Pulled Pork Sheet Pan Pizza

If you’ve got leftover pulled pork sitting in the refrigerator, this BBQ pulled pork sheet pan pizza is what you should be making with it. Smoky pork, pickled jalapeños, red onion, and melted mozzarella go on top of a thick, soft crust that bakes up golden in about 15 minutes. This lunchroom-style pizza is the kind of pizza I grew up eating out of a school cafeteria, only way better. Once your dough is ready, dinner is on the table in 45 minutes.

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It is also one of the best things you can do with leftover Dutch oven pulled pork, and swapping in our homemade BBQ sauce without ketchup for store-bought makes a real difference in the final flavor.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

A few notes on the ingredients that make the biggest difference in this recipe.

The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

• Pizza dough: This recipe uses about 1 pound of dough, enough to fill a 9×13-inch pan with a thick, soft crust. Store-bought works fine, but if you are using homemade, give it enough time to rise fully before you start stretching it. Dough that hasn’t proofed long enough will be tight and difficult to work with, and it tends to spring back and not fill the pan evenly.  
• Semolina or cornmeal: Dusting the pan with semolina or cornmeal creates that slightly crisp, textured bottom on the crust. Do not skip this step. Flour alone doesn’t give you the same result, and the bottom can stick.
• BBQ sauce: Using it in two layers (under the cheese and again over the toppings) is what gives every bite an even hit of BBQ flavor without making the crust soggy. Our homemade BBQ sauce, made without ketchup, is built on tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and honey, and it holds up well under heat without burning.
• Pulled pork: About half a pound is the right amount for this size pizza. It’s enough to get pork in every bite without overloading the crust. We always have leftover Dutch-oven pulled pork stashed in the freezer just for recipes like this.

How to Make Pulled Pork Sheet Pan Pizza

Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.

Pro-tip: If the dough keeps pulling back from the edges, stop pushing and let it rest for another 5 to 10 minutes. Forcing it tears the dough. A second short rest is all it needs to relax and stretch without snapping back.

1. Prepare the Dough. Prepare your pizza dough according to your package or recipe instructions. Dust a 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet generously with semolina or cornmeal (not flour). Semolina and cornmeal are coarser and create that slightly crisp, textured bottom that flour simply cannot replicate.

2. Stretch and Rest the Dough. Lay the dough in the pan and use your hands to begin stretching it toward the edges. It will resist, and that is completely normal. Cover the pan loosely and let it rest for 15 minutes. The gluten tightens during handling, and that rest gives it time to relax before the next stretch. Go back and gently press the dough into the corners, working it for an even thickness throughout. Uneven dough means thick, doughy spots alongside thin, crisp ones, and the pizza will not bake evenly. Cover and let it rest for another 15 minutes before adding toppings.

3. Add the First Layer. Spread half the BBQ sauce over the dough, going close to the edges but leaving a small border. Sprinkle half the mozzarella over the sauce. This cheese layer goes down before the pork on purpose. It creates a barrier between the meat and the dough, preventing the center of the crust from being too soft during baking.

4. Add the Toppings. Distribute the pulled pork evenly over the cheese, then scatter the red onion slices on top. Even distribution matters here. Piling the pork in the center traps steam beneath and results in a soggy middle. Drizzle the remaining BBQ sauce over the pork and onion, then add the jalapeños and finish with the rest of the mozzarella.

5. Add the Final Layer. The last layer of mozzarella goes on after the jalapeños, so the cheese melts over everything and holds the toppings in place. We are a little conservative with the cheese, but you can add more.

6. Bake. Bake at 480°F for 10 to 12 minutes. You are looking for cheese that is fully melted, bubbling, and starting to get a little color in spots. Lift a corner of the pizza with a spatula to check the bottom. It should be deeply golden, not pale or soft. If the top looks set but the bottom needs more time, give it 2 to 3 more minutes and check again. Pull the pizza from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting. The cheese needs time to settle, or it will slide when you slice it.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: The pulled pork can be made several days in advance and kept refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the pizza. The BBQ sauce can be made up to two weeks ahead.

How to Store: Leftover pizza keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. We don’t recommend freezing unbaked pizza. Raw dough that has been stretched and topped does not hold up well in the freezer and tends to get soggy once thawed.

How to Reheat: Reheat slices in a 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. This brings the crust back to life far better than a microwave, which makes it soft and limp. From frozen, add a few extra minutes

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Let the dough rest twice. Both rest periods matter. The first gives the gluten a chance to relax after the initial stretch, and the second lets the dough settle into the pan so it holds its shape when you load on the toppings. Skipping either rest leads to a crust that springs back to the center and ends up uneven.
• Do not overload the crust. Half a pound of pulled pork is the right amount for a 9×13-inch pan. More than that, the toppings trap steam, which softens the crust and prevents the bottom from browning properly.