Thiseasy margherita pizza recipeuses simple homemade pizza dough with fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil. It’s a fun and casual meal you can make at home.

Pizza nightis a favorite night in our house because it means we get to eat a casual meal that the kids love to help make. A classic margherita pizza is almost always on thesummer meal planbecause you can’t go wrong with freshly sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and just-picked basil. It’s a combination thateveryone lovesand that you can make again and again without fail.

This dough recipe is a cinch to make a couple of hours before dinner, and let it rest while you pick the kids up from school or get other things done around the house.If you’ve never made your own dough, this is the perfect recipe to startwith because it’s no fuss and so delicious.It’s a game-changer for homemade pizza!

pov pulling apart a classic margarita pizza.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Margherita pizzais a classic pizza recipe that is so easy to make for a casual and comforting dinner that everyone will enjoy!
An ideal meal for abusy weeknight or a low-key movie nighton the weekend.
Beyondsimple to make from scratch, even if you’re new to makinghomemade pizza dough.
This recipeuses minimal ingredientsand is perfect for summer with fresh tomatoes and basil straight from the garden.

Recipe Ingredients

Yeast
Flour –all-purpose flour is fine
Olive oil
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh tomatoes
Fresh basil
Balsamic glaze –optional but so yummy! Try thiseasy homemade balsamic glaze.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

tomatoes and mozzarella on raw margarita pizza.

How to Make Margherita Pizza

Stir the dough ingredients together, form a ball, and place in bowl. Let rise about 2 hours.
Punch down the dough and roll or press it into shape on a greased baking sheet.
Brush the top with olive oil, and then top with sliced mozzarella and sliced tomatoes.
Bake at 450 degree F about 15 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

What cheese is on margherita pizza?

Traditionally, mozzarella cheese is used on margherita pizza (and it is SO good).

Is margherita pizza healthy?

In some ways, certainly! The fresh vegetables add some great nutritional value, and you could always use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose in the dough to make it more health-conscious.

Does margherita pizza have meat?

Margherita pizza doesn’t typically have meat, but if you’d like to add some then I say go for it! Pepperoni, cooked and crumbled Italian sausage, or prosciutto would all be tasty.

Do you put basil on pizza before cooking?

I do not add the basil before cooking because it’s so thin and fragile that it can easily burn. For a fresher taste, add basil after you bake your pizza!

cooked margherita pizza with hand pulling slice off pizza and cheese stretching.

Expert Tips

For a fresher taste,add basil after you bake your pizza!
You cantreat this recipe like a templateif you like, and next time around, add more of your favorite things. A few black olives or thinly sliced red onion would be amazing on this pizza, or some pepperoni with ahomemade pesto sauceunderneath the layers of toppings. Have fun making it your own and getting the whole family involved in pizza night!
the balsamic glaze is optional but so yummy! Try thiseasy homemade balsamic glaze.