A Classic Margherita Pizza Recipe

Who doesn’t love a Classic Margherita Pizza? With its simple combination of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, and juicy cherry tomatoes, this pizza is a favorite of pizza lovers around the world. The Margherita has a rich history dating back to 1889, when it was first created in Naples, Italy, to celebrate the visit of Queen Margherita of Savoy. Since then, it has become an iconic dish that represents the best of Italian cuisine. This recipe is perfect for pizza night at home or for impressing guests with a delicious homemade pizza that is sure to please everyone!

The History of the Margherita

The Margherita pizza is a one of the all-time classic Italian pizzas that is named after Queen Margherita of Savoy. It was created in 1889 by pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito from Naples to celebrate the queen’s visit to the city. Esposito created the pizza with the colors of the Italian flag in mind: red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella), and green (basil). The queen was said to have loved the pizza so much that it became an instant hit and helped to popularize pizza throughout Italy and eventually around the world. Today, the Margherita pizza is still one of the most popular pizza varieties in the world and is recognized as a symbol of Italian culinary excellence.

Recipe Substitutes

Change it up! If you don’t have all of the ingredients at home try these recipe substitutes below.

1. Pizza dough: If you don’t have pizza dough or don’t want to make it from scratch, you can use store-bought pizza crust, naan bread, pita bread, or even tortillas.
2. Tomato sauce: Instead of tomato sauce, you can use pesto, alfredo sauce, barbecue sauce, or even olive oil and garlic.
3. Mozzarella: If you don’t have fresh mozzarella, you can use shredded mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, or any other type of cheese that melts well.
4. Basil: If you don’t have fresh basil, you can use dried basil, oregano, or thyme. You can also use fresh spinach or arugula as a substitute.
5. Cherry tomatoes: If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, you can use regular tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or any other type of vegetable that you like on your pizza.
6. Olive oil: Instead of olive oil, you can use vegetable oil, melted butter, or any other type of oil that you have on hand.
7. Oven: For a unique flavour and crispier crust, opt for a traditional at-home pizza oven, like the Ooni from Botanex.

Margherita Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) pizza dough (see our no-rise easy pizza dough recipe here)

1/2 cup (120 ml) tomato sauce

8 oz (227 g) fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, torn

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired size and thickness.
3. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge.
4. Arrange the sliced mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
5. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the mozzarella.
6. Drizzle the olive oil over the pizza, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with torn basil leaves.
9. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

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