This Margherita pizza features homemade dough, rich tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Perfect for any pizza night, follow this easy guide to create a classic Italian favourite at home.
You can easily batch-cook the pizza sauce and make a batch of pizza dough to freeze for later.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Fresh Ingredients: Using fresh mozzarella and basil ensures a vibrant flavor and texture.
- Homemade Dough: The homemade pizza dough is easy to prepare and yields a perfect, chewy crust.
- Rich Sauce: The homemade sauce, simmered with herbs and garlic, adds depth and richness.
- Versatile: Can be customised with additional toppings or variations to suit personal preferences.
- Quick Cooking: Bakes in just 10-12 minutes, making it a great option for a quick meal.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Strong flour: Provides the structure and chewiness for the pizza dough.
- Yeast: Helps the dough rise and become light and airy.
- Olive oil: Adds richness and helps the dough become tender.
- Sea salt: Enhances the flavor of the dough.
- Warm water: Activates the yeast and helps combine the ingredients.
- Honey: Feeds the yeast and adds a slight sweetness to the dough.
- Passata: Forms the base of the pizza sauce, providing a rich tomato flavor.
- Tomato puree: Thickens the sauce and intensifies the tomato taste.
- Garlic granules: Adds a subtle garlic flavor to the sauce.
- Oregano: Gives the sauce a traditional Italian flavor.
- Basil: Adds freshness and a hint of sweetness to the sauce.
- Fresh mozzarella: Melts beautifully and adds a creamy texture.
- Shredded mozzarella: Provides a uniform melt and cheesy flavor.
- Basil leaves: Add fresh, aromatic notes to the finished pizza.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Margherita Pizza with Homemade Pizza Dough recipe step-by-step
- Combine Ingredients: Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk warm water, honey, and olive oil.
- Form Dough: Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- First Rise: Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Prepare Sauce: Simmer passata, tomato puree, garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil, and honey in a saucepan for 10 minutes.
- Cool Sauce: Let the sauce cool completely before using.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 250ºC and heat a baking tray inside.
- Roll Dough: Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼ cm thick and place on baking paper.
- Assemble Pizza: Spread the cooled sauce over the dough and top with shredded mozzarella.
- Add Fresh Mozzarella: Tear the fresh mozzarella ball and distribute evenly over the pizza.
- Add Basil: Place basil leaves on top of the cheese.
- Bake Pizza: Transfer the pizza to the hot baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and bubbling.
📖 Variations
- Cheese: Substitute fresh mozzarella with fontina for a different flavour.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute with gluten-free flour for a gluten-free crust.
- Vegan: Use vegan cheese substitutes and agave instead of honey.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Cold Fermentation: For a deeper flavour, let the dough rise in the fridge for 24-48 hours. This slow fermentation enhances the taste.
- Preheat the Baking Tray: A hot baking tray ensures a crispy crust. For an even crispier base, use a preheated pizza stone.
- Flavoured Crust: Brush the crust with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, and herbs before baking for added flavour.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store the cooled pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: To reheat, place slices on a baking sheet and warm in a 175ºC oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
❓Recipe FAQ's
What are some good alternative toppings?
Consider adding ingredients like prosciutto, arugula, mushrooms, or artichoke hearts for a different twist.
How can I prevent the cheese from burning?
If your cheese tends to burn before the crust is fully cooked, you can cover the pizza with aluminum foil during the last few minutes of baking.
How do I avoid a dry crust?
Ensure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature, and avoid overbaking. Brushing the crust with olive oil before baking can also help keep it moist.
Looking for other Italian-inspired recipes like this? Try these:
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Easy Margherita Pizza with Homemade Pizza Dough
This Margherita pizza combines homemade pizza dough and sauce to create a perfect base for fresh mozzarella and basil toppings. Ideal for any pizza night, it is a true classic.
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Servings: 2 pizzas
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups) strong flour
- 7 g (2 tablespoon) 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 the Pizza
- ½ quantity of pizza dough
- ⅓ quantity of homemade pizza sauce
- 50 g (½ cup) shredded mozzarella
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella
- Basil leaves
Instructions
For the Pizza Dough
- Weigh out the flour and add the yeast and salt. Mix together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk warm water, honey, and olive oil together. Pour into the flour mixture.
- Mix until a soft, shaggy dough forms, adding more water if needed, a tablespoon at a time.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. It should spring back when gently poked.
- Lightly oil a medium mixing bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Knock the air out of the dough, then divide in half. Use one half for the pizza and freeze the other half for later use.
For the Pizza Sauce
- Pour the passata into a saucepan and add the tomato puree, garlic granules, oregano, basil, olive oil, and honey or sugar.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, whisking continuously for about 10 minutes until thickened.
- Let the sauce cool before using.
To Assemble the Pizza
- Preheat the oven to 250ºC. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat.
- Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ cm thickness. Place on baking paper for easy transfer.
- Top the dough with the homemade pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella.
- Tear the fresh mozzarella ball and distribute evenly on the pizza. Add basil leaves on top.
- Carefully transfer the pizza to the hot baking tray using the baking paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the pizza is bubbling and golden.
Notes
- Ensure the water used for the dough is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast properly.
- Allow the pizza sauce to cool to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
- For a crispier crust, bake the pizza on a preheated pizza stone if available.
- Fresh basil should be added just before serving for the best flavor.
- Nutritional info is per pizza.
Nutrition
Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 121g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.5g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 1067mg | Potassium: 793mg | Fiber: 7.5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 9mg
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Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
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