pizza recipes

Homemade pizza looks hard from the outside, but the process is simple once you break it into parts. You mix a short list of ingredients, give the dough time, then bake it hot and fast.

This guide gives you a clear base dough, a quick sauce, and two flexible pizza recipes you can repeat every week. The steps are direct, the quantities are tested, and you get options for stones, steels, and regular trays.

Core Dough For Most Pizza Recipes

This dough works for most home pizza recipes. It makes 2 medium round pizzas, about 25 to 28 cm (10 to 11 inches) each.

Time guide

Ingredients (2 pizzas)

• 3 1/4 cups (400 g) bread or strong white flour
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water, about 105°F or 40°C
• 2 tsp (7 g) instant or rapid yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) fine salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, plus a little for the bowl

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast, and salt.
2. Add warm water and olive oil. Stir with a spoon until a rough dough forms.
3. Knead on a lightly floured counter for 7 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. Lightly oil a clean bowl. Place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
5. Let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes.
6. Turn the dough out, divide into 2 balls, and rest them under a towel for 20 minutes before shaping.

Quick Stovetop Tomato Sauce For Pizza

This simple sauce is thick enough for the base and avoids soggy crust.

Yield: enough for 3 to 4 pizzas
Cook time: about 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can 14 oz (400 g) crushed or pureed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Warm olive oil in a small pot on medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, do not brown it.
3. Stir in tomatoes, salt, oregano, sugar, and pepper.
4. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thick.
5. Let cool to room temperature before using on dough.

Two Simple Pizza Recipes: Margherita And Pepperoni

Use the same dough and sauce base for both pizzas. Preheat your oven early so it is very hot when you need it.

Oven setup for both:

• Preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes.
• If your oven only reaches 450°F (230°C), bake a little longer.
• Place a stone or steel on the top-middle rack, or use an oiled baking tray.

Vegetarian Margherita Pizza

Simple toppings keep the crust light and crisp.

Per pizza

• 1 dough ball from the base recipe
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80 to 120 ml) tomato sauce
• 4 oz (115 g) mozzarella, fresh or low-moisture, sliced or shredded
• 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
• Small pinch of salt

Steps

1. On a floured surface, press the dough into a circle about 25 cm (10 inches).
2. Move it to a floured peel or directly to an oiled tray.
3. Spread a thin layer of sauce, leaving a 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) border.
4. Scatter mozzarella in an even layer. Do not pile it thick in the center.
5. Drizzle with olive oil and add a light pinch of salt.
6. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and cheese has browned spots.
7. Add basil leaves after baking so they stay bright and fresh.

Classic Pepperoni Pizza

This version uses the same base but adds cured meat for a stronger flavor.

Per pizza

• 1 dough ball
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80 to 120 ml) tomato sauce
• 4 oz (115 g) mozzarella, shredded
• 2 to 3 oz (55 to 85 g) sliced pepperoni
• 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil

Steps

1. Shape and move the dough as for the Margherita.
2. Spread sauce in a thin, even layer.
3. Add mozzarella, keeping the center slightly lighter.
4. Top with a single layer of pepperoni. Overlapping a little is fine.
5. Drizzle the edges of the crust with olive oil.
6. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, until the bottom is browned and the pepperoni edges curl and crisp.

Flexible Topping Ideas

Keep toppings light so the crust bakes through. A few ideas that work well:

• Veggie mix: thin red onion, sliced bell pepper, mushrooms.
• White pizza: skip sauce, use olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, and ricotta.
• Simple add-ons: olives, sliced jalapeño, a handful of arugula after baking.

Baking Setup And Temperature Tips

High heat is the main driver of good texture. Aim for the hottest setting your oven offers.

Pizza stone:
Place it on the top-middle rack during preheat. Slide the pizza on with a lightly floured or cornmeal-dusted peel. The stone holds heat, so you get a crisp bottom.

Baking steel:
Use it like a stone. It heats faster and can brown the base in 7 to 9 minutes. Start checking early.

Regular baking tray:
Oil the tray well. Shape the dough on the tray, then bake on the rack that is closest to the top burners without touching them. You may need 10 to 14 minutes for the base to brown.

Rotate pizzas halfway through if your oven has hot spots.

Troubleshooting Homemade Pizza

Small changes often fix common problems.

Soggy Middle

• Use less sauce and fewer wet toppings.
• Make sure the sauce is thick and cooled.
• Preheat stone, steel, or tray for at least 30 minutes.
• Bake on a lower rack for the first half if the top cooks too fast.

Underbaked Dough

• Roll or stretch the center slightly thinner than the edges.
• Check the bottom; if it is pale, bake 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Keep the oven at 475 to 500°F (245 to 260°C) for best results.
• Avoid opening the door often, which drops the heat.

Burnt Cheese Or Toppings

• Move the rack one level lower so the top is farther from the heat.
• Reduce oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C).
• Add delicate toppings like fresh herbs, arugula, or prosciutto after baking.
• If the top darkens before the base is done, cover loosely with foil for the last few minutes.

Conclusion

Reliable pizza recipes start from a clear base dough, a focused sauce, and a hot oven. Once you can repeat that pattern, toppings become a simple detail, not a risk.

Try the Margherita first, then adjust time, heat, and topping levels for your oven. Each round gives you a better sense of how your dough behaves.

Keep notes on what works, share the results, and refine the process until pizza night feels simple and predictable.