This easy recipe is a classic for good reason and the perfect way to enjoy fresh produce straight out of the garden. Add in a side salad for a great meal!
Sure, pepperoni is great, but sometimes isn’t it nice to just go back to the basics? A classic, simple, Margherita Pizza recipe is just that.
What is Margherita Pizza?
Ingredients include homemade dough, pizza sauce, tomatoes, cheese, and fresh basil. For the dough use homemade but store-bought works well too! If you don’t have fresh basil, substitute a drizzle of pesto!
Fresh Toppings
These are the key components that make for a classic Margherita pizza. Basil and tomatoes are also great for growing in your garden (I grow my garden specifically for making fresh Margherita pizza and summer salads like my Macaroni salad). The tomatoes are added before cooking while we add the basil after cooking so it’s fresh.
How do you Make a Margherita Pizza?
Pizza Margherita should always start with a good classic pizza crust. I chose to use my favorite homemade pizza dough recipe, a simple recipe that doesn’t require any fancy ingredients and can be ready after just 5 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of rising. Of course, you can use a pre-made dough if you prefer or if you’re in a time crunch or even a cauliflower crust but with how simple my homemade recipe is I really hope you’ll give it a try! Once the dough is made, you’ll drizzle it generously with olive oil, add some marinara and well-minced garlic, a few slices of Roma/plum tomatoes, shreds of basil and plenty of mozzarella cheese. While you can use shredded mozzarella cheese for this recipe, for a classic Margherita recipe I really recommend using a block of mozzarella cheese and slicing that into rounds or wedges or squares and dotting the pieces generously over the pizza (see photo above).
Why is it Called Margherita Pizza
Margherita Pizza actually has an interesting namesake and was so named in honor of the Italian Queen consort, Margherita. Queen Margherita loved pizza (most of us can relate) and a famous pizza maker is said to have created this specific flavor in her honor. It also pays homage to the Italian flag, flaunting its colors proudly in the green basil, white mozzarella, and red tomato. Some people ask what is margarita pizza, but it IS Margherita Pizza!
Pizza Favorites
Pizza Grilled Cheese – two comfort food classics Quick No Fail Pizza Dough – easy to make! Pizza Rolls – perfect individual servings Pizza Waffles – just 3 ingredients! Cheesy Breakfast Pizza – grab-and-go breakfast
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