margherita pizza

Margherita pizza with tomato, mozzarella, and basil. Crispy crust, ready in under 1 hour. Shows you how to get airy edges using home oven heat.

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Total Time 1 1

Servings: 4 slices

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Dough

2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
0.75 cup warm water

Topping

0.75 cup tomato sauce preferably passata or crushed tomatoes
200 grams fresh mozzarella cheese drained and torn into pieces
0.5 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
0.25 teaspoon salt

Method

Dough preparation

Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Use your hands or a fork.
Add warm water and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy. If it sticks too much, use a sprinkle more flour, but not too much or the crust gets dense.
Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (30–40 minutes). I use the microwave (turned off) with a mug of hot water to create a mini proof box.

Assembling and baking

Heat your oven as high as it goes (at least 500°F/260°C) with a baking stone or inverted heavy baking sheet inside. This makes the bottom crisp.
Punch down the dough gently and stretch or roll it on parchment into a round about 12 inches across. Don’t worry if it’s not a perfect circle.
Spoon the tomato sauce over, leaving a 1-inch border. Scatter mozzarella pieces. Sprinkle salt over, then drizzle with olive oil.
Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto the hot stone or baking sheet. Bake 9–12 minutes, until the crust is browned in spots and cheese has bubbled.
Pull the pizza out and immediately scatter fresh basil leaves on top. Wait 1–2 minutes to let the cheese set before slicing.

Notes

I make this margherita pizza because it's simple enough for a weeknight, but the way the cheese bubbles and basil wilts on top makes it feel special every single time. My kids eat the crusts — that never happens with takeout.

How to get a crisp crust at home

If you want those airy, browned edges like you remember from a real pizzeria, crank your oven as high as it will go. Preheat the baking stone or even an upside-down heavy sheet pan for at least 25 minutes. I always bake my pizza on parchment right on that surface — it helps move it easily without a peel, and the bottom gets golden, not soggy.

One trick you won't find in most recipes: press the rim of the dough less than the center. This pushes more air into the outer crust. If your dough tries to shrink back, let it rest five extra minutes, then stretch again.

Substitutions and variations

If you can't find fresh mozzarella, use "pizza mozzarella" or even torn string cheese in a pinch. Skip pre-shredded cheese; it doesn't melt into nice pools. In place of basil, fresh oregano gives it a punchier flavor — but dried herbs don’t have the same effect.

Sometimes I add a thin layer of sliced tomato under the cheese, but too much makes the center soggy. Don't use bottled pasta sauce unless you strain it first — it's often too watery for pizza.

Meal prep and storage

You can make the dough a day ahead and let it rise overnight in the fridge instead of on the counter. It gets even more flavor this way and is easier to stretch out cold. Leftover slices reheat best in a dry skillet over medium heat: crisp bottom, melted cheese again in five minutes.