Classic Cheeseless Neapolitan Marinara Pizza

Imperial June 1, 2026June 1, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 2 pizzas, 10 to 11 inches each; serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes active, plus 8 hours rising
Cook Time: 12 to 16 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours 46 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Dough: 500g 00 flour or bread flour, 325g room-temperature water, 12g fine sea salt, 1g instant yeast, 1 teaspoon olive oil for the bowl
Sauce: 1 can whole peeled San Marzano-style tomatoes, 14 ounces, crushed by hand; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
To finish: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons 00 flour or semolina for dusting

Do This

1. Mix water, yeast, flour, and salt into a shaggy dough; rest 20 minutes.
2. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, then rise covered at room temperature for 6 hours.
3. Divide into 2 balls and rise 2 more hours.
4. Crush tomatoes with salt; slice the garlic and measure the oregano and olive oil.
5. Preheat a pizza steel or stone at 550°F for 45 minutes.
6. Stretch each dough ball into a 10 to 11 inch round; top with tomato, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.
7. Bake each pizza for 6 to 8 minutes, until the crust is puffed, charred in spots, and crisp underneath.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Pure, bold flavor: Sweet tomato, fragrant garlic, dried oregano, and good olive oil do all the talking.
No cheese needed: The sauce bakes into the crust, creating a savory, deeply satisfying pizza with a lighter feel.
Home-oven friendly: A very hot pizza stone or steel gives you a blistered, Neapolitan-inspired crust without special equipment.
Simple ingredients, big payoff: This is a pantry-friendly pizza that tastes far more special than its short ingredient list suggests.

Grocery List

Produce: 2 garlic cloves
Dairy: None. This is a traditional cheeseless marinara-style pizza.
Pantry: 00 flour or bread flour, fine sea salt, instant yeast, canned whole peeled San Marzano-style tomatoes, dried oregano, extra-virgin olive oil, 00 flour or semolina for dusting

Full Ingredients

For the Neapolitan-Style Dough

500g 00 flour or bread flour, plus 2 tablespoons more for dusting
325g room-temperature water, about 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon
12g fine sea salt, about 2 teaspoons
1g instant yeast, about 1/4 teaspoon
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, for lightly coating the rising container

For the Tomato Base

1 can whole peeled San Marzano-style tomatoes, 14 ounces
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced

For Topping and Baking

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
2 tablespoons 00 flour or semolina, for dusting the peel

Classic Cheeseless Neapolitan Marinara Pizza – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix the dough

Pour 325g room-temperature water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in 1g instant yeast and stir for 10 seconds to disperse it. Add 500g flour and mix with a sturdy spoon or your hand until no dry patches remain. The dough will look rough and shaggy at first, which is exactly right.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. This short rest helps the flour hydrate, making the dough easier to knead and stretch later.

Step 2: Add salt and knead until smooth

Sprinkle 12g fine sea salt over the rested dough. Knead in the bowl or on a clean counter for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough becomes smoother, elastic, and slightly tacky but not soupy. If it sticks heavily to your hands, pause for 2 minutes rather than adding lots of extra flour; the dough will tighten as the flour continues to absorb water.

Lightly coat a clean bowl or container with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place the dough inside, cover tightly, and let it rise at room temperature, ideally 70°F to 75°F, for 6 hours. It should look airy and expanded, though it may not fully double depending on your room temperature.

Step 3: Divide and ball the dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Divide it into 2 equal pieces, about 418g each. Shape each piece into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath and gently rotating it against the counter until the surface looks smooth and lightly stretched.

Place the dough balls in separate lightly floured bowls or a covered dough box. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. The dough is ready when it feels puffy, relaxed, and easy to gently press with a fingertip.

Step 4: Prepare the simple tomato sauce

Pour the canned tomatoes into a bowl, including their juices. Crush them by hand until the sauce is rustic and slightly chunky. Remove any tough core pieces if you find them. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt.

Keep the garlic separate rather than mixing it fully into the sauce. Thin garlic slices bake beautifully on top of the tomato, giving the pizza its classic marinara character.

Step 5: Heat the oven and baking surface

Place a pizza steel or pizza stone on the top third rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 550°F for 45 minutes. If your oven only reaches 500°F, use 500°F and expect each pizza to take 8 to 10 minutes instead of 6 to 8 minutes.

A long preheat is important. The hot stone or steel helps the crust puff quickly, brown underneath, and develop those rustic charred spots that make this style of pizza so satisfying.

Step 6: Stretch the first pizza

Dust the counter lightly with 00 flour or semolina. Place one dough ball on the flour and gently press from the center outward, leaving a thicker 1/2-inch rim around the edge. Flip once, then continue pressing and stretching until you have a 10 to 11 inch round.

Avoid using a rolling pin if you can. Pressing and stretching by hand keeps more air in the dough, giving you a puffy, tender rim. Transfer the stretched dough to a lightly dusted pizza peel or the back of a floured baking sheet.

Step 7: Top with tomato, garlic, oregano, and olive oil

Spoon about half of the crushed tomatoes over the dough, using roughly 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup sauce per pizza. Spread it thinly from the center outward, leaving the raised rim bare. Too much sauce can weigh down the crust, so aim for a light, even layer.

Scatter half of the thinly sliced garlic over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Give the peel a small shake to make sure the pizza moves freely; if it sticks, lift the edge and dust a little more flour or semolina underneath.

Step 8: Bake until blistered and serve hot

Slide the pizza onto the hot steel or stone. Bake at 550°F for 6 to 8 minutes, rotating once after 4 minutes if your oven has hot spots. The pizza is done when the rim is puffed, browned, and lightly charred in places, the tomato has thickened slightly, and the underside is crisp with deep golden spots.

Transfer to a wooden board and let it rest for 1 minute before slicing. Repeat with the second dough ball and remaining toppings. Serve hot, while the crust is still crisp and the garlic is warm and fragrant.

Pro Tips

Use the best tomatoes you can find: Because there is no cheese, the tomato flavor is front and center. Whole peeled San Marzano-style tomatoes give a sweet, balanced sauce.
Keep the sauce light: Marinara pizza should not be soupy. A thin layer lets the crust bake properly and keeps the flavor bright.
Slice garlic very thinly: Thin slices soften and toast in the oven. Thick chunks can taste sharp or harsh.
Preheat longer than you think: A pizza steel or stone needs a full 45 minutes at 550°F to store enough heat for good oven spring.
Do not skip the oregano: Dried oregano is part of the classic personality of this pizza, adding a warm, savory aroma that balances the tomato.

Variations

Spicy Marinara Pizza: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to each pizza before baking.
Extra-Garlic Marinara: Use 3 garlic cloves total instead of 2, slicing them paper-thin so the flavor stays aromatic rather than overpowering.
Cold-Fermented Dough: After kneading, refrigerate the covered dough for 24 hours. Bring it to room temperature for 2 hours before dividing, balling, stretching, and baking.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Marinara pizza is best eaten right after baking, when the crust is crisp and the tomato is hot. Leftover slices can be cooled completely, stored in an airtight container, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 425°F for 6 to 8 minutes, or in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom is crisp and the sauce is warmed through.

To make the dough ahead, mix and knead it as directed, then refrigerate it in a covered, lightly oiled container for up to 24 hours. For the best texture, let the dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours before shaping. The crushed tomato sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.

Nutrition (per serving)