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Home » Recipes

simple pizza dough - your new favorite

Modified: May 20, 2020 · Published: Aug 21, 2019 by Marni Katz · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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This simple pizza dough has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion.  You see, Sunday night tends to be pizza night in our house. Whether we’ve been out all day or hanging at the house, Sundays are the night for us to chill, eat something delicious and get ready for the week.  

Now some people love a long cooking stew, or some decadent dish, but I like to play with dough.  I’ve tried overnight rising pizza dough, all day rises, 10-minute pizza dough, sourdough pizza dough, but this is the recipe that I’ve turned to time and time again.  Don’t get me wrong, I love some of the slower rising dough's, but I don’t always remember to start them at the right time. This simple pizza dough is the one that I keep going back to.

cooked simple pizza dough on a baking sheet without toppings

The beauty of this simple pizza dough is that it doesn’t need a ton of rising time and makes enough to fill a 12" x 17" baking sheet. That feeds our family of four perfectly (for now anyway!)

“This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link.”

So how do you make simple pizza dough at home?

Pizza dough is a mixture of just a few ingredients.  Flour, yeast,water, salt, olive oil are the basis of any good pizza dough in my opinion.  In the simple pizza dough I’m sharing with you, we will also use a little bit of sugar to help the yeast get going.  

pizza dough rising on parchment lined baking sheet

These ingredients are mixed together, sit for about 15 minutes and then get stretched into shape, rest a bit, stretched a bit more and then par-baked to ensure a really great texture.

We’ll then top the pizza, stick it under the broiler for just a few minutes to let all the toppings come together before serving.  Simple, right?

What’s so great about homemade pizza?

This simple homemade pizza is not just a healthier alternative to delivery, but is totally DIY.  You aren’t stuck putting different toppings on just half of the pizza. Everyone gets what they like.  You like more sauce, but your partner likes less, no problem. Your kids don’t want veggies on theirs, and you want all the veggies, have at it.

I also like to play with the crust.  You can stuff it by rolling the edges around mozzarella sticks cut long ways in quarters.  Love everything but the bagel seasoning? Brush some melted butter on the edges and sprinkle the seasoning over it before baking.  Yum!

sheet pan pizza from simple pizza dough with cheese and pizza sauce

Because you control what goes into the dough and the topping, you can choose the quality of your ingredients as well.  This makes your pizza unique every time. While I haven’t tried this recipe with whole wheat or any alternative flours, you could certainly play around and find something that works for you.  The ratios of water to flour might be different, but the same method should work.

Additionally, the toppings are endless.  Veggies, fruits, any cheese you like, homemade or store bought sauce, it’s up to you.  Play with it and find what you like. ¾ of our family is totally into black olives and mushrooms.  I like mine with roasted garlic and spinach.

Could this be made parve (dairy-free) or vegan?  

Absolutely, just don’t put cheese on it.  You could either just skip the cheese altogether and top with veggies or you could use non-dairy cheese.  Alternatively, you could make a meat pizza. BBQ sauce and shredded chicken with some veggies would probably be awesome!  You could even drizzle a cashew based cream over the top to give it another layer of texture.

Do you have to use yeast?  I’m afraid of it!

Nothing to fear when using yeast.  Just make sure it’s fresh and you should be good to go.  I’m going to have you proof it (bakers talk for making sure it’s alive) before you make the dough, so if it doesn’t bubble, you’ll know it’s not going to work before you really get going.

a metal bowl with yeast proofing. tiny bubbles forming on the surface of the liquid

One of the most important things to remember is that yeast is a living thing.  You’ll want to be kind to it by giving it somewhere warm (not hot) to get going.  Make sure the water is warm to the touch, NOT HOT, so that the yeast isn’t harmed by it.  Then you’ll give it some sugar which will help get things going. The rest is easy.

I promise this is called simple pizza dough for a reason.  However, if you are still hesitant, check out this instagram account for some great tips and tricks on how to work with yeast based dough.

side view of a square slice of pizza

Tips and Tricks

  • Some vegetable toppings won’t cook through in the short time this pizza is under the broiler.  If are using things like broccoli or mushrooms, I would roast or saute them before putting on the pizza (depending on what you like).  
  • Scissors are my favorite way to cut homemade pizza.  Let it cool down for a few minutes so you don’t burn your fingers off and then just cut up into whatever size pieces float your boat.  My kids like long skinny ones because they can eat more pieces that way.
  • A kitchen aid stand mixer fitted with a dough hook is going to make this recipe the easiest.  If you don’t have one, bring your muscles, because you’ll need to do some kneading.

Like simple meals? Check out these other recipes!

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📖 Recipe

simple pizza dough - your new favorite

Marni Katz
This simple pizza dough is perfect for a quick and easy go to make your own pizza night!
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 397 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 ¾ cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Toppings: anything and everything you would like!

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack positioned in the middle of the oven
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook put the water, the yeast and the sugar
  • Stir gently with a spoon and let sit 2-5 minutes
  • When you see bubbles (even little ones) forming on top you can continue with the recipe
  • On top of the yeast mixture pour the rest of the ingredients in the order listed
  • Turn the mixer to low and let it go until a soft dough starts to form
  • Turn the mixer off, scrape the sides if necessary and let the dough rest for a minute
  • Then turn the mixer back on to medium speed and let go until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is soft and pliable, not too sticky.  This will take 5-10 depending on kitchen conditions.
  • Let the dough sit in the mixer with a towel covering it while the oven heats up.  It’ needs about 15 minute to relax
  • Prepare a 12"x17" baking sheet by lining it with a piece of parchment paper
  • Plop the ball of dough onto the baking sheet and start stretching it to fit the pan.  If it fights you at all, take a break and let it rest for a few minutes so the gluten can relax, then continue stretching it
  • Once the dough has been stretched out completely, bake it at 5oo degrees for about 6-7 minutes until just starting to get light brown
  • Take the pizza base out of the oven and add your toppings
  • Set you oven to broil and return pizza to oven until cheese is bubbly and toppings are hot (about 4-5 minutes)
  • Take out and let cool 5 minutes before cutting and enjoy!

Notes

You can use a smaller baking sheet or split the ball of dough and make two rounds, you’ll just need to adjust the baking time accordingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 11gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1170mgPotassium: 135mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gCalcium: 13mgIron: 4mg
Keyword easy pizza dough, homemade pizza, pizza dough recipe
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!

Want to make these now?  Are you missing some ingredients? Amazon Now can get them to you in a few hours,  Instacart can get them to you today.  Or add them to your Peapod grocery list and don't be stuck without them again!  

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About Marni Katz

Marni Katz is the recipe developer, photographer and writer behind Simple Gray T-Shirt. She wants to help people keep things simple in the kitchen. With simple recipes, easy menu ideas and plenty of tips and tricks along the way, she wants getting a meal on the table to be as simple as putting on your favorite gray tee!
"I want to inspire you to get back in the kitchen and do this, because you can!"

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As a busy mom of three, I believe in keeping recipes simple. 7-ingredients or less is my goal, and everything is kid-tested and approved!

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