Margherita Pizza
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A classic margherita pizza recipe made with simple, high-quality ingredients and a flavorful, thin, chewy crust. This timeless favorite is as satisfying to make as it is to eat!
If you hear “margherita pizza” and think “BASIC!”, we need to talk about this.
Did you know that pizzerias are traditionally judged on the strength of their margherita pizza? This most fundamental of pizzas tells you all you need to know about the quality of a pizzeria’s crust, sauce, and cheese, because there are no distractions to hide behind.
Given this, you’re probably wondering if margherita is even worth attempting at home. Honestly, I wasn’t sure either.
But then I was playing around with this thin crust pizza dough (a variation on my very favorite standard semolina pizza dough), and as I was enjoying the chewy texture and flavor, I realized it was the perfect vehicle for the very simplest of topping combinations.
The thin crust really allows a simple sauce made with high-quality San Marzano tomatoes, and the fresh mozzarella cheese to shine. Add a sprinkle of fresh basil leaves and this, in my opinion, is truly pizza heaven.
Why You’ll Love This Margherita Pizza
This is a straightforward and uncomplicated recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I can definitely get behind a clean-out-the-fridge kind of pizza, loaded with all sorts of toppings like leftover chicken, olives, and pepperoni, that gets all messy and saucy.
But a classic margherita pizza just hits different. It’s like a breath of fresh air, with simple ingredients that all work together in perfect harmony.
This pizza is a breeze to make, as long as you plan for a couple of hours of rising time (or make the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge). Of course, if you have a store bought dough you like, go for it!
Ingredient Notes
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the ingredient list is incredibly short, but every ingredient brings something important to the table.
San Marzano Tomatoes, Garlic, Olive Oil, and Salt
This sauce is wonderfully simple. The San Marzano tomatoes are naturally sweeter and less acidic than regular canned tomatoes, giving the sauce that classic pizza flavor without needing much else. I love that the sauce stays a little chunky too.
The garlic is optional, but I personally love adding just a tiny bit to give it that extra kick. And I do mean tiny. Too much garlic can completely take over the pizza.
A little olive oil smooths everything out and adds some richness, while the salt pulls all the flavors together and keeps the sauce from tasting flat.
Pizza Dough
This recipe uses one ball of homemade thin crust dough or you can use store-bought dough if you need dinner to happen fast, or if you have one that you love.
I love using my homemade dough because it bakes up chewy, crisp, and full of flavor, but the biggest key is making sure the dough is at room temperature before rolling.
Cold dough fights back, like it has personal issues with you.
Room temperature dough rolls beautifully and actually lets you get that thin-crust texture without frustration. If you do encounter some issues with the dough snapping back (I sometimes do, when my kitchen is cool), just let it rest for a few minutes and keep rolling. Repeat as needed.
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella is what gives margherita pizza that classic look and texture.
The kind packed in brine melts differently from shredded mozzarella. It becomes creamy, soft, bubbly, and slightly golden around the edges instead of turning into one giant cheese blanket.
And those little pockets of melted mozzarella across the pizza? My favorite part.
Fresh Basil
The basil goes on after baking, and trust me, that matters.
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Fresh basil added at the end keeps its bright flavor and gives the pizza that signature fresh finish. The heat from the pizza softens it slightly without turning it dark or bitter.
Don’t forget to watch the video!
Most of my recipes include a short step-by-step video tutorial. Just scroll down to the recipe card, or use the “Jump to Video” button at the top of the post!
Step-by-Step
Preheat the Oven
- First things first: crank your oven as high as it will go and preheat your pizza stone on the middle rack. Mine goes to 550°F, and I genuinely think high heat is the secret to great homemade pizza. That intense heat gives you the golden crust, bubbly cheese, and crisp bottom that makes homemade pizza actually taste like pizzeria pizza instead of soft cafeteria pizza.
Make the Sauce
- In a medium bowl, mash together the San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and salt with a fork until you have a chunky sauce.
Roll the Dough
- Sprinkle a large sheet of high-heat parchment paper with semolina or flour and roll the dough into a large thin circle.
Add the Toppings
- Spread a light layer of sauce over the dough, leaving about a one-inch border around the edges. Don’t go too heavy or your pizza may be soggy.
- Tear pieces of fresh mozzarella over the top and distribute them evenly across the pizza.
Bake
- Transfer the pizza and parchment paper onto the hot pizza stone and bake for 8–10 minutes.
- Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and blistered.
Finish with Basil
- Once the pizza comes out of the oven, let it cool for a minute or two before scattering fresh basil over the top. I know it’s tempting to cut into it immediately, but giving it a minute helps the cheese settle slightly so it doesn’t completely slide off in one dramatic cheese avalanche. Which I may or may not know from experience.
Helpful Tips
- A good-quality high-heat parchment paper makes transferring the pizza dramatically easier and helps avoid sticking or tearing while moving the pizza onto the hot stone. The parchment will darken during baking, which is completely normal.
- If you’d rather skip the parchment paper, you can shape the pizza directly on a well-floured pizza peel and transfer it straight onto the pizza stone instead.
- And one more thing I’ve learned after making a lot of homemade pizza: room temperature dough makes a huge difference. Cold dough tends to spring back while rolling and can make getting that thin crust much harder than it needs to be.
Storage
If you somehow end up with leftovers, which is a rarity in my house, this pizza stores surprisingly well.
Refrigerator: Keep slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I like reheating slices in the oven for a few minutes because it crisps the crust back up beautifully. I’ve also been known to use the pizza button on my microwave though.
You can also enjoy it straight from the fridge, as certain members of my household like to do.
Margherita Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz 14-oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic optional (don't overdo it if using)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 recipe homemade thin crust pizza dough or a 16-oz ball store bought dough
- 1 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella the kind sold in a tub with brine
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven with a pizza stone on the middle shelf to the highest temperature it will go (mine goes to 550F)
- Add the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and salt to a medium bowl and mash with a fork until you have a chunky sauce.
- Sprinkle a large sheet of high-heat parchment paper* with semolina or flour and roll out your pizza dough into a large circle, as thin as you can with a rolling pin. I get a 14-inch pizza from a ball of my homemade thin crust dough, linked above. If you find your dough springing back and resisting rolling, let it rest for a few minutes and keep rolling. You may need to repeat this a few times to get a nice, large, thin circle. It helps (a lot) if your dough is at room temperature, not fridge cold.
- Spread the pizza sauce onto your pizza dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Don’t go too heavy or your pizza may be soggy.
- Tear pieces of the mozzarella ball and place them evenly over the pizza.
- Using a pizza peel, a large cutting board, or the back of a large baking sheet, carefully transfer the pizza AND parchment onto the hot pizza stone in the oven.
- Bake for 8-10 mins, until the crust is nice and golden, and cooked through and the cheese is melted and blistered. This may take more or less time, depending on how hot your oven is.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, let it cool down for a minute or two and sprinkle with fresh basil. Slice and serve.
