Traditional Cuban Pizza (Miami-Style Pizza Cubana)

Pizza Cubana is a unique personal-sized Cuban pizza with a thick and crispy crust. It's topped with a blend of gouda and mozzarella cheese, along with unique toppings like chorizo and sweet plantains. What sets this pizza apart is the thick crust, the extra cheese that’s burnt at the edges, and the toppings baked into the pie. This recipe makes 4 personal pizzas and comes together in just 35 minutes!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water ((110ºF))
• 1 packet active dry yeast ((2 1/4 teaspoons))
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 can San Marzano peeled tomatoes ((28-ounce))
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large bay leaf
• shredded Gouda cheese
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• ground pork chorizo
• yellow onion ((sliced into rings))
• sliced green olives
• diced ham
• sliced green bell peppers
• sliced red bell peppers
• diced tomatoes (or sliced)
• sweet plantains (sliced)
• Cuban picadillo
• Cuban roast pork (shredded)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make The Pizza Dough ---
2. 2In a large measuring cup, add water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Stir and allow it to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature until it gets foamy.
3. 3In a large bowl, add flour, salt, olive oil, and foamy yeast mixture.
4. 4Knead the dough using your hands or a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
5. 5Place the dough ball in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest/rise for 1 hour or until it’s doubled in size.
6. 6--- Make The Pizza Sauce ---
7. 7In a large saucepan, heat oil at medium-high heat. Sauté bell peppers, onions, and garlic for 3-4 minutes.
8. 8Add tomatoes, brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
9. 9Remove the sauce from the heat and remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until completely liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
10. 10--- Make The Pizzas ---
11. 11Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease four 9-inch pie plates with olive oil. Set aside.
12. 12Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and transfer your dough from the bowl. Evenly divide the dough into 4 parts.
13. 13Press the dough down onto each pie plate until it reaches the edges of the plate.
14. 14Spoon the pizza sauce over the dough and spread using the back of a spoon to the edges of the plate.
15. 15Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese over the sauce to the edges of the plate. Those crispy burnt edges of cheese are a good thing!
16. 16Add the ground chorizo to your liking and sliced onions. Cover the toppings with more cheese on top. Repeat with remaining pizzas with toppings of your choice.
17. 17Bake the pizzas for 15-18 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the pizzas are golden brown.
18. 18Slide a butter knife around the edges of the pie plate to separate the pizza from the edge. Transfer the pizza to a plate. Enjoy!