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Fried Pan Pizza with Mayonnaise without Sour Cream
Fried Pan Pizza with Mayonnaise without Sour Cream is the 15-minute lifesaver recipe for emergency entertaining or quick weeknight dinner — no oven needed, no sour cream required, just basic pantry staples (eggs + mayo + flour for dough; ketchup + cheese + sausages + olives + vegetables for topping). Adapts beautifully to whatever's in the refrigerator: boiled sausage, smoked sausage, frankfurters, mushrooms, frozen vegetables. The skillet-cooking technique produces golden bottom + melted cheese top with stretching strands. The 15-minute total preparation produces 8 servings (one 26 cm pizza). Pairs as informally as Hawaiian pizza while requiring much less effort.
Ingredients
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- For the dough: wheat flour – 55 g (~4 tbsp without heaping);
- For the dough: thick mayonnaise – 140 g (~7 tbsp);
- For the dough: eggs – 2 pcs;
- For the dough: any neutral-smelling vegetable oil – 1 tbsp (for greasing the pan);
- For the filling: ketchup – 60 g;
- For the filling: sausages – 150 g;
- For the filling: hard cheese – 100 g;
- For the filling: olives – 40 g;
- For the filling: bell pepper (thawed or fresh) – 50 g;
- For the filling: tomatoes (thawed or fresh) – 40 g.
Preparation
- I prepare the dough ingredients. Best results with homemade mayonnaise — thicker, no inorganic additives, cleaner flavour.
- Gather the filling products. Ketchup substitution: tomato paste seasoned with spices + hot pepper. Olive substitution: pickles work well as alternative.
- Make the dough. Place eggs + mayonnaise in a bowl. NO SALT needed — mayo already contains adequate salt.
- Whisk the egg-mayo mixture briefly with a whisk until uniform.
- Add ALL the flour at once.
- Whisk to combine flour with liquid (prevents lumps). Dough should be slightly RUNNY — like not-very-thick sour cream consistency. Set aside; prepare filling.
- Grate cheese on COARSE grater.
- If sausages are in natural casing: remove casing. Cut sausages into medium cubes.
- Grease bottom and sides of a 26 cm pan with vegetable oil (prevents sticking + helps browning).
- Pour dough into pan; spread evenly across diameter (slight tilting helps spread).
- Place small dollops of ketchup on dough; spread evenly with silicone brush. Ketchup will mix slightly with the runny top dough — this won't spoil but adds character to the final taste.
- Distribute sausage cubes evenly on top.
- Distribute tomatoes and bell pepper.
- Add olives.
- Sprinkle everything with grated cheese (be careful not to let cheese get on pan sides — burns there).
- Cover pan with lid; place on heat slightly BELOW MEDIUM (medium-low). The lid traps steam — cooks toppings via steam-bake while bottom crisps.
- After ~10 minutes, the pizza is ready (visual cue: cheese fully melted). Turn off heat.
- Frying pan pizza with mayonnaise without sour cream is on the dining table in just 15 minutes. Lift gently with wide spatula — slides easily off hot pan onto serving plate. Tasty + hearty + stretching cheese strands + rich filling — quick pizza that satisfies. Bon appétit!
Cooking video
Tips and Tricks
Tip 1. THE RUNNY-DOUGH IS DELIBERATE. Step 6's "slightly runny like not-very-thick sour cream" specification is calibrated for proper skillet-cooking. Thicker dough: doesn't spread evenly, produces uneven thickness, dense centre. Thinner dough: too liquid, doesn't hold toppings, leaks out. The sour-cream consistency is the sweet spot — pours easily, levels itself, supports toppings without dripping. Don't add more flour seeking traditional pizza-dough thickness — this is a different technique entirely (skillet pancake-style pizza, not yeast-leavened dough pizza).
Tip 2. THE LID-COVERED COOKING IS ESSENTIAL. Step 16's "covered with lid" is non-negotiable. Without lid: bottom burns before toppings cook, cheese never melts properly, top stays raw. With lid: steam circulates, melts cheese while bottom crisps, vegetables cook through. The lid traps moisture and heat for proper steam-bake effect. Same technique works for similar skillet-baked dishes (deep-pan focaccia, skillet cornbread). Glass lid preferred (visual monitoring without lifting). For another quick skillet bread/dough preparation worth comparing, see Lavash Pita on a Frying Pan.
Tip 3. THE MEDIUM-LOW HEAT IS BURN-PROTECTION. Step 16's "slightly below medium" setting is calibrated. Higher heat (medium-high): bottom burns within 5 minutes before cheese melts (ruined pizza). Lower heat (low): takes 20+ minutes, cheese never browns golden. The medium-low sweet spot delivers properly-cooked bottom + fully-melted cheese in ~10 minutes. If your stove runs hot: use #3-4 setting on a 1-9 scale. If runs cold: medium setting (#5). The visual indicator: gentle bubbling around edges, not aggressive browning.
Tip 4. THE FILLING-FLEXIBILITY ADVANTAGE. The intro mentions "experiment with filling" — this is the recipe's superpower. Sausage substitutions: bacon (crispy crumbled), salami (more flavor), ham (milder), smoked chicken (lean), pepperoni (spicy classic). Vegetable additions: mushrooms (sautéed first to remove water), spinach (frozen, thawed, squeezed dry), zucchini (thinly sliced), corn kernels. Cheese variations: mozzarella (stretchy classic), cheddar (sharper flavour), gruyère (premium nutty), feta (Mediterranean character). Use whatever you have — the dough technique works regardless of filling. For another oven-free quick pizza preparation worth trying, try Quick Pizza without Yeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without mayonnaise?
The mayonnaise is structural in this recipe — it provides moisture, fat, binding, and flavour all-in-one. Substitution options: sour cream (15%+ fat) — the recipe's "without sour cream" name is misleading; sour cream works but produces slightly different texture. THICK YOGURT (full-fat Greek): tangier, similar binding. RICOTTA + small egg: works but creates denser texture. PURE OIL (without binder): doesn't work — dough won't hold together. The mayo's specific egg-yolk-oil-acid composition is calibrated for this skillet technique. If reluctant about mayo: use 100 g sour cream + 40 g mayo as compromise.
Why ketchup instead of pizza sauce?
Several practical reasons. KETCHUP: pantry staple (always available), sweet-tangy balance, immediate flavor (no further seasoning needed). PIZZA SAUCE: requires having it on hand (less common in everyday pantry), more concentrated, often needs thinning. TOMATO PASTE substitute: thicker, more concentrated — needs water + seasoning to convert to sauce. The recipe's "ketchup" choice is convenience-first design. For premium upgrade: marinara sauce (Italian-style chunky tomato), authentic pizza sauce (San Marzano tomato base), or homemade tomato sauce. Each tilts the pizza's character toward more authentic Italian; ketchup version is unmistakably Russian-style quick-pizza.
Can I cook it in the oven instead?
Yes, with adjustments. Oven version: pour dough into greased 26 cm baking dish (not skillet); add toppings; bake 180 °C oven 20-25 min until top is golden + cheese fully melted. Skillet version is faster (10 min) and produces crispier bottom. Oven version: more even cooking, slightly drier overall, allows multitasking. For traditional yeast-leavened pizza-dough texture: this dough doesn't transform that way regardless of method (chemical structure is fundamentally different). The pan-fry method is the technique's strength — embrace it rather than oven-convert.
How long does it keep?
Best fresh — within 1-2 hours of cooking. Refrigerated covered: 1 day, but texture degrades significantly (cheese hardens, dough becomes soggy). Reheating: 160 °C oven 8-10 minutes (re-crisps bottom, re-melts cheese), OR microwave 30-60 sec (quick but loses crispness). Don't freeze — toppings (especially fresh vegetables) become watery on thaw, dough becomes rubbery. The 15-minute prep makes this a fresh-cook every time dish — no need to make-ahead. For meal-prep: prep dough ingredients separately, prep toppings separately, combine when ready to cook.
