Margherita Pizza Recipe

This margherita pizza recipe tastes like an artisan pie from Italy! It’s the perfect meld of zingy tomato sauce, gooey cheese and chewy crust.

The ultimate pizza pie, in our opinion? The pristine and simple pizza Margherita. This iconic Italian pizza is truly something special: stretchy mozzarella cheese, tangy tomatoes, and peppery basil all piled on a chewy, charred crust. We’re so enamored with it, in fact, that we’ve spent years perfecting how to make it at home: researching authentic Italian pizza methods, interviewing experts, and even traveling to Naples Italy to taste it for ourselves! Here are the secrets to making the very best margherita pizza.

Margherita Pizza

Make classic margherita pizza at home with this simple recipe! This Neapolitan pizza is fresh, delicious and easy to make. Recipe yields 2 medium (11-inch diameter) pizzas.

Prep: 25min

Total: 45min

Yield: 2

Serving Size: One-fourth of one pizza

Nutrition Facts: servingSize One-fourth of one pizza, calories 353 calories, Sugar 4.4 g, Sodium 702.5 mg, Fat 14.7 g, Saturated Fat 6.7 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 36.7 g, Fiber 7.3 g, Protein 18.5 g, Cholesterol 36 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
• 1 large can (28 ounces) whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 12 ounces (dry weight) ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls, ideally water-packed
• Handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced plus small leaves
• Additional garnishes: Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt and optional red pepper flakes

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. If you’re using a baking stone or baking steel, place it on the upper rack. Prepare dough through step 5.
2. Place a medium mixing bowl in the sink and pour the canned tomatoes into the bowl, juices and all. Crush the tomatoes by hand. Spread about 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce evenly over each pizza, leaving about 1 inch bare around the edges.
3. If your mozzarella is packed in water, drain off the water and gently pat the mozzarella dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels. If you’re working with large mozzarella balls, tear them into smaller 1-inch balls. Distribute the mozzarella over the pizza, concentrating it a bit more in the center of the pizza, as it will melt toward the edges.
4. Bake pizzas individually on the top rack until the crust is golden and the cheese is just turning golden, about 10 to 12 minutes (or significantly less, if you’re using a baking stone/steel—keep an eye on it).
5. Top each pizza generously with fresh basil, followed by a light back-and-forth drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and red pepper flakes, if you wish. Slice and enjoy. Leftover pizza will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Best Homemade Margherita Pizza

My search for the best homemade margherita pizza (made in a standard oven with everyday ingredients) is over! This classic pizza is made with everyday ingredients and topped with a simple fresh pizza sauce made from canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. You’ll want to make it over and over again! If you maintain a sourdough starter, I highly recommend preparing this pizza with sourdough pizza dough! It offers a flavor and texture that cannot be replicated.

Prep: 20min

Total: 155min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 serving, calories 750 kcal, Carbohydrate 89 g, Protein 33 g, Fat 29 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Cholesterol 69 mg, Sodium 1598 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 6 g, unSaturated Fat 13 g

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast (or SAF instant yeast)
• ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 7 ounces (105°F to 115°F) warm water
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• semolina and all-purpose flour (for dusting the pizza peel)
• 1 cup pureed or crushed canned San Marzano tomatoes (or canned Italian plum tomatoes)
• 2-3 fresh garlic cloves (grated with a microplane or pressed)
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
• 2-3 large pinches of kosher salt (to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (plus more for serving)
• 7 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (not packed in water) (cut into ½-inch cubes)
• 5-6 large fresh basil leaves (plus more for garnishing)
• dried red pepper flakes (optional)

Instruction:

1. Prepare Pizza Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the dough just begins to come together. It will seem shaggy and dry, but don’t worry.
2. Scrape the dough onto a well-floured counter top and knead the dough for three minutes. It should quickly come together and begin to get sticky. Dust the dough with flour as needed (sometimes I will have to do this 2 to 3 times, depending on humidity levels) – it should be slightly tacky, but should not be sticking to your counter top.  After about 3 minutes, the dough should be smooth, slightly elastic, and tacky. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil, and place the dough into the bowl.
3. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel (or plastic wrap) and allow the dough to rise in a warm, dry area of your kitchen for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Proofing Tip: If your kitchen is very cold, heat a large heatproof measuring cup of water in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. This creates a nice warm environment. Remove the cup and place the bowl with the dough in the microwave until it has risen. [If you are preparing the dough in advance, see the note section for freezing instructions.]
4. Preheat Oven and Pizza Steel or Stone: Place the pizza steel (or stone) on the second to top rack of your oven (roughly 8 inches from the broiler element), and preheat the oven and steel (or stone) to 550°F (285°C) for a minumum of 1 hour. If your oven does not go up to 550°F (285°C) or you are using a delicate pizza stone, I recommend heating it to a maximum of 500°F (260°C)
5. As the oven is preheating, assemble the ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the pureed tomatoes, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, pepper, and salt. Set aside another small bowl with the cubed mozzarella cheese (pat the cheese with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture). Set aside the basil leaves and grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for easy grabbing.
6. Separate the dough into two equal-sized portions. It will deflate slightly, but that is OK. Place the dough on a large plate or floured counter top, cover gently with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Assemble the Pizza: Sprinkle the pizza peel (if you do not own a pizza peel, you can try using the back of a half sheet pan – but it is tricky!) with a tablespoon of semolina and dusting of all-purpose flour. Gently use both hands to stretch one ball of pizza dough into roughly a 10-inch circle (don’t worry if its not perfectly uniform). If the dough springs back or is too elastic, allow it to rest for an additional five minutes. The edges of the dough can be slightly thicker, but make sure the center of the dough is thin (you should be able to see some light through it if you held it up). Gently transfer the dough onto the semolina and flour dusted pizza peel or baking sheet.
8. Drizzle or brush the dough lightly (using your fingertips) with olive oil (roughly a teaspoon. Using a large spoon, add roughly ½ cup of the tomato sauce onto the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch or ¾-inch border on all sides. Use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly and thinly. Sprinkle a tablespoon of parmigiano-reggiano cheese onto the pizza sauce. Add half of the cubed mozzarella, distributing it evenly over the entire pizza. Using your hands, tear a few large basil leaves, and sprinkle the basil over the pizza. At this point, I’ll occasionally stretch the sides of the dough out a bit to make it even thinner. Gently slide the pizza from the peel onto the heated baking stone. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and caramelized and the edges of the pizza are golden brown. Note: If you’re looking for more color, finish the pizza under the low or medium broil setting, but watch it carefully! Remove the pizza carefully from the oven with the pizza peel, transfer to a wooden cutting board or foil, drizzle the top with olive oil, some grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and chiffonade of fresh basil. Slice and serve immediately and/or prepare the second pizza.
9. Serving Tip: If you’re serving two pizzas at once, I recommend placing the cooked pizza on a separate baking sheet while you prepare the other pizza. In the last few minutes of cooking, place the prepared pizza into the oven (on a rack below the pizza stone) so that it is extra hot for serving. Otherwise, I recommend serving one pizza fresh out of the oven, keeping the oven hot, and preparing the second pizza after people have gone through the first one! The pizza will taste great either way, but it is at its prime within minutes out of the oven!.

Homemade Margherita Pizza

This margherita pizza recipe tastes like an artisan pie from Italy! It’s the perfect meld of zingy tomato sauce, gooey cheese and chewy crust.

Prep: 1h

Total: 1h7min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 slice

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 slice, calories 100 calories, Sugar 0.6 g, Sodium 128.2 mg, Fat 1 g, Saturated Fat 0.2 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 16.6 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 5.9 g, Cholesterol 2.4 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 ball Best Pizza Dough (or Food Processor Dough or Thin Crust Dough)
• Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
• 1 small garlic clove (1/2 medium)
• 15 ounces crushed fire roasted tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup pizza sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or 2 to 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese, for topping
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instruction:

1. Follow the Best Pizza Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.)
2. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here’s the pizza oven we use).
3. Cut the garlic into a few rough pieces. Place the garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and kosher salt in a blender. Blend until fully combined. (You’ll use about 1/3 cup for the pizza; reserve the remaining sauce and refrigerate for up to 1 week.)
4. If using fresh mozzarella cheese, slice it into 1/4 inch thick pieces (see the photos of the pre-baked pizza above). If it’s incredibly watery fresh mozzarella (all brands vary), you may want to let it sit on a paper towel to remove moisture for about 15 minutes then dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to remove any additional moisture.
5. When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel.
6. Spread a thin layer of the pizza sauce over the dough, using about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Add the mozzarella cheese. Top with a thin layer of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a few pinches of kosher salt.
7. Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven).
8. Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before adding the basil on top (whole leaves, lightly torn, or thinly sliced). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

How to Make PIZZA MARGHERITA like a Neapolitan Pizza Chef

FAQ

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