Margherita Pizza
A pizza Margherita recipe is a timeless favorite and a real classic. One of the best flavors and all colors of Italy in your plate. This pizza is easy to prepare in advance, and can be made your own if you prefer to jazz it up with extra toppings. Have the crust as thin or thick and as crispy as your heart desires! S
Ingredients
- 1 batch of the best homemade pizza dough recipe
- 1 1 1/2 cups of the easy no cook pizza sauce recipe
- 2 cups (more or less to your taste) of good quality pizza mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup of fresh basil , minced
- 10 small tomatoes on the vine , thinly sliced
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to it’s highest setting and set either a baking stone or rimless cookie sheet or an inverted cookie sheet in the middle rack. (For more details and tips on baking pizza dough and adjusting the crust preference, you can read the best pizza dough recipe post or the no knead pizza dough recipe post)
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Divide the dough in half and roll out the dough to your desired thickness ( and always remember the dough will puff up to about twice it’s thickness while baking). Let the dough sit covered for about 10 minutes.
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Spread the dough with the easiest no cook pizza sauce and sprinkle a generous amount of cheese on top.
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Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese and bake your pizza for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness and size of your dough).
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When the pizza is done, sprinkle it with the minced basil and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
TIPS and FAQ
- Chose the type of dough to use for this recipe, and notice that the Pizza Dough Recipe is a classic light and airy dough. And the No Knead Pizza Dough is lighter, thinner, more artisanal, but requires planning a day ahead.
- Since Margherita is based off really simple ingredients, make sure you use quality tomatoes to make the Pizza Sauce, fragrant Basil Pesto and pizza style mozzarella cheese.
- For a cheesier and creamier topping, I used a combo of mozzarella cheeses.
- Baking the pizza at home requires a very high temperature oven, and even better if you can have a pizza stone or baking steel.
- Ensuring the pizza goes in to a hot surface will create a perfect crust for you.
- If you like a charred top on the dough, switch to broil for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Leftover pizza is great when you reheat it in your air fryer and tastes just as fresh!
This is a perfect slice for me, golden and very crispy edges and bottom, very airy and soft texture on the inside, loaded with sauce, basil, and cheese. Let's talk about some of the questions you might have.
Does Margherita Pizza have alcohol?
No. There is no alcohol in this pizza recipe.
Is Margherita Pizza vegetarian?
Yes.
How to Make a Margherita Pizza from scratch?
We walk you through this step-by-step on our recipe card!
What sauce is on a Margherita pizza?
This pizza calls for a classic red sauce, we recommend our two-minute homemade pizza sauce!
Do you bake basil on a Margherita Pizza?
No. We recommend adding the basil after the pizza comes out of the oven, and even better using Basil Pesto.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep leftover pizza in a plastic zipper bag in your refrigerator for two or three days and reheat them in an air fryet at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes.
How to Reheat Pizza in the Air fryer?
Place the pizza slices in a single layer in your air fryer basket and ste to 350 degrees F. reheat for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melty and the crust has crisped up.
Can I freeze pizza leftovers?
Yes. Place the slices in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Reheat the same way using the air fryer.