Pro tip: Make the pizza dough in advance and refrigerate it for up to 3 days: it increases in flavor over time! Or, you can freeze pizza dough for up to 3 months. As cookbook authors, Alex and I have spent over a decade researching authentic Italian pizza methods, interviewing experts, and traveling to Naples Italy to taste it for ourselves! We’ve written pizza recipes for two cookbooks. When it comes down to it, this recipe is the very best margherita pizza we’ve had. How to pronounce margherita? With an proper Italian accent, it sounds like mar-geh-REE-ta. It sounds like the classic Mexican cocktail, the margarita, which incidentally is a common misspelling of this word!
Pizza stone: This is what makes the crust crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Here’s the pizza stone we recommend. Pizza peel: A pizza peel is a paddle used to slide a pie onto the hot stone in the oven. We recommend this standard pizza peel. A conveyor pizza peel is worth the investment: it’s handy for easily sliding the pizza onto the stone.
🔥Try a pizza oven if you really want to step up your game! True artisan pizza is cooked at temperatures much hotter than your standard oven can achieve. The oven we recommend is relatively inexpensive and heats quickly to 1000°F.
The best flour for margherita pizza dough is Tipo 00 flour. This type of Italian flour is used by pizzerias and makes a supple, fluffy dough. We buy our Tipo 00 flour online. All-purpose or bread flour also work, but Tipo 00 makes the best pizza dough, hands down. Use a great pizza dough recipe. Our master pizza dough recipe is the best method for fluffy, artisan-style pizza dough. You can make it using a stand mixer or knead it by hand. Or try thin crust pizza dough, which similar but rolled out using a rolling pin. If desired, try alternative pizza dough recipes that are easier and don’t require a pizza stone or stretching. These sheet pan pizza or focaccia pizza recipes make two pizzas at once in a sheet pan. You can also make cast iron pizza or pan pizza in a skillet.
Frequently asked questions
Tomatoes: Canned fire roasted tomatoes are the base in our fan-favorite pizza sauce recipe, along with olive oil, garlic, salt and dried oregano. It might be slightly unconventional, but we’ve found the sweet, developed flavor of fire roasted tomatoes is closest to the margherita pizza we enjoyed in Italy. If you can’t find them, use San Marzano tomatoes or other best quality canned tomatoes. Cheese: Use fresh mozzarella cheese, the kind sold in large balls. Cut it into small pieces for overall coverage. We like to top with a light sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese for flavor complexity, but it’s not required. Basil: Fresh basil is key to the flavor of a great margherita pizza. Make sure to add to the pizza after baking so that is stays beautifully green (basil turns black in minutes in the oven).
Go classic with homemade pizza or Neapolitan pizza. Try pesto pizza or homemade cheese pizza. Try these 25 Popular Pizza Toppings. Opt for unique spins like breakfast pizza or taco pizza.
4.6 from 7 reviews
1 ball Best Pizza Dough* (or Thin Crust Dough or KitchenAid Pizza Dough) Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
For the pizza sauce
1 small garlic clove (1/2 medium) 15 ounces crushed fire roasted tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon kosher salt (scant)
For the toppings
1/4 to 1/3 cup pizza sauce ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese or 2 to 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese Parmesan cheese, for topping (optional) Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
**Make the pizza sauce up to 1 week in advance and refrigerate.
