Homemade Margherita Pizza is a quintessential Neapolitan pizza made with 3 signature toppings: vibrant tomato sauce, delicate mozzarella, and fresh basil. This classic pizza is a testament to elegant simplicity.
Our go-to Margherita pizza is nostalgic, evoking memories of our favorite Neapolitan pizza in Italy. The harmonious blend of flavors is simply irresistible, making it the perfect light meal. When we want to take it up a notch, we add some Ground Italian Sausage or enjoy it with our Burrata Caprese.
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Why You'll Love This Margherita Pizza
- Taste - The simple combination of mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and basil is classically delicious.
- Texture - The pizza dough is tender with a crisp edge, the sauce is smooth, and the mozzarella is delicate.
- Time - It takes just 10 minutes prep the ingredients then 15 to 20 minutes to bake it.
Key Ingredients
- Pizza dough - Pizza dough is key. We love Trader Joe's pizza dough because it is light but still has nice flavor.
- Pizza sauce - Our homemade tomato pizza sauce is easy to make and packed with flavor.
- All purpose flour - We dust the dough with flour so it won't stick to the pan while baking in the oven.
- Mozzarella cheese - Fresh mozzarella has a mild taste that compliments the sauce and basil perfectly.
- Basil - Basil adds an earthy fresh accent.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Crispy - Baked the pizza for an extra couple minutes to make it extra crispy.
- Homemade pizza dough - If you have time and/or your own pizza dough recipe, make your own dough from scratch then add our toppings.
How to Make Margherita Pizza
- Let dough temper - Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven - Place the oven rack in the middle tier and preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Pizza sauce - Make the pizza sauce. In a bowl, mix the crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, and extra virgin olive oil until combined. Then salt to taste. (Photo 1)
- Prepare pizza - Stretch the dough by hand or use a rolling pin to create a 12-inch circle or a 9x13" rectangle. Lightly oil a pizza pan or baking sheet with half of the olive oil and place the dough on in the pan. (Photo 2 and 3)
- Add sauce - Then use a ladle to scantily spread pizza sauce on the dough, using the back of the ladle or a spoon to smooth out the sauce in a circular motion. Leave about an inch around the edges for the crust. (Photo 4)
- Add toppings - Then top the pizza with mozzarella and some of the basil leaves. (Photo 5)
- Bake pizza - Bake pizza on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the bottom of the crust is lightly browned. (Photo 6)
- Serve - Remove from the oven and cut into 8 slices. Top with more fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately. (Photo 7 and 8)
Pro tip - Fresh ingredients are key. Since this pizza is so simple, you need to use high quality ingredients. We suggest San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Other Cooking Tips
- Spread the dough slowly and carefully to ensure the dough has an even thickness throughout (and there aren't any holes).
- Let the dough rest until it is room temperature or it will be hard to mold and won't cook evenly.
Recipe FAQs
Why is it called a Margherita pizza?
The most popular story is that it was created to honor Queen Margherita of Savoy when she visited Naples. Regardless of its true origin, it has become an iconic Neapolitan pizza.
Can I use store-bought pizza sauce?
While you can, we suggest you make your own for the freshest flavor.
Related Recipes
Love This Pizza Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. If you are looking for other delicious pizza recipes, try our Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella or our Italian Sausage Pizza.
Sign up for THP's newsletter and keep in touch on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. If you make our margherita pizza recipe, tag #theheirloompantry so we can see your creation!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Margherita Pizza
Homemade Margherita Pizza is a quintessential Neapolitan pizza made with 3 signature topping: vibrant tomato sauce, delicate mozzarella, and fresh basil. This classic pizza is a testament to elegant simplicity.
Servings: 8
Calories: 319kcal
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour for dusting
- 1 lb pizza dough
- ½ cup pizza sauce see recipe below for a full batch of sauce
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese fior di Latte (regular), buffalo, or shredded
- 3-6 basil leaves
Pizza Sauce
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes about 1¾ cups
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Let dough temper - Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.1 lb pizza dough, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Preheat oven - Place the oven rack in the middle tier and preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Pizza sauce - Make the pizza sauce. In a bowl, mix the crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, and extra virgin olive oil until combined. Salt to taste.½ cup pizza sauce, 14 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt
- Prepare pizza - Stretch the dough by hand or use a rolling pin to create a 12-inch circle or a 9x13" rectangle. Lightly oil a pizza pan or baking sheet with half of the olive oil and place the dough on in the pan. Use a ladle to scantily spread pizza sauce on the dough, using the back of the ladle or a spoon to smooth out the sauce in a circular motion. Leave about an inch around the edges for the crust. Then, top the pizza with mozzarella and some of the basil leaves.2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 8 oz mozzarella cheese, 3-6 basil leaves
- Bake pizza - Bake pizza on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the bottom of the crust is lightly browned.
- Serve - Remove from the oven and cut into 8 slices. Top with more fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.3-6 basil leaves
Video
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover pizza in an air-tight container or wrapped in foil for up to 3 days. When you are ready to eat it, enjoy it cold, at room temperature, or warm it in the oven at 300°F on a baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes.Â
- Fresh ingredients are key - Since this pizza is so simple, we suggest high quality ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.
- Spread the dough slowly and carefully to ensure the dough has an even thickness without any holes.
- Let the dough rest until it is room temperature so it will be easy to mold and cook evenly.
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Nutrition
Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 373IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @theheirloompantry or tag #theheirloompantry!
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