Nothing compares to a hot, fresh-from-the-oven pizza, and once you see how simple it is to cook at home, you’ll never order takeout again. To make it your own, change up the toppings and include your favorites. Mushrooms, pepperoni, bell peppers, and even pineapple? You can have everything!

First and foremost, prepare your dough. Then it’s time to add the finishing toppings. Don’t forget to apply the following steps for the ultimate Margherita-style base.

What exactly is a Margherita pizza?

What’s the story behind this widely used pizza topping? Pizza Margherita was created in the 1800s and features the colors of the Italian flag—red tomato sauce, white mozzarella, and green basil. The widespread belief is that the Margherita comes from Queen Margherita of Savoy, an Italian queen from the 1800s.

1. How do you pronounce Margherita pizza?

It sounds basically like a margarita—which accidentally is a common misspelling. With a good Italian accent, it articulates like pit-za mar-geh-REE-ta.

2. What distinguishes a Margherita pizza from a regular pizza?

Tomato, grated mozzarella, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil make a genuine Margherita. Sprinkle fresh basil over the melted sliced mozzarella on the tomato sauce base. It’s a lot nicer than our own bland and oily premade pizzas.

3. Is Margherita pizza a healthier option than traditional pizza?

A Margherita pizza alone is insufficient in iron, zinc, and iodine, as well as vitamins C and B12. A basic pizza may be a nutritious dinner if it has a whole-grain crust and toppings like spinach or other veggies.

4. Tools for making a Margherita pizza at home

Is making Margherita pizza easy? You’ll need several tools and pointers to get started. Bake it at a very high temp to achieve that authentic Italian crispy crust exterior. A blazing hot pizza stone is the key to that. Here are the items you’ll need to make a fantastic pie.

• Pizza stone. That is what gives the crust its crisp outside and delicate inside.
• Pizza peel. A peel is a paddle for sliding a pie onto a heated oven stone.
• Pizza oven, optional. Is a pizza oven required? Not in the least! If you truly want to elevate your game, baked artisan pizza at temperatures far higher than your regular oven can handle.

Begin with the proper sauce for your pizza

If you’re looking for sauce, skip anything branded “pizza sauce.” Usually, such a product is either too thick or too sweet (or both). Here, either homemade or store-bought marinara will work.

1. Pick your cheese

Fresh, thin slices of mozzarella are the way to go on this. If it’s packed with water, be careful to dry it out before slicing to avoid a soggy pizza! If you only have pre-shredded mozzarella on hand, that will do.

2. Adjust the temperature

Our pizza bakes at a high temperature of 500 degrees. We’re attempting to set a pizza oven that reaches 1,000 degrees in a more realistic, at-home setting. Because the dough is delicate, you only want to crisp the exterior while keeping the inside chewy and soft rather than baking it until it’s cracker crunchy. For this, a high temperature is ideal. Feel free to increase the heat if your oven can handle it, and pay attention to it!

3. Transfer, and then top

Stretch the dough and place it on a well-oiled baking pan before you begin. We also like to sprinkle cornmeal on top for an extra crunchy crust, but you may leave it out if you want.

A word of advice: only add your toppings after moving the dough to the baking sheet or pizza stone. Things are likely to get messy and annoying if you top it and try to move it.

4. Toppings for Margherita pizza

What do you put on a Margherita pizza? Margherita pizza ingredients consist of mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and basil. Since the toppings are so basic, they need to be of the highest quality. You can find the ultimate Margherita pizza toppings here.

• Tomatoes

Prepare to be wowed by the quickly prepared Margherita pizza sauce, which only needs five minutes.  It’s composed of canned fire-roasted tomatoes, which are sweeter than typical canned tomatoes. They’re readily accessible at most supermarket stores in the United States. Alternatively, use the best-canned tomato you can get. Try to look for San Marzano if available.

• Cheese

What kind of mozzarella should we use on our pizza? Cut fresh mozzarella cheese into tiny pieces for overall covering. A little sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese adds a layer of richness to the dish.

• Basil

It is essential to use fresh basil. To keep your pizza green, add it after baking it in the oven. Otherwise, it will become black!

5. Add the finishing touches

Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil, add torn fresh basil and sprinkle red pepper flakes once you bake your pizza. When these items are new, they are more flavorful and a lot more pungent.

What are the best flours for pizza dough?

Not just because it’s the simplest to obtain, but our pizza dough requires all-purpose flour. Because all-purpose flour has a medium protein level, it’s easy to work with and produces a lovely crust. You’ll get a somewhat chewy, crunchy top with a light crumb within that stretches beautifully.

Some people value bread flour for pizza crust, and we agree that it’s an excellent option! You’ll get a chewier exterior with a hint of hardness that will hold up to all of your juicy toppings. If you use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour, you may want to add a bit of extra water since bread flour absorbs more water.

Do you want to go all out with your pizza? Use “00” bread flour instead of regular flour. The “00” indicates that the flour has been finely milled and is incredibly smooth. That will provide a chewy crust with a light and airy inside!

Is it necessary to use a pizza stone to make crispy pizza?

Certainly not. There is an alternative to using a hot stone for a perfectly cooked bottom crust. We recommend using the oven to pre-heat the pan you’ll be using to make your pizza. Allow time for the pan to heat up before adding the oil, cornmeal, and then pizza.

Because the pan is already heated, the bottom crust will crisp up quickly and not become mushy from the sauce. Be careful when placing the pizza dough on the hot pan.