Margarita Pizza Recipe
Make Margarita Pizza Recipe in just 2h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Dough
Tomato Sauce
Topping & Assembly
Method
Dough
- 1
Proof yeast
Combine warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C), granulated sugar, and active dry yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5–8 minutes until foamy. If mixture does not foam, discard and use fresh yeast.
- 2
Mix dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt. Make a well in the center, add the foamy yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms.
- 3
Knead
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or knead in mixer for 6–8 minutes). If dough is sticky, sprinkle up to 2 tablespoons more flour, adding sparingly.
- 4
- 5
Divide and rest
Punch down the dough gently and divide into two equal portions for two 10–11" pizzas (or keep whole for one large pizza). Shape each portion into a tight ball, place on a lightly oiled tray, cover, and rest for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten before shaping.
Tomato Sauce
- 6
Prepare tomatoes
Crush the canned whole peeled tomatoes by hand in a bowl or pulse briefly in a blender for a few seconds to reach a slightly chunky texture. Do not over-blend; sauce should be rustic.
- 7
Cook (optional)
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes to meld flavors, stirring occasionally. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves near the end. Alternatively, for an uncooked, bright sauce (traditional for many Margherita pizzas), skip the sauté step and simply season the crushed tomatoes with salt, oregano, pepper, minced garlic, and chopped basil.
- 8
Cool
If you cooked the sauce, remove from heat and let cool slightly before assembling the pizza so it doesn't make the dough soggy.
Topping & Assembly
- 9
Preheat oven and prepare peel or baking surface
Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) or as hot as it will go for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour. Dust a pizza peel or another inverted baking sheet with semolina or cornmeal to prevent sticking.
- 10
Shape dough
On a lightly floured surface, press one dough ball from the center outward to form a 10–11" round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Use your knuckles to stretch and rotate the dough, or carefully drape over your fists to let gravity help. Avoid tearing; if small holes appear, pinch to seal.
- 11
Add sauce
Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce onto the center of the dough and use the back of the spoon to gently spread it in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1/2–3/4" rim free for the crust.
- 12
Top with mozzarella
Arrange sliced fresh mozzarella evenly over the sauced dough. If using an optional thin tomato slice, tuck it between or on top of the mozzarella slices. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the cheese and sprinkle with coarse sea salt lightly.
- 13
Bake
Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet and bake at 500°F (260°C) for 7–10 minutes, rotating once halfway if your oven has hot spots, until the crust is blistered and golden and the cheese is bubbly with small brown spots.
- 14
Finish
Remove the pizza from the oven. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the hot pizza so they wilt slightly. Drizzle a little more extra-virgin olive oil if desired. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice and serve.
- 15
Repeat
Repeat shaping, topping, and baking for the second dough ball. If you have multiple pizzas worth of sauce, portion accordingly (about 1/2–3/4 cup sauce per 10–11" pizza).