Margherita Pizza With Creamy Burrata

Name: Margherita Pizza With Burrata
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 1 large 12- to 14-inch pizza, 2 generous servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon semolina flour, cornmeal, or all-purpose flour, for dusting the peel or parchment; 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into 1-inch pieces and patted very dry with paper towels; 1 ball burrata, 4 ounces, drained and kept cool until serving; 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, small leaves left whole or large leaves torn; 1 to 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing; 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional; 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano-style; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced into a paste; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, optional; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, for seasoning the burrata and finished pizza; Freshly ground black pepper, optional, to taste; Additional basil leaves, if desired

Imperial June 2, 2026June 2, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 1 large 12- to 14-inch pizza, 2 generous servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, including oven preheating and dough resting

Quick Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano-style
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, optional
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn and patted very dry
1 ball burrata, 4 ounces, drained
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon semolina flour, cornmeal, or all-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Do This

1. Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or inverted baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F for 45 minutes.
2. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes so it stretches easily.
3. Stir together crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and oregano if using.
4. Stretch dough into a 12- to 14-inch round on a floured peel or parchment-lined board.
5. Top with tomato sauce and dry torn mozzarella; bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is browned and crisp.
6. Rest for 2 minutes, then tear burrata over the hot pizza and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
7. Finish with basil, olive oil, and optional red pepper flakes; slice and serve immediately.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic but elevated: It has all the bright tomato, basil, and mozzarella flavor of a Margherita pizza, plus cool, creamy burrata added at the end.
Home-oven friendly: A very hot oven and preheated stone, steel, or baking sheet help create a crisp, blistered crust without specialty equipment.
Simple ingredients, big payoff: The topping list is short, so each ingredient shines.
Perfect for sharing: Serve it as a generous dinner for two or cut it into smaller pieces as an appetizer.

Grocery List

Produce: Fresh basil, garlic
Dairy: Fresh mozzarella, burrata
Pantry: Pizza dough, canned crushed tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, fine sea salt, dried oregano, semolina flour or cornmeal, crushed red pepper flakes

Full Ingredients

For the Pizza

1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, at room temperature
1 tablespoon semolina flour, cornmeal, or all-purpose flour, for dusting the peel or parchment
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into 1-inch pieces and patted very dry with paper towels
1 ball burrata, 4 ounces, drained and kept cool until serving
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, small leaves left whole or large leaves torn
1 to 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional

For the Quick Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano-style
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced into a paste
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, optional

For Finishing

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, for seasoning the burrata and finished pizza
Freshly ground black pepper, optional, to taste
Additional basil leaves, if desired

Margherita Pizza With Creamy Burrata – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Bring the dough to room temperature

Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator 45 to 60 minutes before baking. Keep it covered in a lightly oiled bowl or in its original container so it does not dry out. Room-temperature dough stretches more easily and is less likely to spring back or tear.

Step 2: Preheat the oven and baking surface

Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or an inverted rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F for at least 45 minutes. This long preheat is important because the baking surface needs to be extremely hot to help the crust puff, brown, and crisp.

Step 3: Make the quick tomato sauce

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, the grated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, and the dried oregano if using. The sauce should taste bright, lightly salty, and fresh. There is no need to cook it; it will concentrate slightly in the hot oven.

Step 4: Prepare the cheeses

Tear the fresh mozzarella into 1-inch pieces and pat them very dry with paper towels. This step matters because excess moisture can make the center of the pizza soggy. Drain the burrata and keep it refrigerated until the pizza comes out of the oven. Burrata is added after baking so the creamy center stays soft and luxurious rather than watery.

Step 5: Shape the pizza dough

Lightly dust a pizza peel, large cutting board, or sheet of parchment paper with 1 tablespoon semolina flour, cornmeal, or all-purpose flour. Place the dough on the surface and gently press it from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker 1/2-inch border around the edge. Stretch the dough into a 12- to 14-inch round or oval. If it resists, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.

A slightly uneven shape is completely fine and often gives homemade pizza the best texture. Try not to flatten the outer rim too much, since that edge will puff into the crust.

Step 6: Sauce and top the pizza

Spoon the tomato sauce over the dough, spreading it thinly and leaving the 1/2-inch border uncovered. You may not need every last spoonful; use about 1/2 cup total so the pizza stays crisp. Scatter the dry torn mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Avoid piling cheese in the center, where moisture collects most easily.

Step 7: Bake until blistered and crisp

Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza once after 5 minutes if your oven has hot spots. The pizza is ready when the crust is puffed, deeply golden in spots, and crisp underneath, and the mozzarella is melted with a few lightly browned edges.

If using parchment, bake the pizza on the parchment for the first 4 minutes, then carefully pull the parchment out from under the pizza and continue baking directly on the hot surface for the crispiest base.

Step 8: Add burrata, basil, and olive oil

Transfer the hot pizza to a wooden board and let it rest for 2 minutes. Tear the burrata into 4 to 6 pieces and place it over the pizza, letting the creamy center fall naturally over the tomato and melted mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and add a little freshly ground black pepper if you like.

Scatter the basil leaves over the top, drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, and add a small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Slice immediately and serve while the crust is crisp and the burrata is cool-creamy against the hot pizza.

Pro Tips

Do not overload the sauce: A thin layer of tomato keeps the crust crisp and lets the burrata stand out.
Dry the mozzarella well: Fresh mozzarella contains a lot of moisture, so blotting it helps prevent a wet center.
Add burrata after baking: Baking burrata can cause it to split and release too much liquid. Tearing it over the hot pizza gives the best texture.
Use the hottest safe oven setting: If your oven goes to 550°F, you can bake the pizza at 550°F for 6 to 8 minutes instead of 500°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Let the dough rest if it fights back: If it shrinks while shaping, pause for 5 minutes. The gluten will relax and stretching will become much easier.

Variations

Spicy burrata Margherita: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce and finish with a little chili oil instead of plain olive oil.
Pesto finish: Drizzle 1 tablespoon basil pesto over the pizza after adding the burrata for a greener, more herb-forward version.
Tomato lovers’ version: Add 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes on top of the sauce before baking, then season the finished pizza with an extra pinch of salt.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This pizza is best eaten right after the burrata is added, while the crust is crisp and the cheese is creamy. If you have leftovers, refrigerate slices in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until warmed through; the burrata will melt more fully and will not have the same fresh, creamy texture, but it will still taste good. The tomato sauce can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container. Pizza dough can be kept refrigerated according to its package instructions or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Nutrition (per serving)