The Best Homemade Margherita Pizza
This authentic Margherita pizza delivers that classic Neapolitan experience with a crispy-chewy crust, bright tomato sauce, creamy fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil. With just five quality ingredients and the right technique, you can create pizzeria-quality pizza right in your home oven.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook or mix by hand
- Large mixing bowls
- Pizza stone or baking steel
- Pizza Peel or large flat baking sheet
- Food processor or blender for sauce
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen towels or plastic wrap
- Ladle or large spoon
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
- 4 cups 00 flour or all-purpose flour 500g
- 1½ cups warm water 350ml, around 110°F/43°C
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 7g
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for the bowl
For the Sauce
- 1 can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes 28 oz or 800g
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- red pepper flakes pinch, optional
For the Toppings
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese 450g, torn into pieces and drained
- 20-24 fresh basil leaves
- extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- flaky sea salt
- semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- Combine warm water (110°F) and honey in a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over top, and let sit 10-15 minutes until foamy. In stand mixer with dough hook, combine flour and salt, then add yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead on medium speed for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Form dough into a ball, place in oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Drain tomatoes in a colander, pressing gently to remove excess liquid. Transfer to food processor with garlic, olive oil, salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes if using. Pulse 5-6 times until chunky-smooth.
- Punch down risen dough and divide into 4 equal pieces (about 200g each). Shape each into a smooth ball, place on floured surface, cover with damp towel, and rest 20-30 minutes.
- Place pizza stone or baking steel on lowest oven rack and preheat oven to highest setting (500-550°F/260-288°C). Allow stone to preheat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove mozzarella from liquid and pat very dry with paper towels. Tear or slice into ½-inch pieces, place on paper towels, and blot to remove excess moisture.
- Dust pizza peel with semolina flour. Gently press dough ball from center outward leaving ½-inch border, then pick up and stretch by hand to 10-12 inch circle. Place stretched dough on prepared peel.
- Spread ⅓ to ½ cup sauce over dough leaving ½-inch border. Distribute torn mozzarella evenly, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Slide pizza onto preheated stone and bake 8-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until crust is golden with dark spots and cheese is bubbling. Switch to broiler for last 1-2 minutes for extra char if desired.
- Transfer pizza to cutting board, immediately scatter fresh basil leaves over top, and drizzle with olive oil. Let rest 2-3 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Notes
- For best results, use 00 flour which creates the authentic Neapolitan texture with a tender, chewy crumb.
- The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days after the first rise for even better flavor development.
- Always add fresh basil after baking to prevent it from burning and turning bitter.
- Drain fresh mozzarella thoroughly to prevent a soggy crust - excess moisture is the most common issue.
- Don't overload with toppings; authentic Margherita pizza is about quality over quantity.
- A pizza stone or baking steel must preheat for at least 45 minutes to achieve proper crust texture.
- Work quickly once pizza is topped to prevent dough from becoming soggy from the sauce.
- Store leftover pizza in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in oven or skillet for best results.
- Pizza sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for 3 months.
- For a crispier crust, stretch the dough by hand rather than using a rolling pin to preserve air bubbles.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 12gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 520mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 12mg
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