This from-scratch homemade pizza recipe includes a complete guide to pizza dough, fresh San Marzano tomato sauce, and three distinct topping combinations—Margherita, Roasted Red Pepper Pesto, and Peach & Basil—making it ideal for customizable entertaining.
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Make the pizza dough: Prepare one batch of homemade pizza dough and allow it to rise according to the recipe instructions.
Make the pizza sauce: Combine San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano in a food processor. Pulse until combined but slightly chunky. Do not cook the sauce before using.
Preheat the oven to 500°F (or use the pizza stone setting if available). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats.
Stretch the dough: On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into your desired shape and thickness.
Transfer the stretched dough to a semolina-dusted pizza pan or peel.
Top the dough: Spread pizza sauce over the dough (for margherita), or brush with olive oil (for peach pizza), or spread pesto (for red pepper pizza). Add your chosen toppings — cheese, tomatoes, peppers, or peaches — leaving fresh herbs for after baking.
Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crisp and the cheese is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and immediately top with fresh herbs (basil, mint), dollops of pesto, and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Leftover pizza keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes until warmed through.
pizza stone (optional, for crispier crust) · pizza peel (optional, for transferring to oven) · food processor (for sauce) · pizza pan or baking sheet
Yes, prepare the dough and refrigerate it until you're ready to stretch and top it. Allow it to come to room temperature slightly before stretching for easier handling.
Fresh, uncooked San Marzano sauce maintains a brighter flavor and slightly chunky texture, which is traditional for Neapolitan-style pizza. The sauce will warm through during the 10-12 minute bake.
A pizza stone helps achieve a crispier crust, but it's not required. A semolina-dusted pizza pan works well as an alternative.
Adding basil and mint after baking preserves their delicate flavor and color, which would be diminished by the high 500°F oven heat.
Yes, multiply your homemade pizza dough batch and sauce proportionally. Bake each pizza separately at 500°F for 10-12 minutes.
