We really enjoy the flavor of chorizo in many dishes, as well as cotija cheese which is like Parmesan’s cousin, fresh and salty with nice texture. Spanish chorizo sausage is also a great alternative on our Napoli style pizza when pepperoni isn’t handy. I may not be going back to pepperoni after enjoying this new flavor profile! This is one of the recipes in Bob Johnson’s cookbook, The Left Over Ranch Cookbook: Memories on a Plate in the Pizza and Pasta chapter.

Bob Johnson

Spanish Chorizo and Cotija Pizza

Spanish chorizo and salty cotija cheese bring a bold new flavor profile to this Napoli style pizza. Cotija, like Parmesan's fresher, saltier cousin, pairs beautifully with the smoky chorizo and San Marzano tomatoes. Once you try this combination you may never go back to pepperoni!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 32

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

12 oz pizza dough homemade or store bought
2 oz Spanish chorizo sliced thin
3 oz crumbled Cotija cheese
14 oz peeled San Marzano tomatoes lightly crushed 1/2 can
4 oz mozzarella cheese chopped
1 large tomato or 2-3 Roma tomatoes cored and sliced thin
1 large jalapeno sliced and cored optional
½ cup fresh basil
1 tbsp good olive oil
Semolina flour

Equipment

Pizza steel, stone or cast iron pizza pan
Pizza peel

Method

Prepare the oven and dough. Heat oven to 450°F with the pizza steel or stone inside. Allow to heat for about 20 minutes — essential for a crispy crust. Roll out the dough to approximately 13 inches, shape to fit the peel, and place on a pizza peel dusted generously with semolina flour.
Top the pizza. Spread the crushed San Marzano tomatoes across the dough leaving a border for the crust. Add the Spanish chorizo slices, followed by the fresh tomatoes, jalapeños if using, then the mozzarella. Finish by sprinkling the crumbled Cotija evenly over the top.
Bake. Slide the pizza onto the hot steel or stone and bake for about 12 minutes, rotating 90 degrees a couple of times as it cooks, until the cheese begins to brown on top.
Finish and serve. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for several minutes. Drizzle with good olive oil and scatter the fresh basil leaves over the top. Cut into pieces and serve.

Notes

Spanish chorizo is a cured dry sausage, make sure you are buying Spanish chorizo and not fresh Mexican chorizo which has a completely different texture and would not work the same way here. Cotija is widely available at most supermarkets near the Mexican cheeses, its fresh salty flavor is what makes this pizza unique. Add the fresh basil after the pizza comes out of the oven, heat destroys its delicate flavor and color. For the dough, store bought works perfectly or try Chef Rider’s Quick and Easy Pizza Crust recipe in Allrecipes. For the base technique, see our Classic Napoli Style Pizza. This recipe appears in the Pizza and Pasta chapter of the Left Over Ranch Cookbook.