Margherita pizza is our go-to when we crave a dinner with fresh, simple flavors, ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil on a crisp crust, all baked hot and fast.
This delicious Italian dinner has just the right balance of flavors, a light swipe of sauce, milky mozzarella, and fragrant basil that keeps every bite bright and not too heavy. With a blazing oven and a preheated stone, you get those pretty golden bubbles on the crust. It’s HEAVENLY!
Love pizza night? You will also love our Caprese Pizza and Mini Margherita Pizzas.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Easy. Whether you use homemade or store-bought ingredients, this is easy to assemble and bake.
- Flavorful. Light, fresh flavors that the whole family enjoys.
- Customizable. Add as many or as few toppings as you wish to create the perfect pizza!
Margherita Pizza Ingredients
- Pizza dough, store-bought or Homemade Dough (16 ounces) – The dough creates the chewy base that puffs to hold the delicious toppings.
- Pizza sauce, store-bought or Homemade Sauce (½ cup) – Pizza sauce adds bright tomato flavor without weighing down the crust.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese (6-8 slices) – The cheese melts into creamy pools that complement the other toppings. When using fresh mozzarella, try to draw out as much moisture as you can before topping the pizza.
- Tomatoes (2 to 3) – Provide juicy sweetness and gentle acidity with sliced tomatoes. Traditional margherita pizza uses San Marzano tomatoes. Similar low-moisture plum tomatoes to use are Roma tomatoes.
- Pizza seasoning (½ teaspoon) – The seasoning adds herbs and garlic notes. Use store-bought or Homemade Seasoning.
- Fresh basil (to taste) – Add a pop of fragrant freshness with fresh basil leaves.
- Olive oil (for drizzling) – Olive oil adds flavor, sheen, and helps with browning. We like to use extra virgin olive oil.
How to Make Margherita Pizza
PREP. Preheat the oven to 500°F. We like to use a pizza stone and throw this in while the oven is preheating for at least 15 minutes.
SAUCE & DOUGH. Make the homemade pizza sauce and the homemade pizza dough if going homemade. If you are using store-bought for both, you can skip this step.
ROLL. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to about 14-15 inches in diameter. **If you want more of a crust, be sure to fold in the outside edges of the pizza dough before adding sauce and toppings.
- PIZZA STONE: If using a pizza stone, use a pizza peel to quickly and carefully transfer the dough to your stone.
- SHEET PAN: If not using a stone, you can add the rolled-out dough to a lightly greased baking sheet.
TOPPINGS. Add the sauce (leaving a little around the edges for a crust), cheese slices, tomato slices, and pizza seasonings, and put in the oven.
BAKE. Bake for about 5 minutes, then rotate the pizza and bake an additional 7-8 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and olive oil.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- For extra insurance against sogginess, blind bake the shaped crust 6 minutes before topping, then finish baking.
- Dry your mozzarella and tomato slices on paper towels so excess moisture does not soak into the crust.
- Stretching the dough by hand, instead of a rolling pin, preserves airy bubbles for a lighter crust.
- Brush the rim with olive oil and a pinch of salt before baking for a golden, flavorful edge.
Margherita Pizza Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pizza dough, store bought or homemade dough
- ½ cup pizza sauce, store bought or homemade sauce
- 6-8 slices fresh mozzarella
- 2-3 tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon pizza seasoning
- fresh basil
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. We like to use a pizza stone and throw this in while the oven is preheating for at least 15 minutes.
- Make the sauce if going homemade. Also, make the homemade pizza dough if going homemade. If you are using store-bought for both, you can skip this step.
- Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to about 14-15 inches in diameter. **If you want more of a crust, be sure to fold in the outside edges of the pizza dough before adding sauce and toppings.
- If using a pizza stone, quickly and carefully transfer the dough to your stone, add the sauce (leaving a little around the edges for a crust), cheese slices, tomatoes, and pizza seasonings, and put in the oven.
- If not using a stone, you can add the rolled-out dough to a lightly greased baking sheet. Then, add sauce, cheese, toppings and bake.
- Bake for about 5 minutes, then rotate the pizza and bake an additional 7-8 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh basil and a light drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- For extra insurance against sogginess, blind bake the shaped crust 6 minutes before topping, then finish baking.
- Dry your mozzarella and tomato slices on paper towels so excess moisture does not soak into the crust.
- Stretching the dough by hand, instead of a rolling pin, preserves airy bubbles for a lighter crust.
- Brush the rim with olive oil and a pinch of salt before baking for a golden, flavorful edge.
- To bake, preheat a stone or steel at 500–525°F. Bake 8–12 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is bubbly. Add thin, blotted tomato slices and torn basil after baking, or return to the oven for 1–2 minutes just to warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Due to the fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, which both contain moisture that can leak out during the baking time, this type of pizza is naturally wetter than a standard pizza. To help make sure it’s not too soggy, drain the tomatoes and cheese as much as possible before adding them to the pizza. Blind baking the crust is another way to ensure a fully cooked crust.
Par-bake the stretched crust 5–6 minutes at high heat until just set, cool completely, then top with a thin layer of sauce and low moisture mozzarella. Skip fresh tomatoes and basil for now. Place on a sheet and freeze until firm, wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Freeze up to 2–3 months.
To bake, preheat a stone or steel at 500–525°F. Bake 8–12 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is bubbly. Add thin, blotted tomato slices and torn basil after baking, or return to the oven for 1–2 minutes just to warm.
Store leftover pizza in foil in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it by wrapping each piece with plastic wrap and again with foil and store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Complete the Meal
Italian Sides
Pizza Recipes
Collections
This recipe was originally published March 2021.
A very flavorful pizza that your family will enjoy and devour!
By cutting the pizza into squares it makes a really good appetizer at a party too.
Wow! So good! Everyone wanted more.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for trying it!
This Margherita pizza recipe is AMAZING! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe, the whole family loves this homemade pizza.
I’m so glad your family loves it as much as mine does!
Margherita pizza – is the best great recipe! Easy to make and one of our favorites!
This is my favorite pizza to order anywhere! It tastes even better at home!