This Tomato Margherita Pizza is a classic pizza that never goes out of style. With a simple tomato sauce, gooey fresh mozzarella, a sprinkle of parmesan, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil on top at the end. It’s everything you want in a simple homemade pizza, that tastes like its from a restaurant!
A classic Margherita Pizza is simple but bold in flavor. With a chewy pizza crust, fresh tomato sauce, melted mozzarella cheese, slices of fresh tomatoes, and basil make it one of the best easy pizzas you can make at home.
This pizza is the perfect balance of fresh and flavorful that tastes like it came from a pizzeria in Italy!
Why you’ll love this Pizza
- Fresh and Flavorful: The delicious combination of ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and fresh basil is practically unbeatable!
- Easy to Make: With easy to find ingredients, you’ll have your new favorite homemade pizza in practically no time!
- Restaurant Quality: Tastes like the best Neopolitan pizza but made in your own kitchen.
- Family Favorite: Everyone loves pizza night, you can customize this pizza to make different flavors so your whole family is happy.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Tomato Margherita Pizza Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Pizza Dough: You can use store bought dough, or make your own pizza dough
- San Marzano Tomatoes: These are canned tomatoes, that are a little sweeter and less acidic and give the perfect authentic flavor
- Olive Oil: Rounds out the richness of the sauce
- Garlic Cloves: Adds a light garlic flavor to the sauce
- Salt and Pepper: Enhances the quick homemade pizza sauce
- Tomatoes: Ripe juicy tomatoes give an extra fresh flavor
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: Adds a nice salty flavor
- Fresh Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella gets torn up, or chopped into pieces to add the perfect pockets of melty cheese
- Fresh Basil: Added after the pizza is baked for that bright fresh flavor
- Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a nice little kick, if desired
How to make Margherita Pizza?
Step 1: Make the Sauce. Preheat the oven to 475 F or as high as it will go and place a pizza stone inside. or preheat a pizza oven. Add the San Marzano Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Garlic, and Salt and Pepper to a blender and pulse several times until the sauce is combined and liquidy. Check that the garlic has distributed.
Step 2: Prepare the Pizza Dough. I like to make a few smaller pizzas rather than one or two large pizzas to get more of that crunchy crust edge. Cut your pound of pizza dough into four portions and shape into balls. Then roll each ball out to be about 10-12 inches on a floured surface.
Step 3: Assemble the Pizza. Spread a thin layer of the sauce over the top of the pizza, to about 1/2 inch from the edge. Spread torn mozzarella pieces evenly over the top of the sauce. Add 3-4 tomato slices over the top of the mozzarella. Sprinkle top with parmegianno cheese.
Step 4: Bake the Pizza. Carefully transfer the pizza onto the hot stone, or pizza oven. Bake for about 10 minutes in the prepared oven (or about 2 to 3 minutes in a pizza oven). Remove from the oven and top immediately with fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and hot pepper flakes if desired. Cut into slices and enjoy warm.
Tips and Tricks:
- Don’t Overload the Pizza: If you’re customizing the pizza and adding a few extra toppings, don’t over do it. You want the pizza to cook evenly without having a doughy center, or uncooked cheese.
- Add Basil After: We want the basil to stay fresh and vibrant, so we add it to the pizza after we bake it. This gives it that perfect green color, and fresh basil flavor.
Storage Instructions
Leftover pizza can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It can be reheated in the oven at 400 F for a few minutes, or the air fryer at 350 F for about the same time, until the crust is crisp, and the cheese is re-melted.
This Tomato Margherita Pizza is simple, authentic, and packed with flavor. It’s the perfect recipe for pizza night, and once you make it you may never want pizza from the store again!
More Pizza Recipes
If you make this Tomato Pizza Recipe please leave a comment and 🌟 rating letting me know what you think! If you post the photo on Instagram, please tag me – I’d love to see what you’re making!
Tomato Margherita Pizza
Ingredients
- 14 oz San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 2 small Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Cornmeal and flour mixture (for dusting)
- 1 batch pizza dough (about 16 oz)
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella
- 2 large Tomatoes (sliced)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a baking stone into the oven to let it preheat with the oven. (Or preheat a pizza oven)
- Add the San Marzano Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Garlic Cloves, Salt and Pepper to a blender. Pulse several times until the sauce is smooth. 14 oz San Marzano Tomatoes, 1 tsp Olive Oil , 2 small Garlic Cloves , 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Black Pepper,
- Separate the prepared pizza dough into four equal portions. Roll them into a ball, pinching the edges into the bottom of the ball. 1 batch pizza dough
- Sprinkle corn meal and flour onto a wooden or petal pizza paddle. Roll out one portion of pizza dough at a time into 10-12 inch pizzas, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cornmeal and flour mixture
- Add about 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce onto the prepared dough and spread it evenly over the pizza crust, leaving about 1/2 inch on the edge of the crust.
- Cut or tear the Mozzarella into 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle 1/4 of the mozzarella pieces evenly over the top of the sauce.8 oz Fresh Mozzarella
- Spread 4 to 5 tomato slices on top of the cheese. 2 large Tomatoes
- Sprinkle the grated Parmigianno cheese over the pizza. 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
- Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is done and the cheese is melted. (Or bake for 2-3 minutes in a pizza oven)
- Remove from the oven and top the pizza with a few fresh basil leaves.
- Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Red Pepper Flakes
- Let the pizza cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Don’t Overload the Pizza: If you’re customizing the pizza and adding a few extra toppings, don’t over do it. You want the pizza to cook evenly without having a doughy center, or uncooked cheese.
- Add Basil After: We want the basil to stay fresh and vibrant, so we add it to the pizza after we bake it. This gives it that perfect green color, and fresh basil flavor.
Nutrition
This Tomato Pizza was first posted on October 1, 2014. The photos and blog text were updated for clarity on August 29, 2025.
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
These look awesome! I’m up for any kind of pizza, big or small 😉
Ellen Garrett says
I am sure the roasted tomatoes would make a perfect large pizza too.
Jennifer Day says
Yummy!!! Pinning for later!
Ellen Garrett says
Don’t wait too long, you want them now.
Vanessa Marquiss Barker says
oh my gosh, this looks so amazing
Ellen Garrett says
I hope you like them
Nessa says
Oh man! I happened to have just roasted and frozen some of the cherry tomatoes from our garden. Now I need to make these yummy pizzas!
Ellen Garrett says
Perfect, you are halfway there.
Lauren Allen says
These look amazing! My husband is going to love it!
Ellen Garrett says
I hope he does, I know my husband does too.
realfoodbydad says
Those look absolutely perfect, can’t wait to make these!
Ellen Garrett says
Let me know how they turn out.
bblad says
This looks amazing! I wish I had it now. I love roasted tomatoes!
Ellen Garrett says
Me too, I just discovered roasted tomatoes this year but they are the best.
Kami says
Oh my… these look delicious! I can’t wait to play around with toppings.
Ellen Garrett says
Let me know what else you add to this goodness.
Annette Belnap says
These look delish! Pinning!
Ellen Garrett says
I think this is one of my favorite pizzas of all time, hope you like it so too.