Margherita Pizza
Make classic margherita pizza at home with this simple recipe! This Italian pizza is fresh, delicious and easy to make. You will love it!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 15, 2025
Pizza always makes a bad day feel better, and there’s nothing nicer than a perfect slice of margherita pizza. Now you can make this recipe at home any time the craving strikes!
Pizza margherita, as the Italians call it, is a simple pizza hailing from Naples. When done right, margherita pizza features a bubbly crust, crushed San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt. That is all.
Sure, you could add some tomato if you’d like, but only if the tomato is truly ripe, red and worthy. Authentic Neapolitan pizza margherita doesn’t require fresh tomatoes. Try making this pizza as written, and you won’t miss the tomato on top.
Sometimes less is more, and the margherita pizza is a lesson in restraint. It’s different from an American cheese pizza, which often features a heavier crust, spiced tomato sauce, and a thick layer of cheese on top.
This pizza is bright, simple and fresh. It’s a delight to make, even better to eat, and arguably lighter and healthier than a typical cheese pizza. How about pizza tonight?
Watch How to Make Margherita Pizza
Pizza Margherita Ingredients
Margherita pizza is red, white and green like the colors of the Italian flag (red from the sauce, white from the cheese and green from the basil). You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s what you’ll need to make it.
Pizza Dough
Authentic Neapolitan pizza dough contains only flour, yeast, salt and water, and produces pizza with a tender crust with a raised edge all around. My dough is the only ingredient that deviates from authentic margherita pizza. I used my go-to whole wheat pizza dough, which comes together in ten minutes. When made with white whole wheat flour, it doesn’t taste like whole wheat!
This pizza will work with one pound of store-bought dough, or you’re welcome to use your favorite dough made with all-purpose flour. Here is King Arthur Flour’s recipe for Neopolitan pizza dough if you want to try it (the dough needs 12 to 24 hours to rise).
San Marzano Tomatoes
San Marzano tomatoes are a special variety of plum tomato originating from the San Marzano region near Naples, Italy. San Marzano tomatoes are tender and rich in flavor. Even the tomato sauce inside the can is thicker than most other whole canned tomatoes. They’re special.
San Marzano tomatoes are the traditional choice for pizza margherita and yield the perfect pizza sauce. Simply pour the whole can into a bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand before using.
Fresh Mozzarella Balls
Look for mozzarella balls packed in water, rather than vacuum-sealed. Water-packed mozzarella cheese is superior in flavor and texture; vacuum-sealed mozzarella can taste rubbery. Cow’s milk mozzarella is typically easier to find and yields delicious pizza, but choose buffalo mozzarella for a more authentic flavor if you can find it.
Ovoline mozzarella balls are my favorite for pizza margherita since they are the perfect size (about 1-inch in diameter). Larger or smaller mozzarella balls will work, too. Just tear them into smaller pieces as necessary.
Whole Foods offers water-packed ovoline mozzarella, and one container is the perfect amount for two pizzas (12 ounces dry weight). Bocconcini mozzarella balls work well, too.
Fresh Basil
Fresh basil leaves are essential. Once the pizza is out of the oven, sprinkle a handful of finely sliced basil on each pizza. I like to add a few small basil leaves for accents, too. Cute!
Olive Oil & Salt
Margherita pizza is not complete without a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Be careful as you pour so you don’t accidentally overdo it.
Lastly, add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or kosher salt. Our sauce doesn’t contain any added salt, so a light sprinkle of salt helps bring out the best flavors in this pizza.
What to Serve with Margherita Pizza
- Basil Pesto Salad Dressing: Perfect on any summery green salad.
- Italian Chopped Salad: My top pick!
- Layered Panzanella: More tomato and mozzarella goodness, in salad form.
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Drizzle: This broccoli is completely irresistible.
- Perfect Roasted Asparagus: Quick and easy.
More Homemade Pizzas to Enjoy
Here are just a few of my favorite pizza recipes on the blog:
- Arugula-Almond Pesto Pizza
- Broccolini Almond Pizza
- Brussels Sprouts Pizza with Balsamic Red Onions
- Greek Pizza
- Ultimate Veggie Pizza
Margherita Pizza
Make classic margherita pizza at home with this simple recipe! This Neapolitan pizza is fresh, delicious and easy to make. Recipe yields 2 medium (11-inch diameter) pizzas.
Ingredients
- 1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
- 1 large can (28 ounces) whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 12 ounces (dry weight) ovoline-type mozzarella or other fresh mozzarella balls, ideally water-packed
- Handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced plus small leaves
- Additional garnishes: Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt or kosher salt and optional red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. If you’re using a baking stone or baking steel, place it on the upper rack. Prepare dough through step 5.
- Place a medium mixing bowl in the sink and pour the canned tomatoes into the bowl, juices and all. Crush the tomatoes by hand. Spread about ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly over each pizza, leaving about 1 inch bare around the edges.
- If your mozzarella is packed in water, drain off the water and gently pat the mozzarella dry on a clean tea towel or paper towels. If you’re working with large mozzarella balls, tear them into smaller 1-inch balls. Distribute the mozzarella over the pizza, concentrating it a bit more in the center of the pizza, as it will melt toward the edges.
- Bake pizzas individually on the top rack until the crust is golden and the cheese is just turning golden, about 10 to 12 minutes (or significantly less, if you’re using a baking stone/steel—keep an eye on it).
- Top each pizza generously with fresh basil, followed by a light back-and-forth drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and red pepper flakes, if you wish. Slice and enjoy. Leftover pizza will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: While untraditional, this pizza would be good with vegan sour cream drizzled across the pizza both before and after baking. Simply omit the Parmesan in the pizza crust recipe.
Make it gluten free: Substitute your favorite homemade or store-bought pizza dough.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I am confused. The recipes says to ” Spread about ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly over each pizza, leaving about 1 inch bare around the edges.”
How many pizzas are we making?
I think there is more than 3/4 cup on each 28 oz can.
Hi Ann, I’m using my Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipe and that makes two pizzas. I hope that helps!
To me it does not. 3/4 cup is 6 ounces. 2 pizzas makes 12 ounces of sauce for two pizzas. Not 28 ounces.
I got soup tonight By the way that’s not a Margherita anymore that way.
Hi Mark, you will have leftover sauce, and I often freeze the leftovers. When making two medium size pizzas by splitting up the dough recipe linked into two pies, that’s about how much you will need.
You use 3/4 cup on a pizza you’ll have a mushy mess, for these size pizza’s usually people with wood fired ovens put about one big cooking size spoon on a pizza, or 4-6 tablespoons on one. Guessing as never measure but you only want a think layer. If you use your amount of 3/4 cup, better provide some straws.
The idea of not draining the can of tomatoes turns out in very watery and runny pizza. Or very burnt crust. There are other recipes I should have used.
Maybe just a typo?
“Our sauce doesn’t contain any added sauce, so a light sprinkle of salt helps… .”
Thank you for that catch! It should be added salt. Fixed.
Just made this tonight and WHY haven’t I been making my own margheritas all along. The flakes of sea salt add something extra. Thank you!,
Thank you so much, Stacy! Glad to hear it!
Best Pizza, always have been a fan of the Margherita so light simple and great flavor. Have you tried to make it with a sprouted wheat flour or any thing other that a white or wheat flour? Gluten free low on carbs keto type thing.
Dohn
I’m happy you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried it with sprouted wheat so I’m not sure how it work work. If you try it, let me know!
Made this for dinner tonight. Simple and delicious. Hubby was skeptical but loved it too.
I had watermelon radish for the first time in my life! What a super delicious vegetable. They are also a beautiful addition to a salad. Do you have any recipes featuring them? Thanks!
That radishes are so fun! I don’t think I have any recipes that specifically call for watermelon radish, since they are harder to find, but here are all of my radish recipes.
Yum! This is the third recipe I’ve tried from Cookie and Kate and I’m pleased once again. I used Kate’s pizza dough recipe (will write a separate review for that) and fresh mozzarella with basil from my garden. This was absolutely delicious, so easy, and I caught my picky (and brutally honest) partner having a second piece a couple hours after our dinner! That’s how you know it’s truly good! ;)
Hooray! I’m excited you have been enjoying my recipes, Sammi. Thank you for your comment and review!
Every people like Pizza
This margherita pizza made with wheat dough sound interesting and easy one to make
Hello Kate,
While looking at one of your pancake recipes, I noticed there was a pizza video playing so I watched. I’ve been thinking about making pizza for my toddler for the first time, simply didn’t know where to start happy I found this. I no longer have to do any research. That recipe looks fairly simple. I would like to make it however can I use fresh tomatoes? Any additional tips? Thank you!
Tia
Hi Tia, I really find it works the best this way and it’s the most authentic. If you try it, let me know!
The best pizza I have made so far, my kid loves it and he is a picky eater. Thank you for sharing this excellent and yet easy recipe. I have tried some of your recipes and I liked them all, great work!
Hooray! I’m glad you love it, Astarina.
Delicious!
I made a few changes to fit our needs and likes. I used two garlic Naan breads for the crusts and added about a tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning and a tablespoon of sugar to the sauce. It was yummy!
I’m so glad you loved it, Rebecca!
how many tomatoes does add to the sauce?
Hi Elena, sorry I’m not sure the number of tomatoes in the can.
Thank you for recipe. This is helpful for me.
I learn the new think
Do you find that putting the tomato sauce directly on the crust makes the crust soggy?
Hi Carolyn! I don’t find it gets soggy at all for my Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipe. Rolling to the necessary thickness and baking at a high temp seems to do the trick. I hope you try it!
Can I bake this pizza in a cast iron skillet?
Hi Rita, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for certain. If you do, let me know how it turns out!
Making this with my class
I hope you love it, Mia!
I used Bobelli crust making this pizza. Real San Marzanos are impossible to find but I found San Marzano style tomatoes. This is an easy recipe to folliw and the results are amazing. Fresh Basil from the yard and a drizzle of evoo are the perfect complement. This recipe needs to come with a warning-This pizza is habit forming!
That’s great to hear, Stuart!
Turned out amazing, thank you!
Great to hear, Chloe!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I felt like I was making a true Italian margarita pizza. Turned out beautifully!
Wonderful to hear, Kyla! I appreciate your review.
It says if making with vegan sour cream to omit the parmesan in the crust, but I don’t see where in the recipe it calls for parmesan in the crust, let alone how to ad it to the cust. What did I miss? I plan to make this today and ant to make sure I get it right. Thanks!
Hi Gayle, It’s in the Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough is the recipe this will use and link to. It’s in the ingredients.
I love the recipes keep em coming. I do wonder however how you stay in shape w the carbs. I know you don’t eat meat. Is that enough? I am trying to cut back.
Thanks, Matt
Yumieeeeeee going to make this for all my grand children
I hope they love it, Laura! Thank you for your review.
So I love the flavor as I do with all of your recipes :-) but I used Pillsbury pizza crust which called for a prebake at 400 degrees. When I turned it up to 500 after adding the sauce and mozzarella, the pizza crust wound up burnt. Suggestions for next time? Maybe there’s a better brand of pre-made pizza dough out there? Many thanks for the delicious recipe!!
Hi Leslie, this recipe was designed to use my Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough so that’s likely why you had issues.
Hi! I made this last night and while it was delicious, the ovoline mozz must have released some of its water because despite draining on paper towels, it was very soupy. I probably used about 1/2 cup of the san marzano tomato sauce. Any suggestions?
I’m sorry to hear that! If you added salt, that can release liquid as it sits.
Very helpful article… This article corrects my many mistakes…
For how many people is the dish?
Yummy
Loved the idea of opening a can of diced tomatoes! Fresh, simple. I used Naan bread instead and had basil olive oil on hand to sprinkle just before serving. Gooey, cheesy, finger licking good!
great
I added anchovies yum!