Spanish Chorizo and Manchego Pizza

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Chorizo & Manchego Pizza: A Spanish-inspired pizza with spicy Spanish chorizo, nutty Manchego, bright tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, and a smoky paprika finish.

• Yield: 4 servings, one 12-inch pizza
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 52 minutes, including 30 minutes for oven preheating and dough resting

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound pizza dough, rested at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for stretching
• 1 tablespoon semolina flour or fine cornmeal, for the peel or baking sheet
• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for the crust
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces semi-cured Manchego cheese, coarsely grated, about 1 1/4 cups
• 4 ounces Spanish cured chorizo, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained well and sliced into strips
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, for finishing

Do This

• 1. Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or inverted heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F for 30 minutes.
• 2. Let the dough rest at room temperature while the oven heats.
• 3. Mix crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
• 4. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface, then move it to a semolina-dusted peel or baking sheet.
• 5. Spread on the tomato sauce, then top with Manchego, chorizo, roasted red peppers, red onion, and the remaining smoked paprika.
• 6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 500°F, rotating once, until the crust is browned and the chorizo edges are lightly crisp.
• 7. Rest for 3 minutes, sprinkle with parsley, slice into 8 pieces, and serve hot.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big Spanish flavor: Smoky paprika, spicy cured chorizo, sweet roasted red peppers, and nutty Manchego make every bite bold and savory.
• Weeknight-friendly: Store-bought pizza dough keeps the process simple while still giving you a crusty, homemade result.
• Beautiful balance: The tomato sauce is bright, the cheese is rich, the chorizo is spicy, and the peppers add a sweet, soft contrast.
• Easy to customize: Make it hotter, add olives, use a baking sheet, or turn it into smaller personal pizzas.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 small garlic clove, 1 small red onion, 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
• Dairy: 5 ounces semi-cured Manchego cheese
• Meat and Charcuterie: 4 ounces Spanish cured chorizo
• Pantry: 1 pound pizza dough, crushed tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, extra-virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, all-purpose flour, semolina flour or fine cornmeal

Full Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, rested at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more only if needed for stretching
• 1 tablespoon semolina flour or fine cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel or baking sheet
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the crust edge

For the Smoky Tomato Sauce

• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, preferably Spanish pimentón
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Toppings

• 5 ounces semi-cured Manchego cheese, coarsely grated, about 1 1/4 cups
• 4 ounces Spanish cured chorizo, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained very well and sliced into thin strips
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, for sprinkling over the toppings
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, for finishing

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat the Oven and Rest the Dough

Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or an inverted heavy rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 30 minutes. This long preheat is what helps the crust puff, brown, and crisp quickly.

While the oven heats, place the 1 pound pizza dough on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes. If it is in a bag, leave it sealed or loosely covered so it does not dry out. Room-temperature dough is much easier to stretch and less likely to spring back.

Step 2: Mix the Smoky Tomato Sauce

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 finely grated small garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. The sauce should be thick enough to spoon onto the dough without running. If your crushed tomatoes are watery, let them sit in a fine-mesh strainer for 5 minutes before mixing.

Step 3: Prepare the Toppings

Coarsely grate 5 ounces Manchego cheese. Slice 4 ounces Spanish cured chorizo into thin 1/8-inch rounds. Drain the 1/2 cup roasted red peppers very well, then pat them dry with a paper towel and cut them into strips. Thinly slice 1/4 cup red onion.

For the best texture, use Spanish cured chorizo, not raw Mexican-style chorizo. Cured chorizo slices crisp at the edges in the oven and release flavorful paprika-rich oils into the cheese and sauce.

Step 4: Stretch the Dough

Lightly dust a clean work surface with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Place the dough on the flour and press it gently from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker rim around the edge. Pick it up and stretch it over the backs of your hands, rotating as you go, until it forms a roughly 12-inch round.

If the dough resists or shrinks back, set it down, cover it loosely, and let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching. Dust a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon semolina flour or fine cornmeal, then transfer the stretched dough to it.

Step 5: Add the Sauce, Cheese, and Toppings

Brush the outer rim of the dough with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Spoon the smoky tomato sauce over the dough, spreading it evenly and leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge.

Scatter the grated Manchego over the sauce. Arrange the chorizo slices evenly on top, followed by the roasted red pepper strips and thinly sliced red onion. Sprinkle the pizza with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Give the peel or baking sheet a gentle shake to make sure the dough can slide; if it sticks, carefully lift the sticky spot and add a little more semolina underneath.

Step 6: Bake Until Crisp and Blistered

Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pizza halfway through, until the crust is puffed and deeply golden in spots, the Manchego is melted and lightly browned, and the chorizo edges are gently crisp.

If you are baking on a standard sheet pan instead of a stone or steel, place the assembled pizza on a lightly oiled sheet pan and bake at 475°F for 14 to 16 minutes, until the bottom is browned and the toppings are hot.

Step 7: Rest, Finish, and Serve

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes. This short rest helps the cheese settle so the slices hold together better. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, then cut into 8 slices. Serve hot while the crust is crisp and the chorizo is fragrant.

Pro Tips

• Use the right chorizo: Choose Spanish cured chorizo for this recipe. If you only have raw Mexican chorizo, cook it fully in a skillet first, drain off excess fat, and crumble it over the pizza.
• Pick semi-cured Manchego: Semi-cured Manchego melts more smoothly than very aged Manchego, which can be drier and more crumbly.
• Dry the peppers well: Roasted red peppers carry a lot of moisture. Patting them dry keeps the center of the pizza from turning soggy.
• Do not overload the pizza: The toppings are rich and flavorful, so a moderate layer works best and allows the crust to crisp.
• Let the oven get fully hot: A properly preheated stone, steel, or baking sheet gives you a much better crust than a short preheat.

Variations

• Spicy Spanish pizza: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce or scatter 1 tablespoon sliced pickled guindilla peppers over the baked pizza.
• Olive and herb version: Add 1/4 cup sliced green olives before baking and finish with 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves instead of parsley.
• Sweeter smoky finish: Drizzle the hot baked pizza with 2 teaspoons honey just before serving for a sweet contrast to the spicy chorizo and salty Manchego.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or warm slices in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom is crisp and the cheese is hot.

To make parts ahead, mix the smoky tomato sauce up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it in a sealed container. The chorizo, roasted peppers, onion, and grated Manchego can be prepped up to 2 days ahead. For the best texture, stretch and assemble the pizza right before baking rather than storing it fully assembled.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 610 kcal | Carbs: 58g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Sodium: 1110mg | Cholesterol: 55mg