Here’s my favorite easy homemade pizza recipe:
Below, I’ll outline how you can make this pizza at home, using simple techniques and basic ingredients.
Easy Homemade Pizza Recipe
Pizza Dough
- White Flour – 235 grams (8.3 ounces )
- Potato Flakes – 15 grams (0.5 ounces )
- Yeast – 6–8 grams (0.20–0.30 ounces )
- Iodized Salt – 9–10 grams (0.30–0.35 ounces )
- Water – 200–220 grams (7 –7.75 ounces ) at 105–110°F / 40 –43°C
- Olive Oil – (for coating the bowl and pan)
Pizza Sauce
- Certified San Marzano Tomatoes – 1 can (28 oz)
Cheese / Toppings
- Mozzarella
- Optional: Cheddar, around edges for a crispy “frico” crust
Pizza-Making Equipment
- Food processor, with dough blade attached
- Kitchen scale, for precise measurements
- Mixing bowl or metal Instant-Pot liner, with cover
- Thermometer, to check water temp
- 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet
- Can opener, for our tomato sauce
- Metal spatula, sometimes called a ‘fish turner’
Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients
First, place your food processor bowl on the scale and zero the scale out.
Add your flour and potato flakes to the bowl, until you hit 250 grams total (235 grams flour + 15 grams potato flakes).
Zero-out your scale after each ingredient addition, to help keep things extra accurate.
Sprinkle 6–8 g yeast (0.21–0.28 oz) into your flour + potato mixture.
If you want a faster rise, go for the higher amount of yeast; if you prefer a slower rise and a more flavor-packed dough, stick to the lower end.
Step 2: Add Warm Water
Temperature matters, so here’s a trick to get a perfect warm-water for making homemade pizza dough.
First, fill one container with room-temperature water and another with very-hot water.
Gradually combine your two waters, and measure water with a thermometer until you reach 105–110°F (40.6–43.3°C).
Once you’ve nailed that temperature range for your water, then you’re ready to pour the water onto your flour mixture.
Add 200 grams (milliliters) (~7.05 oz) of 105–110°F (40.6–43.3°C) water to your flour mixture in the food-processor bowl.
Close the lid and pulse the food processor for 15 seconds, until the dough starts to come together as a solid mass.
If the dough looks too dry, add some more warm water (10–20 g).
Your dough should be somewhat sticky at this stage.
Step 3: Rest (Autolyse) and Add Salt
Stop mixing and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
This 20-minute rest period is called ‘Autolyse’, and it allows the flour to absorb the water more fully, before we add the ultra-absorbent salt.
After 20 minutes, add 9–10 g of salt (~0.32–0.35 oz).
Now, mix for about 2 minutes in your food processor.
2 minutes of mixing is usually enough for good gluten development; our dough should be sticky, but not a total mess.
Step 4: First Rise
Coat a mixing bowl (or metal instant-pot liner) with a generous amount of olive oil.
Transfer your dough into your oiled bowl, and turn your pizza dough to coat it on all sides with olive oil.
Cover the dough in the bowl with your lid, and give it a 2 hour rise at room temperature.
Alternatively, give dough a 3-day rise in the fridge; the slower rise will often yield even better flavor.
Step 5: Punch Down & Shape
Coat your 12-inch pizza pan with olive oil (generously, because it’s going to provide great flavor & crunch).
Once your dough has had its first-rise, it should be nearly doubled in size.
Gently “punch” the dough down—just poke, or knock the container, until the dough deflates.
Transfer the dough into your oiled pizza pan.
Use your fingertips to gently dimple the dough-ball out to the edges of your pizza pan, forming a slightly thicker outer ring for the crust.
If the dough resists stretching, let it rest a few minutes, then continue.
Cover the bowl, and give it an hour to rise, again.
This is our dough’s second-rise.
Step 6: The Sauce
Open the can of San Marzano tomatoes and pour everything into a bowl.
We don’t need to add herbs or spices, because San Marzano tomatoes are naturally flavorful.
Next, squeeze the whole tomatoes in the bowl, until they have the appearance of crushed tomatoes, with some tomato chunks throughout.
Distribute some pizza sauce on top of your pizza dough, after the dough has finished its second rise.
A gentle sauce spread suffices; you can always add more sauce later.
Let your pizza-dough + tomato-sauce combination rest for about 30 minutes.
The goal is to let the dough and sauce get cozy—no rush here.
Step 7: Cheese & Preheat
Sprinkle cheddar cheese along the pan’s edge, covering the crust area, for an extra-crunchy ‘frico’ effect.
Meanwhile, heat-up your oven (with a pizza stone or steel inside the oven, if you have one) to the oven’s highest temperature.
Around 700°F (371°C) is ideal for pizza; if your oven goes up to 500°F (260°C) or 550°F (288°C), that’s great, too.
Step 8: Bake at High Heat
Once your oven is scorching hot, carefully place your pizza pan into your hot oven.
If you don’t have a pizza stone, just place your pizza pan on the oven rack.
At 700°F (371°C), it can take as little as 5–6 minutes for the crust to turn golden brown and the cheese to get all bubbly.
At lower temps than 700°F (371°C), expect maybe 10 minutes or slightly more.
When the cheese looks completely melted, but NOT burnt, remove the pizza pan from the oven.
Step 9: Slice & Enjoy
Insert a metal spatula along the pan edge, to free the pizza slices from their pan.
Slice the pizza into eight pieces, and serve within 10 minutes of being removed from the oven.
Admire that airy crumb structure—thanks in part to the potato flakes!—and enjoy your pizza masterpiece.
Pro Tips & Variations
- For a longer, more complex flavor, let your dough rise in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If you like an even crispier crust, brush olive oil on top of the dough before adding sauce.
- Top with some fresh basil leaves, after baking.
- Mix roasted garlic or a pinch of salt into the crushed tomatoes, for extra flavor.
Recipe Card – 12-inch Pizza
- Pan/Skillet Size: 12-inch
- Pizza Dough:
- White Flour – 235 g (~8.3 oz) White Flour
- Potato Flakes – 15 g (~0.5 oz)
- Yeast – 6–8 g (~0.21–0.28 oz)
- Iodized Salt – 9–10 g (~0.32–0.35 oz)
- Water 200–220 g (ml) (~7.05–7.76 oz) – 105–110°F / 40.6–43.3°C
- Olive Oil (for coating bowls and pan)
- Oven Temperature: 700°F (371°C)
- Pizza Sauce: 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano Tomatoes
- Toppings: Mozzarella, optional Cheddar for crispy edges
Bake your pizza until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.
Then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tell Your Friends About Pizza
If you enjoyed learning how to make a pizza this way, please share your thoughts in the comments, or pass along this recipe to a friend who loves pizza.