Cast Iron Tortilla Pizza

published Aug 27, 2021
pizza in cast iron
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

The quickest, easiest pizza you will ever make.

Serves1

Prep10 minutes

Cook4 minutes

Jump to Recipe
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pizza in cast iron
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

If you want homemade pizza lickety-split, I have two words for you: tortilla pizza. A simple flour tortilla is cooked in a hot cast iron pan until crispy and crackly, then topped with spoonfuls of pizza sauce, a scattering of mozzarella cheese, and your favorite toppings. This super-thin-crust pizza will easily satisfy a pizza craving and comes together in mere minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal. Let’s get to know this magic pie!

Picking the Right Tortilla Size

The first step in making tortilla pizza is picking a tortilla that will fit in your pan. For the crispiest crust, you want a tortilla that will sit flat in the pan so that it has complete contact with the heat. You can use a large cast iron skillet or any other oven-safe frying pan. To find the tortilla that’s right for your pan, follow these guidelines.

  • 10-inch pan: Use 8-inch flour tortillas, often labeled soft taco size.
  • 12-inch pan: Use 10-inch tortillas, often labeled burrito size.
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

Keep the Toppings Simple

As for toppings, keep it simple! Too much sauce or cheese will weigh down the tortilla and make it soggy. Just use two to three tablespoons of sauce and a handful of mozzarella cheese. A sprinkle of Parmesan adds nutty goodness, and you can also add about a half-cup of your topping of choice after the cheese goes on. Remember to pre-cook meats and veggies you wouldn’t want to eat raw. Tortilla pizzas only take about four minutes to cook, which isn’t long enough for those toppings to cook through.

Here are some of my favorite topping combos.

  • Pepperoni + basil
  • Mushrooms + artichoke hearts + red pepper flakes
  • Sausage + thinly sliced summer squash 
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

How to Make Cast Iron Tortilla Pizza

To make a tortilla pizza, brush a thin layer of olive oil onto one side of the tortilla. Place it oil-side down in a hot pan and let it cook until well-browned on the bottom. Flip the tortilla and cook until the second side is browned. If the tortilla bubbles up as it’s browning, pop the bubbles with the tip of a knife and deflate them by pressing them down with a spatula.

Once you add the sauce, cheese, and toppings, slide the pan under the broiler until the cheese melts and browns in spots. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, let it cool for 30 seconds, and then slice and eat.

If you’re making pizza for a few people for dinner (I recommend at least one per person), make sure all the toppings are prepped and ready to go, then use two pans to make more than one at a time. Recruiting a helper to add the toppings will help speed things along too. These pies cool down quickly, so it’s best to eat them soon after they’re made. Serve with a simple salad with Italian dressing and enjoy the easiest homemade pizza night you’ve ever had.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

Cast Iron Tortilla Pizza Recipe

The quickest, easiest pizza you will ever make.

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 4 minutes

Serves 1

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

Option 1: For a 10-inch skillet

  • 1/2 cup

    shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 ounces)

  • 2 teaspoons

    grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if desired

  • 1

    (8-inch) soft taco size flour tortilla

  • Olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons

    store-bought or homemade pizza or marinara sauce

Option 2: For a 12-inch skillet

  • 2/3 cup

    shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)

  • 1 tablespoon

    grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if desired

  • 1

    (10-inch) burrito size flour tortilla

  • Olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons

    store-bought or homemade pizza or marinara sauce

Topping options:

  • 2

    fresh basil leaves

  • 1/2 cup

    other toppings

Instructions

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  1. Arrange a rack about 6 inches from the broiling element, then heat the oven to broil. Meanwhile, prepare the toppings.

    • Grate mozzarella cheese on the large holes of a box grater: 1/2 cup for a 10-inch pizza, or 2/3 cup for a 12-inch pizza
    • Finely grate Parmesan cheese: 2 teaspoons for a 10-inch pizza, or 1 tablespoon for a 12-inch pizza, plus grate more for topping if desired
    • Optional: Thinly slice 2 fresh basil leaves. Prepare 1/2 cup toppings.
  2. Heat a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet or broiler-safe frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush 1 flour tortilla on one side with a thin layer of olive oil. Place the tortilla in the pan oil-side down and cook until the bottom is well-browned, about 1 minute. If the tortilla puffs up at any point, poke the bubble with the tip of a knife and press down with a flat spatula to push out the steam and deflate.

  3. Using tongs, flip the tortilla and cook until the second side is well-browned, about 1 minute, again pushing down any parts that puff up. Remove the pan from the heat.

  4. Option 1: 8-inch tortilla
    Spread 2 tablespoons pizza sauce on the tortilla, going all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, again going all the way to the edges. Add on 1/2 cup toppings if desired.
    Option 2: 10-inch tortilla
    Spread 3 tablespoons pizza sauce on the tortilla, going all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, again going all the way to the edges. Add on 1/2 cup toppings if desired.

  5. Place the skillet in the oven and broil until the cheeses are melted and the top is well-browned, about 1 1/2 minutes (start checking after 1 minute). Remove from the oven. Using tongs, grasp the edge of the pizza and slide it onto a cutting board. Let cool 30 seconds. Sprinkle with the basil and more Parmesan cheese if desired, and cut into slices.

Recipe Notes

Pre-cooked toppings: Since this pizza cooks so quickly, the following should be precooked before topping the pizza: meats like chicken, sausage, ground beef, and bacon; veggies like mushrooms and onion.