Print
Save this recipe!
Get this recipe sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from C+K every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Margherita Pizza

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2 pizzas 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 13 reviews

Make classic margherita pizza at home with this simple recipe! This Neapolitan pizza is fresh, delicious and easy to make. Recipe yields 2 medium (11-inch diameter) pizzas.

classic margherita pizza

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
  • 1 large can (28 ounces) whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 12 ounces (dry weight) ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls, ideally water-packed
  • Handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced plus small leaves
  • Additional garnishes: Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt and optional red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. If you’re using a baking stone or baking steel, place it on the upper rack. Prepare dough through step 5.
  2. Place a medium mixing bowl in the sink and pour the canned tomatoes into the bowl, juices and all. Crush the tomatoes by hand. Spread about ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly over each pizza, leaving about 1 inch bare around the edges.
  3. If your mozzarella is packed in water, drain off the water and gently pat the mozzarella dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels. If you’re working with large mozzarella balls, tear them into smaller 1-inch balls. Distribute the mozzarella over the pizza, concentrating it a bit more in the center of the pizza, as it will melt toward the edges.
  4. Bake pizzas individually on the top rack until the crust is golden and the cheese is just turning golden, about 10 to 12 minutes (or significantly less, if you’re using a baking stone/steel—keep an eye on it).
  5. Top each pizza generously with fresh basil, followed by a light back-and-forth drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and red pepper flakes, if you wish. Slice and enjoy. Leftover pizza will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: While untraditional, this pizza would be good with vegan sour cream drizzled across the pizza both before and after baking. Simply omit the Parmesan in the pizza crust recipe.

Make it gluten free: Substitute your favorite homemade or store-bought pizza dough.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Find it online: https://sooka.info/margherita-pizza-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E