizza from oven. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use a spatula to transfer pizza onto a cutting board. Slice the pizza into 12 square or 8 rectangle pieces. Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes (optional) to serve.
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