Homemade Margherita Pizza

Classic Italian pizza with a crispy crust, fresh tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil. Master the art of pizza making at home.

Prep
90 min
Cook
15 min
Servings
4
Calories
420
Difficulty
Medium
Cuisine
Italian
Homemade Margherita Pizza - Dinner recipe

Ingredients

  • • 2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • • 1 cup warm water
  • • 3 cups bread flour
  • • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • • 1 teaspoon salt
  • • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • • 1 can (14 oz) San Marzano tomatoes
  • • 8 oz fresh mozzarella
  • • Fresh basil leaves
  • • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Step 2: Mix flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth. Let rise 1 hour.
  3. Step 3: For sauce, crush tomatoes by hand with a pinch of salt. Don't cook.
  4. Step 4: Preheat oven to 500°F with a pizza stone if available.
  5. Step 5: Stretch dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread thin layer of sauce, leaving a 1-inch border.
  6. Step 6: Tear mozzarella and distribute over pizza. Bake 10-12 minutes until crust is golden. Top with fresh basil and drizzle with olive oil.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Notes

💡 Pro Tips

  • • Use bread flour, not all-purpose — the higher protein content creates a chewier, more elastic dough with better oven spring.
  • • Stretch, don't roll. Rolling compresses the air bubbles you spent an hour building; use your hands and gravity to shape the dough.
  • • A pizza stone or baking steel preheated for at least 45 minutes is the key to a crispy bottom crust at home.
  • • Less is more with toppings — a thin layer of sauce and modest cheese amount means the crust stays crisp rather than becoming soggy.

🔄 Variations

  • • Top with prosciutto and rocket (arugula) after baking for a Margherita Prosciutto variation.
  • • Add thinly sliced fresh garlic under the cheese and drizzle with chilli oil for a white garlic pizza variation.
  • • Use a mix of low-moisture mozzarella (melts better) and fresh mozzarella (better flavour) for the best of both worlds.

📦 Storage

Leftover pizza keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat with a lid on for 3–4 minutes — it revives the crispy base far better than a microwave. Unbaked dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 3 months.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

  • • A simple arugula salad with lemon and shaved Parmesan is the classic accompaniment.
  • • Serve with a Neapolitan-style aperitivo: Aperol spritz or a light Chianti.
  • • Finish with a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil torn at the table.