This Margherita pizza combines a tender homemade dough, a flavorful tomato sauce, creamy fresh mozzarella, and bright basil. Ideal for pizza night, this guide walks you through a simple, authentic method to make a classic Italian pizza at home.
You can make the pizza sauce and dough in batches—freeze extra portions of dough and sauce to save time for future meals.
⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Fresh ingredients: Fresh mozzarella and basil deliver authentic flavor and great texture.
- Homemade dough: Easy to prepare and bakes into a chewy, well-structured crust.
- Rich sauce: A simple simmered tomato sauce with garlic and herbs adds depth.
- Flexible: Easy to adapt—add toppings or make dietary swaps to suit your needs.
- Quick to bake: High-heat baking produces a ready pizza in around 10–12 minutes.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Strong flour for structure and chew.
- Yeast to leaven the dough.
- Olive oil for tenderness and flavor.
- Sea salt to enhance taste.
- Warm water to activate the yeast.
- Honey to feed the yeast and add a touch of sweetness.
- Passata as the tomato base for the sauce.
- Tomato puree to thicken and concentrate tomato flavor.
- Garlic granules and oregano for classic seasoning.
- Basil for freshness in the sauce and as a topping.
- Fresh mozzarella for creamy, melty pockets.
- Shredded mozzarella for even coverage and melting.
- Basil leaves to finish the pizza just before serving.
👩🏻🍳 Here’s how to make it
Margherita Pizza with Homemade Dough — step-by-step
- Combine dry ingredients: Weigh the strong flour, then add yeast and sea salt and mix.
- Mix wet ingredients: Whisk warm water, honey and olive oil in a separate bowl.
- Form the dough: Pour the liquid into the flour and mix until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Add a tablespoon of water if needed.
- Knead: Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic; it should spring back when poked.
- First rise: Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes until doubled.
- Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, combine passata, tomato puree, garlic granules, oregano, chopped basil, olive oil and honey (or sugar). Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Cool the sauce: Allow the sauce to cool so it won’t make the dough soggy on assembly.
- Preheat oven: Heat the oven to 250ºC (or as hot as your oven allows) and place a baking tray or pizza stone inside to heat thoroughly.
- Shape the dough: Knock the air out, divide the dough, and roll one portion out on a floured surface to about 1/4 cm thickness. Transfer to baking paper for easy handling.
- Assemble: Spread a thin layer of cooled sauce over the dough and sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly.
- Add fresh mozzarella: Tear the fresh mozzarella ball into pieces and distribute over the pizza.
- Add basil and bake: Scatter basil leaves on top, slide the pizza (on the baking paper) onto the hot tray or stone, and bake 10–12 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
📖 Variations
- Cheese swap: Use fontina or provolone instead of fresh mozzarella for a different flavor profile.
- Gluten-free: Replace strong flour with a quality gluten-free blend and adjust hydration as needed.
- Vegan: Use plant-based mozzarella and replace honey with agave or sugar.
💡 Chef’s Guide: Expert Tips
These practical tips help you get the best results from the recipe.
- Cold fermentation: For more depth of flavor, chill the dough in the fridge for 24–48 hours—slow fermentation develops complexity.
- Heat the tray: Always preheat your baking tray or stone—placing the dough on a hot surface gives a crisp, blistered base.
- Flavor the crust: Brush the rim with olive oil mixed with crushed garlic and herbs before baking for an aromatic finish.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store cooled pizza in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices in cling film and freeze in a sealed bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Warm slices on a baking sheet at 175ºC for 10–15 minutes until heated through; this restores crispness better than a microwave.
❓Recipe FAQs
What are some good alternative toppings?
Try prosciutto, rocket (arugula), mushrooms, roasted peppers or artichoke hearts for variations.
How can I prevent the cheese from burning?
If the cheese starts to darken before the crust is done, tent the pizza loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
How do I avoid a dry crust?
Preheat the oven and baking surface properly and avoid overbaking. Brushing the crust with olive oil before baking helps retain moisture.
If you make this Margherita Pizza with Homemade Dough, please leave a comment and a rating — feedback helps refine the recipe.
Easy Margherita Pizza with Homemade Pizza Dough
A straightforward Margherita made with homemade dough and sauce, topped with fresh mozzarella and basil. A classic that’s perfect for any pizza night.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 2 pizzas
Author: Deborah Rainford
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups) strong flour
- 7 g (sachet) yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 225 ml (1 cup) warm water
- 1 tablespoon honey
For the Pizza Sauce
- 500 g (2 cups) passata
- 4 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 teaspoons garlic granules
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- Optional: chilli flakes
To Assemble
- Half the dough recipe per pizza (divide dough into two)
- About one third of the homemade sauce per pizza
- 50 g (½ cup) shredded mozzarella
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
- Basil leaves to finish
Instructions
For the Pizza Dough
- Measure the flour into a bowl and stir in the yeast and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the warm water with honey and olive oil, then add to the dry ingredients.
- Mix to a soft dough, adding water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Knead until smooth and elastic.
- Oil a bowl, place the dough inside and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled.
- Punch down the dough, divide in half, use one half now and freeze the other if desired.
For the Pizza Sauce
- Combine passata, tomato puree, garlic granules, oregano, basil, olive oil and honey (or sugar) in a saucepan.
- Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and cool before using.
To Assemble the Pizza
- Preheat oven to 250ºC and place a baking tray or stone inside to heat.
- Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 cm thickness and transfer to baking paper.
- Spread sauce and sprinkle shredded mozzarella, then add torn fresh mozzarella and basil leaves.
- Slide the pizza (on the paper) onto the hot tray and bake 10–12 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Notes
- Use warm, not hot, water to activate yeast without killing it.
- Cool the sauce before assembling to prevent a soggy base.
- For an extra-crispy crust, bake on a preheated pizza stone.
- Add fresh basil just before serving for the best aroma and flavor.
- Nutritional info shown is per pizza.
Nutrition
Calories: 692kcal
| Carbohydrates: 121 g
| Carbohydrates: 121 g
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I’m Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who loves helping people make great meals on a budget. My recipes focus on reliable techniques and accessible ingredients so you can eat well without fuss.
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