It may be simple, but sometimes simple is the best! This Margherita Pizza is topped with pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil, making one of the best pizzas you can make at home!
Simple and fresh is the name of the game! If you love this Margherita Pizza, you’ll also want to check out my Caprese Pizza.
As much as I love a loaded pizza, the older I get, the more I gravitate towards the simple.
Which is one reason I really love this Margherita Pizza.
This pizza is simplicity at its finest.
Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, rich pizza sauce – the combination is perfection. It’s simple and classic, and it is a pizza will always rank high in my book!
Ingredients
- Pizza Dough: I think a homemade pizza dough is far superior in this recipe, but for a shortcut, feel free to use store bought dough. Or if you have some extra time on hand, you can use this artisan pizza dough.
- Pizza Sauce: The sauce really makes this pizza. Using a homemade pizza sauce will really make this stand out over using a jarred sauce. And my pizza sauce only takes 20 minutes to make, so it’s totally worth it. We have pizza often, so I usually have some on hand.
- Mozzarella: You have to use fresh mozzarella for this pizza. A block of shredded mozzarella won’t cut it. I like to use the mozzarella pearls because they are the perfect size. If you use a ball of cheese, just cut it into small squares.
- Parmesan: If you don’t have parmesan on hand, you can skip this, but a couple tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan is a great addition.
- Basil: Fresh basil is a must for margherita pizza. This is a great summertime pizza for me because I’ll always have a basil plant growing in the summer.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These are also optional, but add some heat and flavor.
How to Make Margherita Pizza
1: Preheat the oven. If you are using a pizza stone, which I highly recommend, you’ll want the oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes.
2: Prepare your dough. Stretch the dough to approximately at 12″-inch circle.
3: Top the pizza. Spread the pizza sauce over the dough, then add both cheeses and some of the basil.
4: Bake the pizza: Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted. This should be anywhere between 8 and 10 minutes, depending on how hot your oven goes. Just keep an eye on it, especially because you are baking at such a high temperature.
5: Serve: Top the pizza with more basil and the red pepper flakes, then slice and serve.
Tips and Tricks
- I like to keep the crust nice and thin for this pizza. I’ll usually use around 12 ounces of dough, but you could also use a full pound.
- Try to avoid using mozzarella that comes in water. If that’s all you have, make sure you dry it well before adding it to your pizza.
- Since there are not very many ingredients on this pizza, you’ll want to use high quality ingredients so that every flavor shines.
- I will often sprinkle the finished pizza with a touch of sea salt or kosher salt. Do not use table salt, as the flavor is a lot harsher.
Storage Tips
- To store: Store in an airtight container or wrap in foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: My favorite way to reheat pizza is in the air fryer at 350ºF for 3-4 minutes. You can also reheat it in the oven at 450ºF for 5 minutes.
Tools Used in this Recipe
Pizza Stone: I have had my pizza stone for years and years and it has held up well. It’s an inexpensive way to up your pizza game.
Parchment Paper: I talk about this in my pizza dough post, but years ago I started using parchment paper because my husband doesn’t like the texture when you use cornmeal. It’s been a game changer!
More Pizza Recipes
Sausage and Peppers Pizza
Mediterranean Pizza
Pesto Pizza
Antipasto Pizza
White Pizza
Butternut Squash and Sage Pizza
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Margherita Pizza
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz pizza dough
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce
- 3 oz fresh mozzarella balls
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven. Preheat the oven as high as it will go (I like to go around 500ºF). Let the oven preheat for 30 minutes if using a stone.
- Stretch the dough out to a 12” circle. (I like to use parchment paper when I make pizza – see my pizza dough post for all of my tips and tricks.)
- Spread the pizza sauce over the dough. Top with the mozzarella balls and the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with half of your basil.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with more basil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
Crystal says