You’ve Been Making Pizza Wrong: How to Make Perfect Pizza from Scratch Like an Italian Nonna

Pizza is known for its simple and fresh ingredients: a basic dough, raw tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, you can combine the ingredients as you wish from Neapolitan Pizza to Carbonara and many more.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about making pizza from scratch. From kneading the dough to layering on your favourite toppings and enjoying the aroma as it bakes, homemade pizza is a rewarding and delicious experience. Unlike store-bought or takeaway options, making pizza at home allows you to customise every element, creating the perfect crust, sauce, and flavour combinations that suit your taste.

The beauty of homemade pizza lies in its simplicity. With just a few pantry staples – flour, yeast, water, olive oil, and salt – you can create a light, chewy, and crispy base that rivals any restaurant pizza. Pair it with a homemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and toppings like pepperoni, basil, mushrooms, or roasted vegetables for a meal that’s both comforting and impressive.

Whether you’re planning a casual family dinner, a fun weekend cooking project, or a pizza night with friends, making pizza from scratch is a great way to bring people together. It turns an ordinary meal into a joyful, hands-on experience that everyone will remember and request again.

Read here best Italian food, vegetarian food in Italy, best drinks in Italy and best breakfast in Italy

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Best Time To Eat

Homemade pizza is best enjoyed as a fun weekend lunch or dinner, movie night meal, or casual gathering dish, especially when you want to share something warm, customisable, and universally loved.

Best Dishes To Partner

Pair your homemade pizza with a fresh green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, garlic bread, or crispy potato wedges. For drinks, serve it with sparkling water with lemon, a cold beer, or a light red wine such as Chianti or Pinot Noir to complete your Italian-inspired meal.

Ask any Italian, and they’ll tell you—pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza. While global interpretations have created countless variations, purists believe pizza has specific rules: less is more. Overloaded toppings are frowned upon, and stuffed crusts are practically heresy. Even the way people eat pizza—folded, dipped, or topped with ranch—has sparked debates across cultures.

There’s also tension between authenticity and creativity. Many chefs are now blending traditional dough-making methods with bold, non-Italian ingredients. While some celebrate this as culinary evolution, others see it as a loss of cultural respect. The debate over what qualifies as “real” pizza isn’t just about food—it’s about identity.

How to Make Pizza From Scratch

Pizza Recipe Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
For the Sauce:

1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper

For the Toppings:

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings of your choice (pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, olives, etc.)
Fresh basil leaves (optional)

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Step By Step How to Make Pizza

Making the Dough

In a small bowl, combine the warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until the dough begins to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Making the Sauce

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

Assembling the Pizza

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats. Punch down the risen dough and divide it in half (this recipe makes two pizzas). Roll out each half on a floured surface to your desired thickness.

Place the rolled-out dough on a pizza peel or baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and add your favorite toppings. Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Serving

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired, slice, and enjoy!

Tips To Make Pizza

The dough should be slightly sticky but not too wet. Add flour gradually to achieve the right consistency. For a crispier crust, let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours after the initial rise.

Using a pizza stone helps achieve a crispy crust. Preheat the stone in the oven to ensure it’s hot when you place the pizza on it. If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend the crushed tomatoes before cooking.

How Many Calories Have Pizza

Here is a rough estimate for a basic cheese pizza (per slice, assuming 8 slices per pizza):

Dough: ~120 calories
Sauce: ~20 calories
Cheese: ~80 calories
Total per Slice: ~220 calories

Adding toppings like pepperoni, sausage, or extra cheese will increase the calorie count.

Serving Suggestions

Margherita Pizza: Fresh mozzarella, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil.

Pepperoni Pizza: Thinly sliced quality pepperoni with a light layer of mozzarella and a crisp, blistered crust.

White Pizza: No tomato sauce—just ricotta, mozzarella, garlic, and arugula after baking.

Vegetarian Pizza: Grilled zucchini, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms with a sprinkle of oregano.

Dessert Pizza: Nutella base, sliced bananas or strawberries, finished with powdered sugar.

Final Thoughts

Perfect pizza from scratch doesn’t require expensive tools or professional training—just patience, good ingredients, and a little respect for tradition. Once you understand the balance of texture, flavor, and timing, it becomes more than just a meal—it’s a craft. Try it once, and you may never look at frozen pizza the same way again.