Description
Homemade pizza is the ultimate comfort food made with a chewy crust, zesty tomato sauce, melty mozzarella, and your favorite toppings. This easy homemade pizza recipe is perfect for pizza night and always beats takeout in taste and freshness.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Cornmeal or flour (for dusting)
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Toppings of choice (pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, sausage, etc.)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix and knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms (about 8–10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a mixer).
- Cover and let dough rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough, shape it into a ball, and roll it out on a floured or cornmeal-dusted surface to desired thickness.
- Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C).
- Transfer the dough to a pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread sauce evenly, sprinkle with cheese, and add toppings.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
- Let cool for a couple minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Notes
- For a chewier crust, try using bread flour or 00 flour.
- To make it vegetarian, skip the meat and load up on roasted veggies.
- Use garlic olive oil and ricotta for a delicious white pizza variation.
- Store leftover dough in the fridge (up to 3 days) or freezer (up to 3 months).
- Reheat pizza in the oven at 375°F to keep the crust crisp.
