Homemade Margherita Pizza – Simple Ingredients, Restaurant-Style Flavor That Wows

You want blistered crust, melty mozzarella, and basil that smells like summer? You got it. These five Margherita riffs keep the ingredient list short and the flavor unapologetically big. We’ll hit everything from weeknight skillet pizza to a wood-fired dupe, no special gear required. Ready to ditch delivery and flex those pizza skills?

1. Classic Napoli-Style Margherita That Tastes Like Vacation

This is the gold standard: light, airy crust, tangy tomato, creamy cheese, and basil that sings. You’ll get that pizzeria chew without a pizza oven, because we’ll use a super-hot bake and a quick broil. Serve it when you want applause after dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pizza dough, room temperature (homemade or store-bought)
• 3/4 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional but fabulous)
• Semolina or all-purpose flour for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 500–525°F with a baking steel or stone on the top rack for at least 45 minutes. Hotter equals better blistering, FYI.
2. Stir the crushed tomatoes with salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Taste and adjust—your sauce should feel bright and lightly seasoned.
3. On a floured surface, stretch the dough into a 12-inch round, keeping a thicker rim. Don’t roll; gently press and stretch to keep the gas bubbles intact for that airy cornicione.
4. Dust a peel or upside-down sheet pan with semolina. Lay the dough on it, spread a thin layer of sauce, leaving a 1-inch border.
5. Scatter mozzarella evenly. Slide onto the hot stone and bake 6–8 minutes until the crust browns and cheese melts.
6. Switch to broil for 30–60 seconds to char the top lightly (watch closely). Pull it, then top with basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and Parm if using.

Slice and serve immediately while the basil is fragrant and the cheese still stretchy. Want extra snap? Use low-moisture mozzarella for half the cheese to balance water content. And yes, cold bubbly water on the side is basically mandatory.

2. Weeknight Skillet Margherita With Ridiculous Crispy Edges

No stone, no problem. This skillet method fries the crust in its own olive oil for lacy, caramelized edges and major crunch. It’s fast, forgiving, and dangerously snackable.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces pizza dough, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
• Handful fresh basil leaves
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium for 3 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Mix tomatoes with salt. Stretch dough to roughly the skillet size.
3. Lay dough into the hot skillet. Press to the edges and cook 2 minutes until the bottom sets and lightly browns.
4. Brush the top with remaining oil. Spread a thin layer of sauce, then add shredded mozzarella first, followed by fresh mozzarella.
5. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake 10–12 minutes until the cheese browns and the crust crisps at the edges.
6. Cool 2 minutes, loosen the edges, and slide onto a board. Top with basil and red pepper flakes.

Serve this with a simple arugula salad and lemon for contrast. Want a near-fried crust? Add another teaspoon of oil under the dough before it hits the pan. IMO, it’s the move for ultra-crunch lovers.

3. No-Knead Overnight Dough Margherita For Chewy, Puffed Perfection

Plan-ahead dough = dream crust. A slow overnight rise develops deep flavor and gives you that tender-chewy texture you crave. This is your dinner party flex—effort low, payoff high.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour (360g)
• 1 1/4 cups cool water (300g)
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
• Fresh basil leaves
• Semolina for dusting

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in water and olive oil until no dry spots remain. The dough will look shaggy and sticky.
2. Cover and rest at room temp 12–18 hours until doubled and jiggly with bubbles.
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface, divide into two balls, and rest 45 minutes covered. This relaxes gluten for easy stretching.
4. Preheat oven with stone/steel to 525°F for 45 minutes. Mix tomatoes with a pinch of salt to taste.
5. Stretch one dough ball into a 10–12 inch round. Top with a thin swipe of sauce and the mozzarella.
6. Bake 6–8 minutes, then broil 30–45 seconds for char. Finish with basil and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Use the second dough ball for a round two or freeze it for up to a month. For extra tang, swap 50g of water with bubbly water—it boosts oven spring, trust me.

4. Sheet-Pan Margherita For a Crowd (Crispy Corners Included)

Feeding friends? This big-pan beauty gives you pizzeria flavor with minimal fuss. The edges crisp, the center stays tender, and the slices make everyone inexplicably polite while they chew.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds pizza dough, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
• Large handful fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano (optional)

Instructions:

1. Generously oil a rimmed 13×18-inch sheet pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place dough in the pan and stretch gently. If it springs back, rest 10 minutes and stretch again until it reaches the corners.
2. Preheat oven to 500°F. Mix tomatoes with salt.
3. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon oil. Spoon on a thin, even layer of sauce.
4. Scatter shredded mozzarella to create a base that protects against sogginess. Dot with fresh mozzarella.
5. Bake 15–18 minutes until the cheese bubbles and the bottom browns (peek with a spatula). If needed, finish under the broiler 1 minute for deeper color.
6. Shower with basil and Pecorino. Let rest 3 minutes before slicing to keep the cheese where it belongs.

Serve with chili oil for the heat lovers and a bowl of marinated cherry tomatoes on the side. For extra crispy corners, sprinkle a ring of shredded mozzarella right along the pan edge so it caramelizes into a cheesy lace.

5. Stovetop-To-Broiler “Faux Wood-Fired” Margherita

No outdoor oven? We fake it. A ripping-hot pre-sear on the stovetop plus a blast under the broiler gives you blistered spots, tender crumb, and that dramatic pizzeria vibe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound high-hydration pizza dough (65–70% hydration), room temperature
• 3/4 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, well-drained and torn
• Fresh basil leaves
• Dusting of flour or semolina

Instructions:

1. Set your oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler on high for 10 minutes. Place a dry 12-inch stainless or carbon-steel skillet over high heat for 5 minutes until scorching.
2. Mix tomatoes with salt and olive oil. Pat mozzarella dry with paper towels so it doesn’t weep.
3. Lightly flour your counter and stretch the dough to a 12-inch round. Keep the rim thicker for a proud cornicione.
4. Brush the hot skillet with a thin film of oil. Lay the dough in carefully; it should puff and anchor instantly. Cook 60–90 seconds until the bottom has charry spots.
5. Spread a thin layer of sauce, then add mozzarella. Transfer skillet to the oven and broil 1–2 minutes until the top blisters and cheese melts.
6. Remove, rest 1 minute, then crown with basil and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Slice and bask in compliments. If your smoke alarm hates you, lower the heat slightly and extend the sear by 30 seconds—the result still nails that “fired” flavor, seriously.

There you go: five ways to turn simple ingredients into restaurant-style magic without leaving your kitchen. Pick one tonight, and in 20 minutes you’ll wonder why you ever settled for soggy takeout. Dough, sauce, cheese, basil—when they’re this good, what else do you need?