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While takeout pizza might be fast, making pizza at home is easy and so much better. Learn how to make better-than-takeout pizza at home in under an hour! Once you know how to build and bake pizza and fix any common problems you’ll be making it at home all the time – no takeout needed.
Table of Contents
Pizza Dough 101
- Just need a fast recipe? Start here for the best pizza dough recipe! Use fast-acting yeast for a quick dough.
- That recipe is also great to make gluten-free pizza dough.
- Want to make pizza without yeast? Make no yeast pizza dough.
- For a single pizza, make this pizza dough recipe.
- You can also make deep dish pizza or french bread pizza!
- Make 2 ingredient pizza dough (also macro/weight watchers friendly)
- You know pizza dough is ready when the dough has been kneaded into a ball and is soft and elastic and passes the poke test: if it bounces back when poked with two fingers, it’s ready to go.
- You can also make easy homemade pizza with store bought dough – check the deli section for premade dough or even use a canned pizza dough.
Ultimate Pizza Dough Recipe
How to Shape Pizza Dough Without Tearing
- Make sure your dough is room temperature for optimal stretching. Cold dough is more likely to rip.
- Stretch it carefully and make sure it’s even – thin areas are more prone to rips.
- Use a rolling pin if it’s easier for you.
- Stretch your dough and make your pizza on parchment paper for easy transferring. You can also prevent sticking by dusting the pan with semolina flour or cornmeal.
Pizza Sauce Basics
- See my favorite no cook pizza sauce recipe: it’s easy and SO flavorful.
- I always drain my sauce so it doesn’t cause a soggy pizza.
- You can add as much or as little pizza sauce to your pizza dough but the more you add the soggier it might be.
- Instead of sauce, you can use barbecue sauce or pesto.
How to Bake Pizza Perfectly
You don’t need special equipment to make good homemade pizza.
The most important baking tip for pizza is baking it at a high temperature. Always bake pizza dough at 475°F or higher (depending on the recipe).
- You can use a cookie sheet or baking sheet, or a pizza stone if you have one.
- Place your pan or your stone in the oven while it’s preheating. Placing the dough on a hot pan will help crisp up the bottom.
- Cooking pizza at a hight temperature on a hot pan also helps avoid a soggy pizza.
- See below the recipe card for a pizza temperature and bake time chart.
Pizza Flavors
Basic Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pizza dough
- 1 recipe pizza sauce
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Assorted toppings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F. Place a pizza stone, pizza pan, or large cookie sheet in the oven.
- Make your dough. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Stretch your dough to desired size on the parchment paper (make sure it will fit on your stone or pan).
- Top with desired sauce and toppings.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully use a pizza peel or cutting board to transfer the pizza dough on the parchment to the hot pan. Be careful not to burn yourself.
- Cook pizza, depending on size and thickness, until the edges are golden and the center is cooked through. This can take anywhere from 8-15 minutes.
- Cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Nutrition
FAQs
For most home ovens, bake pizza at 475-550°F. Higher heat = better browning and crispier crust (as long as your toppings aren’t overloaded).
Most homemade pizzas bake in 7-15 minutes, depending on oven temp, crust thickness, size, and how many toppings. Pans can make a difference too.
Bake pizza in the lower-middle rack for crisp bottoms on a sheet pan or stone. If the top needs more browning, move it one rack higher for the last 1-2 minutes.
Preheat your stone for at least 30 minutes at a high temperature setting so it’s fully heated through.
Bake it hotter (475°F-550°F). Use a preheated stone or pan. Keep the sauce and toppings on the lighter size. If possible, finish directly on the oven rack for 1-2 minutes.
Most common causes are too much sauce, watery toppings, thick dough not baked long enough, or the oven not hot enough. Use less sauce, or if you’re using a thick crust, pre-cook it for 4 minutes before adding toppings.
Yes – parchment is great for transfer and prevents sticking.
Always pre-cook raw sausage, bacon, mushrooms, and any watery veggies. Pepperoni and most sliced veggies don’t usually need pre-cooking.
Use the air fryer or the skillet method (heat until crisp, then cover 1 minute to melt the cheese).
Freeze dough balls after rest or first rise. Thaw ovenight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before shaping.
Pizza Bake Time Chart (Home Oven)
| Pizza Style/Tool | Oven Temp | Preheat Notes | Bake Time | What You’re Looking For |
| Thin Crust (sheet pan) | 475°F-500°F | Preheat oven 20-30 minutes | 8-12 min | Deep golden edges, firm center |
| Thin Crust (stone) | 500°F-550°F | Preheat stone 30-60 minutes | 6-10 min | Spotty brown underside, bubbling cheese |
| Regular Crust (sheet pan) | 450°F-475°F | Preheat oven 20-30 minutes | 10-15 min | Fully set center, browned cheese |
| Regular Crust (stone) | 500°F-550°F | Preheat stone 30-60 minutes | 7-12 min | Crisp bottom + airy rim |
| Pan Pizza (cast iron) | 450°F-500°F | Pan should be oiled | 12-18 min | Fried-crisp bottom, edges browned |
| Deep Dish (thick crust) | 400°F-450°F | Consider foil if top browns easily | 20-35 min | Fully baked middle, bottom not pale |
| Par-baked Crust | 450°F-500°F | Bake crust alone first | 3-6 min par-bake + 6-10 min finish | Crust set before topping; prevents sogginess |
