Classic Neapolitan Margherita Pizza With Fresh Mozzarella

Imperial June 1, 2026June 1, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 2 thin 10- to 12-inch pizzas; 4 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 26 hours 20 minutes, including 24-hour cold ferment and 90-minute room-temperature proof

Quick Ingredients

Dough: 500g “00” flour or bread flour, 325g warm water, 10g fine sea salt, 2g instant yeast
Sauce: 1 can (14 oz / 400g) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Toppings: 8 oz fresh mozzarella di bufala, drained and torn; 16 fresh basil leaves; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For shaping: 2 tablespoons flour or fine semolina, as needed

Do This

1. Mix flour, water, yeast, and salt into a soft dough; knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Cover and refrigerate the dough for exactly 24 hours.
3. Divide into 2 dough balls and proof at room temperature for 90 minutes.
4. Preheat a pizza stone or steel at 550°F for 45 minutes.
5. Crush San Marzano tomatoes with salt; drain and tear the mozzarella.
6. Stretch each dough ball, add sauce, mozzarella, and olive oil, then bake each pizza for 6 to 7 minutes.
7. Finish with torn basil and a final small drizzle of olive oil before slicing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic and simple: Just tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and a chewy blistered crust.
Big flavor from a short ingredient list: San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala do most of the work.
Home-oven friendly: A very hot pizza stone or steel helps create that pizzeria-style char and chew.
Make-ahead dough: The 24-hour cold ferment builds flavor while you do almost nothing.

Grocery List

Produce: Fresh basil leaves
Dairy: Fresh mozzarella di bufala
Pantry: “00” flour or bread flour, whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, fine sea salt, instant yeast, extra virgin olive oil, flour or fine semolina for shaping

Full Ingredients

For the Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough

500g “00” flour or bread flour, plus more for dusting
325g warm water, 95°F to 100°F
10g fine sea salt
2g instant yeast, about 3/4 teaspoon

For the San Marzano Tomato Sauce

1 can (14 oz / 400g) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Toppings

8 oz fresh mozzarella di bufala, drained for 30 minutes and torn into bite-size pieces
16 fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons flour or fine semolina, for dusting the peel or board

Classic Neapolitan Margherita Pizza With Fresh Mozzarella – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix the dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine 325g warm water and 2g instant yeast. Add 500g flour and mix with a sturdy spoon or your hand until no dry flour remains. Let the shaggy dough rest for 10 minutes so the flour can hydrate, then sprinkle in 10g fine sea salt.

Knead the dough in the bowl or on a clean counter for 8 to 10 minutes, until it becomes smoother, elastic, and slightly tacky. It should feel soft but not soupy. If it sticks heavily to your hands, dust with just 1 teaspoon of flour at a time; too much flour can make the crust dense.

Step 2: Cold ferment for deep flavor

Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a lightly covered container or bowl. Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for exactly 24 hours. This slow cold ferment develops a more complex flavor and helps the crust bake up chewy, airy, and lightly blistered.

Step 3: Divide and proof the dough

Remove the dough from the refrigerator 90 minutes before baking. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces, about 418g each. Shape each piece into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath until the top is smooth.

Place the dough balls on a lightly floured tray, leaving space between them. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for 90 minutes. The dough should relax, lose its chill, and feel soft and puffy when gently touched.

Step 4: Preheat the oven and baking surface

Place a pizza stone or pizza steel on the upper-middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 550°F for 45 minutes. If your oven only reaches 500°F, preheat it to 500°F for the same amount of time and plan to bake the pizzas for 8 to 10 minutes instead of 6 to 7 minutes.

For extra blistering in a standard home oven, switch the oven to broil for the final 1 minute of each pizza, watching closely to prevent burning. The goal is a deeply browned crust with small charred spots, not a uniformly pale crust.

Step 5: Make the tomato sauce and prepare the toppings

Pour the San Marzano tomatoes into a bowl. Crush them gently by hand until you have a loose, rustic sauce with some small tomato pieces remaining. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Do not cook the sauce; the fresh tomato flavor is part of what makes Margherita pizza taste so clean and classic.

Drain the mozzarella di bufala for 30 minutes, then pat it gently with paper towels and tear it into bite-size pieces. This step matters because fresh mozzarella contains a lot of moisture, and draining it helps keep the center of the pizza from turning watery.

Step 6: Stretch the first pizza

Lightly dust a pizza peel, inverted baking sheet, or wooden board with flour or fine semolina. Place one dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Using your fingertips, press from the center outward, leaving a 1/2-inch rim untouched for the crust. Flip the dough once or twice as you work, adding only a tiny amount of flour if needed.

Gently stretch the dough into a 10- to 12-inch round. Avoid using a rolling pin, which can press out the air bubbles that create a light, chewy rim. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.

Step 7: Top the pizza simply

Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared peel or board. Spread about 1/3 cup of the crushed tomato sauce over the center, leaving the raised rim bare. Scatter half of the torn mozzarella over the sauce. Drizzle with about 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Give the peel a gentle shake before baking to make sure the pizza slides freely. If any area sticks, lift that edge carefully and dust a little more flour or semolina underneath.

Step 8: Bake, finish, and repeat

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or steel. Bake at 550°F for 6 to 7 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the crust is puffed, blistered, and browned in spots and the mozzarella is soft and melted. If using the broiler, broil for the final 1 minute only, watching constantly.

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Immediately add half of the torn basil leaves and another light drizzle of olive oil, about 2 teaspoons. Let the pizza rest for 1 minute, then slice. Repeat with the second dough ball and remaining toppings.

Pro Tips

Use less sauce than you think: A true Margherita pizza is lightly sauced. Too much tomato can weigh down the crust and make the center soggy.
Drain fresh mozzarella well: Mozzarella di bufala is wonderfully creamy, but it needs a short drain so it melts cleanly instead of flooding the pizza.
Heat is everything: Preheating the stone or steel for the full 45 minutes helps the bottom crust cook quickly and develop a crisp-chewy texture.
Keep the rim untouched: When stretching the dough, avoid pressing down the outer edge. That airy border becomes the puffy, blistered cornicione.
Add basil after baking: Fresh basil keeps its bright flavor and color better when scattered on the hot pizza just after it comes out of the oven.

Variations

Fior di latte Margherita: Use fresh cow’s milk mozzarella instead of mozzarella di bufala for a slightly milder, less tangy pizza.
Garlic tomato version: Stir 1 small finely grated garlic clove into the crushed tomatoes for a more aromatic sauce, though it will be less traditional.
Spicy Margherita: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes over each pizza before baking for gentle heat.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Margherita pizza is best eaten right after baking, while the crust is blistered and the mozzarella is soft. Leftover slices can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a hot skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or in a 425°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until the crust crisps again. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it makes the crust soft and chewy in the wrong way.

The dough can be made up to 48 hours ahead and kept refrigerated after mixing. For the best balance of flavor and easy handling, use it after 24 hours. The tomato sauce can be crushed and salted up to 2 days ahead, then refrigerated in a covered container. Drain and tear the mozzarella the day you bake for the freshest texture.

Nutrition (per serving)