Homemade Margherita Pizza Recipe

Anytime is a great time for pizza, but there’s something special about Margherita pizza. Maybe it’s the classic combination of tomato, mozzarella, and basil. Or perhaps it’s the ingredients’ simplicity that let each one’s flavor shine through. Whatever the reason, this recipe will help you make a Margherita pizza that’s perfect every time!

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There’s nothing like a homemade pizza, homemade pizza dough, an amazingly delicious pizza sauce, and your favorite pizza toppings – the recipe for a fantastic pizza night!

If you’re anything like us and love pizza from Italy, you should check out our cheese pizza and Caprese pizza recipes – perfect for outdoor or indoor cooking!

Why you’ll love this quick Margherita pizza

• Absolutely delicious; this is a real crowd-pleaser; kids and adults alike LOVE to eat Margherita pizza!
• It’s quick and easy to make and can take as little as 5 minutes from start to finish.
• Perfect for pizza night, gamedays, outdoor cooking, and summer entertaining.
• All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.

What ingredients do I need?

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

A crisp yet chewy pizza crust with the most delicious sauce and plenty of cheese are what pizzas should be all about, this recipe has that and then some!

How to make Margherita pizza with step-by-step instructions

A complete printable recipe, along with the measurements in both US customary and metric, is available in the recipe card below.

If you are using an Ooni pizza oven

Preheat your Ooni oven to 850°F/450°C.

Lightly dust your pizza peel with flour and place your pizza dough on it..

Spread pizza sauce (or tomato sauce) evenly on your pizza crust, leaving a half-inch border.

Drain your fresh mozzarella cheese, slice or tear it, and place it evenly on the pizza sauce.

Using the pizza peel, place the pizza in the Ooni oven and cook for approximately 2 – 3 minutes, turning every 20 seconds to ensure it cooks evenly.

When cooked, remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes.

Serve immediately and enjoy your Margherita pizza!

If you are using a kitchen oven

Preheat your oven to 500°F/260°C and if you’re using a pizza stone or pizza steel, place it in the oven to heat up.

Lightly dust a baking sheet or pizza pan with flour and place your pizza dough on it.

Spread sauce (or tomato sauce) evenly on your pizza crust, leaving a half-inch border.

Drain your fresh mozzarella cheese, slice or tear it, and place it evenly on the pizza sauce.

Place the pizza in the oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

When cooked, remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes.

Serve immediately and enjoy your Margherita pizza!

Recipe notes and expert tips

• Olive oil
  When your Margherita pizza is fresh out of the oven, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over it – it’s delicious!
• Sourdough
  We love using a sourdough crust; it elevates the flavor of your pizza.
• Storage
  Keep your pizza covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

What do I serve with pizza?

We love to eat it with our favorite dipping sauces; pizza garlic aioli sauce, sriracha aioli, chipotle aioli, sour cream and chives, homemade BBQ sauce, or ranch dip.

Why is it called a Margherita pizza?

The Margherita pizza is one of the world’s most popular types of pizza, but many people don’t know why it’s called a pizza Margherita.

The pizza was created in 1889 by Raffaele Esposito, working at the Pizzeria di Pietro restaurant in Naples, Italy.

Esposito named the pizza after Queen Margherita of Italy, who was visiting Naples then.

Is it better to use a pizza oven?

Short answer?

Yes. You get the perfect authentic classic Margherita pizza that is deliciously charred; this makes it so easy to enjoy pizza at home.

A crispy crust and a moist, perfectly cooked top are far easier in a pizza oven, with a good-quality baking stone.

We make all our pizzas (and we make a LOT of pizzas!) in our Ooni pizza oven.

Our pizzas have become 100% better since using an oven.

If a pizza oven isn’t possible for you, invest in a pizza stone or steel.

A good pizza stone will dramatically improve pizzas cooked in a kitchen oven.

Do I need to make homemade pizza dough?

Making your own dough is excellent; it’s fresher and tastier than store-bought.

We have an easy pizza dough recipe and show you exactly how to make pizza dough.

But you don’t always have the time, so store-bought is fine; use the best quality dough you can find.

Let’s talk pizza sauce

You can buy store-bought pizza sauce, but our 15-minute sauce is FAR better.

We make our own pizza sauce, which is made using San Marzano tomatoes.

It tastes fantastic, is SO easy to make, and you can batch cook it and freeze it for the next time you’re making pizza.

How do I store leftover Margherita pizza?

The key to storing Margherita pizza is keeping the sauce and cheese from drying.

One way to do this is to place the pizza in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze the pizza by wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure the pizza is frozen solid before storing it in the freezer.

You can reheat pizza in an air fryer to regain the delicious crispiness.

More easy pizza recipes for you to try

If you love our homemade pizzas, then check out these easy recipes!

• Cheese pizza 
• Caprese pizza 
• Mushroom pizza 
• Pineapple pizza 
• Tomato pizza 

Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, for more tasty inspiration!

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