Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) pizza dough, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for pan
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pizza or tomato sauce
- 6 oz (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
- 3 oz (85 g) spicy soppressata, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 2 to 3 tbsp hot honey, for drizzling
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Do This
- 1. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet inside for at least 20 minutes.
- 2. Stretch room-temperature dough on a lightly oiled and floured or cornmeal-dusted peel or parchment into a 12-inch round.
- 3. Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border; top with mozzarella.
- 4. Arrange soppressata slices evenly so they do not overlap too much; sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
- 5. Slide pizza onto hot stone or baking sheet; bake 10 to 14 minutes, until crust is deeply golden and soppressata edges are crisp.
- 6. Immediately drizzle with hot honey, sprinkle with Parmesan and extra chili flakes, garnish with basil, slice and serve hot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect sweet-heat balance from spicy soppressata, chili flakes, and a glossy drizzle of hot honey.
- Crisp-edged, chewy crust with bubbly, browned mozzarella and little cups of caramelized soppressata.
- Restaurant-level flavor using simple grocery-store ingredients and basic home equipment.
- Easy to customize: dial the spice up or down, swap cheeses, or use store-bought dough and hot honey.
Grocery List
- Produce: Fresh basil (optional), garlic (if you want to season your own sauce)
- Dairy: Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (optional)
- Pantry: Pizza dough, pizza or tomato sauce, olive oil, spicy soppressata, crushed red pepper flakes, hot honey (or regular honey and hot sauce), salt, cornmeal or flour for dusting
Full Ingredients
For the Pizza
- 1 lb (450 g) pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, rested at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan or parchment
- 1 to 2 tbsp cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for dusting peel or parchment
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pizza sauce or smooth tomato sauce
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced (optional, to stir into the sauce)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano (optional, for extra flavor)
- 6 oz (170 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups loosely packed)
- 3 oz (85 g) spicy soppressata, very thinly sliced (about 18 to 24 slices)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (only if needed, depending on how salty your sauce and soppressata are)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Finishing
- 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 to 3 tbsp hot honey, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (optional but recommended)
- 4 to 6 fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced (optional)
Optional Quick Homemade Hot Honey
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 to 2 tsp hot sauce or 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of kosher salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven and stone
Place a pizza stone or an upside-down heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C), or as hot as your oven safely goes. Let the stone or pan heat for at least 20 to 30 minutes so it is thoroughly hot; this is key to a crisp, well-browned crust.
While the oven heats, lightly grease a piece of parchment paper or your pizza peel with olive oil and dust it with a thin layer of cornmeal or flour. This will help the dough stretch easily and keep it from sticking when you slide it into the oven.
Step 2: Make the quick hot honey (if not using store-bought)
If you are making your own hot honey, combine 1/4 cup honey, 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes), 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a very small saucepan. Warm over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the honey loosens and everything is combined. Do not boil, as that can dull the flavor.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. The flavors will bloom as it sits. You can make this several days ahead and store it covered at room temperature.
Step 3: Prep and stretch the dough
Make sure your dough has been out of the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes; it should feel relaxed and slightly puffy. Lightly oil your hands, then gently press the dough into a flat disk on the prepared parchment or peel.
Using your fingertips, press and stretch the dough from the center outward into roughly a 12-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker rim around the edge for the crust. Avoid using a rolling pin, which presses out the air bubbles that create a light, open crumb. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue stretching.
Step 4: Sauce the base
In a small bowl, stir together the pizza sauce, minced garlic (if using), dried oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spoon 1/2 cup of sauce into the center of the stretched dough. Using the back of the spoon, spread it out in concentric circles, leaving about a 1-inch border of bare dough around the edges. Aim for a thin, even layer; too much sauce will make the pizza soggy.
Step 5: Add the cheese and soppressata
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauced dough, again keeping the outer crust clean. You want full coverage but not big piles; a relatively even layer melts and browns more attractively.
Arrange the soppressata slices over the cheese in a single layer, spacing them slightly so they have room to curl and crisp at the edges as they bake. Lightly season with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (you can add more after baking).
Step 6: Bake until bubbly, crisp, and golden
Carefully slide the pizza (on the parchment, if using) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until:
- The crust is deeply golden with some darker spots on the edges.
- The cheese is melted, bubbling, and browned in places.
- The soppressata has curled at the edges and looks slightly crisp.
Keep an eye on the pizza toward the end; every oven is different, and high heat can go from golden to overly dark quickly. When done, use a peel or large spatula to transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
Step 7: Finish with hot honey and serve
Immediately drizzle the hot honey in a thin zigzag pattern over the hot pizza, using 2 to 3 tablespoons or more to taste. The heat from the pizza will help the honey spread and lightly soak into the cheese and soppressata.
Sprinkle with additional crushed red pepper flakes if you like extra heat, and finish with grated Parmesan or Pecorino and torn basil leaves. Let the pizza rest for 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese sets slightly, then slice into 6 to 8 wedges. Serve right away while the crust is crisp, the soppressata is still crackly, and the hot honey is glossy and fragrant.
Pro Tips
- Room-temperature dough is crucial: Cold dough fights back and tears easily. Let it sit out long enough to relax so you can stretch it gently with your fingertips.
- Preheat the stone thoroughly: A fully heated stone (20 to 30 minutes at 500°F / 260°C) gives you a blistered, pizzeria-style bottom crust instead of a pale, soft one.
- Do not bake the honey: Always drizzle hot honey after baking. In the oven it can burn and lose its floral flavor; added at the end, it stays bright and aromatic.
- Space out the soppressata: Overlapping slices tend to steam rather than crisp. Give each piece some breathing room so the edges curl up like little cups.
- Adjust the heat to your taste: Use less crushed red pepper and a milder soppressata if you are sensitive to spice; add extra chili flakes or a spicier hot honey if you love heat.
Variations
- Pepperoni & Hot Honey: Swap soppressata for spicy pepperoni. Everything else stays the same, giving you a familiar pepperoni pie with an addictive sweet-heat finish.
- Jalapeño Lover’s Pie: Add thinly sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños on top of the cheese before baking. The extra tang and heat pair beautifully with the honey.
- White Hot Honey Pizza: Skip the tomato sauce and brush the dough with olive oil and 1 minced garlic clove. Top with mozzarella and a bit of ricotta, then finish with hot honey and chili flakes after baking.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium heat, until the crust is crisp and the cheese is hot and melty. Avoid the microwave if you want to keep the crust from turning chewy. The dough can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge, tightly covered; let it come to room temperature before stretching. Hot honey (homemade or store-bought) keeps well at room temperature for weeks; give it a quick stir before using.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per slice (1 of 8), using store-bought dough and 3 tablespoons of hot honey: about 280 calories, 13 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 1.5 g fiber, and around 750 to 850 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on the specific brands of dough, cheese, soppressata, and honey you use, as well as how heavily you drizzle the hot honey and sprinkle the cheese.
