Cheesy Homemade Pizza
Ah, there’s nothing more satisfying than a slice of fresh, homemade pizza! The beautiful baked-to-perfection homemade crust, the layers of different cheese, the toppings that make it all come together. You will feel like you’ve mastered an Italian cooking class right at home after you taste this easy and delicious Cheesy Homemade Pizza!
Prep: 40 m • Preheat: 450° • Yields: 8 slices
*It may seem like a lot of steps, but I promise it’s easy! Just follow along and you’ll have yourself a Cheesy Homemade Pizza!*
Cheesy goodness
I absolutely LOVE cheese - it compliments so many dishes, but for pizza, I love to layer it on! I like to use a variety of cheeses — depending on my mood. For this recipe, I went with mozzarella, parmesan, and mild cheddar. Normally, I would use asiago or provolone instead of the mild cheddar. Or go crazy and do a 4 cheese pizza with mozzarella, parmesan, asiago, and provolone!
Preparing the dough
The dough is the most important part of the pizza! If it’s not right, the whole thing won’t be! So, you have to make sure that when making the dough you make it perfectly. It’s actually simpler than you may think!
If you have a KitchenAid Mixer, I’m not going to lie — it’ll be SO much easier for you. If you don’t, that’s totally okay (although investing in one is extremely worth it)! You’ll have a little more work to do, but it’ll all come out perfectly delicious!
If you have a KitchenAid Mixer, I’m not going to lie — it’ll be SO much easier for you. If you don’t, that’s totally okay (although investing in one is extremely worth it)! You’ll have a little more work to do, but it’ll all come out perfectly delicious!
Toppings
Picking your toppings is an important step. Whatever you choose will determine how your pizza will taste, so be sure to choose toppings that will compliment each other! My all-time favorite toppings are simple: bell peppers, basil, and black olives. My husband loves pineapple 🍍 pizza (totally gross to me) and he also likes buffalo or BBQ chicken pizza as well! You can totally do that with this pizza - just buy rotisserie chicken, shred it, and spin it with some sauce! Or you can go for a veggie pizza with mushrooms, onions, peppers, broccoli (jk)! The world is yours.
Plan to make the dough in advance
You will need time for the dough to rise for at least 1.5 hours, so plan to give yourself time before making this delicious pizza! Or, you could do what I did, and make the dough the night before and let it rise over night. That way it’ll be ready to go when you’re ready to make the pizza! And don’t worry, there aren’t eggs in the dough so it’s perfectly safe for it to stay out on the counter over night!
Make more than one pizza
This recipe technically makes one thick-crust pizza. However, if you’re more of a thin-crust person, you can totally do that! Simply slice the dough in half after it has risen and roll out each one into separate thin circles to bake as thin-crust pizzas! Ta-da!
What you need
Homemade Dough
Homemade Sauce (optional)
Note: You can simply buy one jar of pizza sauce if you’d prefer to skip this step!
Toppings
Note: You could adjust toppings and cheese according to your preference! Just follow the same steps for the olive oil and garlic salt.
- 3.5 - 4 cups flour + more for rolling
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil + more for rest bowl
- 1.5 cups lukewarm water
Homemade Sauce (optional)
- 1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
Note: You can simply buy one jar of pizza sauce if you’d prefer to skip this step!
Toppings
- 3 tbsp olive oil, for brushing
- 1 tsp garlic salt, for crust
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Mild cheddar cheese (only a sprinkle)
- 1/3 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/3 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 cup black olives
Note: You could adjust toppings and cheese according to your preference! Just follow the same steps for the olive oil and garlic salt.
The Method
STEP 1: THE HOMEMADE DOUGH
Without KitchenAid Mixer:
If you’re more of a visual person, click here to watch a video on how to work the dough with your hands but using my exact measurements. It’s really simple! So don’t give up.
OR you can read these instructions below:
1. Use your kitchen counter as a workspace. Make sure that you freshly clean the counter and dry it completely! Dust with flour.
2. Start with piling 3.5 cups flour on the workspace. Add 1 tsp sugar and 2 tsp salt to the flour and combine evenly with your hands. Then, make a divot in the middle about 4-5 inches wide (the flour should make a wall around the circle). You should be able to see your workspace in the middle, but some flour should still be in the center. Pour the 2 tbsp olive oil in the center.
3. In a measuring cup, add the 1.5 cups lukewarm water and mix in the 2 tsp yeast until it foams up. Then, slowly pour a little bit of the foamy water in the divot. Take in a little flour at a time in the center, folding it into the foamy water using your hands. Fold until it becomes a little doughy. Add a little more foamy water and continue taking in a little more flour a little at a time. Do this until there is no more foamy water left. Begin to knead the dough until it is soft and there are no more bubbles! Your hands might get sticky — that’s okay! Use as much flour on your hands and workspace as you need to make it less sticky.
4. Once dough is nice and soft, form it into a perfectly round ball and give it a few pats! Take a large bowl and grease it all with some more olive oil. The dough will double in size (or even more, if overnight), so be sure to grease the entire inside of the bowl!
5. Cover with a clean towel and set aside in a warm place (kitchen counter is fine) for at least 1.5 hours. Overnight works fine too (there aren’t any eggs in this dough)!
6. Next step will be after the KitchenAid Mixer directions!
With KitchenAid Mixer:
1. Add the 3.5 cups flour, 1 tsp sugar, and 2 tsp salt to the bowl. With the dough hook, allow it to combine the dry ingredients on a low speed for about 30 seconds.
2. In a measuring cup, add 1.5 cups lukewarm water and 2 tsp dry active yeast. Stir well until water gets foamy! Turn mixer on a low speed and slowly pour the foamy water in the bowl a little at a time.
3. Then, add in the 2 tbsp olive oil and allow it to hook the dough on a low-medium speed for a minute or until the sides of the bowl are wiped clean. The hook should be holding all the dough together in a circling motion.
4. Clean a large workspace dry and dust with flour. Dust your hands with flour and place dough on counter. Firmly knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes, or until the dough does not have anymore air pockets. Use as much flour as you need to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands or the surface.
5. Once the dough is nice and smooth, shape it into a round ball, pat it a few times, and dust it with some flour. Grease a large bowl with olive oil (be sure to get all sides since it will double or more in size). Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a clean towel.
6. Allow the dough to rest in a warm place (the counter is fine) for at least 1.5 hours. It’s okay to have it rest overnight since there aren’t any eggs!
Without KitchenAid Mixer:
If you’re more of a visual person, click here to watch a video on how to work the dough with your hands but using my exact measurements. It’s really simple! So don’t give up.
OR you can read these instructions below:
1. Use your kitchen counter as a workspace. Make sure that you freshly clean the counter and dry it completely! Dust with flour.
2. Start with piling 3.5 cups flour on the workspace. Add 1 tsp sugar and 2 tsp salt to the flour and combine evenly with your hands. Then, make a divot in the middle about 4-5 inches wide (the flour should make a wall around the circle). You should be able to see your workspace in the middle, but some flour should still be in the center. Pour the 2 tbsp olive oil in the center.
3. In a measuring cup, add the 1.5 cups lukewarm water and mix in the 2 tsp yeast until it foams up. Then, slowly pour a little bit of the foamy water in the divot. Take in a little flour at a time in the center, folding it into the foamy water using your hands. Fold until it becomes a little doughy. Add a little more foamy water and continue taking in a little more flour a little at a time. Do this until there is no more foamy water left. Begin to knead the dough until it is soft and there are no more bubbles! Your hands might get sticky — that’s okay! Use as much flour on your hands and workspace as you need to make it less sticky.
4. Once dough is nice and soft, form it into a perfectly round ball and give it a few pats! Take a large bowl and grease it all with some more olive oil. The dough will double in size (or even more, if overnight), so be sure to grease the entire inside of the bowl!
5. Cover with a clean towel and set aside in a warm place (kitchen counter is fine) for at least 1.5 hours. Overnight works fine too (there aren’t any eggs in this dough)!
6. Next step will be after the KitchenAid Mixer directions!
With KitchenAid Mixer:
1. Add the 3.5 cups flour, 1 tsp sugar, and 2 tsp salt to the bowl. With the dough hook, allow it to combine the dry ingredients on a low speed for about 30 seconds.
2. In a measuring cup, add 1.5 cups lukewarm water and 2 tsp dry active yeast. Stir well until water gets foamy! Turn mixer on a low speed and slowly pour the foamy water in the bowl a little at a time.
3. Then, add in the 2 tbsp olive oil and allow it to hook the dough on a low-medium speed for a minute or until the sides of the bowl are wiped clean. The hook should be holding all the dough together in a circling motion.
4. Clean a large workspace dry and dust with flour. Dust your hands with flour and place dough on counter. Firmly knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes, or until the dough does not have anymore air pockets. Use as much flour as you need to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands or the surface.
5. Once the dough is nice and smooth, shape it into a round ball, pat it a few times, and dust it with some flour. Grease a large bowl with olive oil (be sure to get all sides since it will double or more in size). Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a clean towel.
6. Allow the dough to rest in a warm place (the counter is fine) for at least 1.5 hours. It’s okay to have it rest overnight since there aren’t any eggs!
STEP 2: THE HOMEMADE SAUCE
You can skip this step if you decide to purchase a jar of pizza sauce from your grocery store.
1. While your dough is resting, begin making your sauce. In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion. Sauté until transparent and fragrant.
2. Add in diced Roma tomatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes. Pour in the can of tomato sauce, stirring for about a minute.
3. Add in the salt, black pepper, sugar, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well and turn down the heat to allow it to simmer for 45 minutes. These 45 minutes will allow the flavor to BOOM!
STEP 3: THE PIZZA
We’re finally at the funnest part!
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Dust a clean workspace and dust with flour. Carefully take the dough out of the bowl and place on the counter.
With a rolling pin:
2a. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough motioning forward and picking up the rolling pin, motioning forward again. Do this in all directions! When you need to roll out the dough at the bottom, motion the rolling pin toward you, picking it up, and motioning it toward you again. You may need to continue dusting the workspace with flour if it gets too sticky! Roll the dough out until it’s an even circle (or oval).
Without a rolling pin:
2b. All you have to do is simply use the ball of your hands to push into the dough and slowly spread the dough out in all directions until you get it in an even circle (or oval). You may need to continue dusting the workspace with flour if it gets too sticky!
3. Once the dough is nicely rolled out (it doesn’t have to be a perfect circle), grease your pizza pan with olive oil or a nonstick spray.
You can skip this step if you decide to purchase a jar of pizza sauce from your grocery store.
1. While your dough is resting, begin making your sauce. In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion. Sauté until transparent and fragrant.
2. Add in diced Roma tomatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes. Pour in the can of tomato sauce, stirring for about a minute.
3. Add in the salt, black pepper, sugar, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well and turn down the heat to allow it to simmer for 45 minutes. These 45 minutes will allow the flavor to BOOM!
STEP 3: THE PIZZA
We’re finally at the funnest part!
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Dust a clean workspace and dust with flour. Carefully take the dough out of the bowl and place on the counter.
With a rolling pin:
2a. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough motioning forward and picking up the rolling pin, motioning forward again. Do this in all directions! When you need to roll out the dough at the bottom, motion the rolling pin toward you, picking it up, and motioning it toward you again. You may need to continue dusting the workspace with flour if it gets too sticky! Roll the dough out until it’s an even circle (or oval).
Without a rolling pin:
2b. All you have to do is simply use the ball of your hands to push into the dough and slowly spread the dough out in all directions until you get it in an even circle (or oval). You may need to continue dusting the workspace with flour if it gets too sticky!
3. Once the dough is nicely rolled out (it doesn’t have to be a perfect circle), grease your pizza pan with olive oil or a nonstick spray.
4. Carefully carry over your dough onto the pan and press the dough evenly across. Shape the dough to fit the pan.
5. Begin making a crust by simply pinching the edges together (it doesn’t have to be perfect). Then, evenly brush olive oil all over the dough.
5. Begin making a crust by simply pinching the edges together (it doesn’t have to be perfect). Then, evenly brush olive oil all over the dough.
6. Bake the crust alone by 6-7 minutes (this allows the dough to get a head start before being weighed down with toppings). If the dough comes out with a couple bubbles, that’s okay! Don’t pop them!
7. Begin by adding your sauce by pouring a laddle in the center and spreading across the dough with the back of your laddle or spoon. Make sure you spread the sauce evenly and all the way to the crust.
8. After spreading the sauce across evenly, begin sprinkling your favorite cheese mixture. Start by covering the sauce with one at a time (if you’re using cheddar, only use a tiny bit of it around the pizza).
Don’t leave any sauce visible! Unless you prefer less cheese, of course. But it’s called Cheesy Homemade Pizza for a reason!
Don’t leave any sauce visible! Unless you prefer less cheese, of course. But it’s called Cheesy Homemade Pizza for a reason!
9. After your cheese, begin adding whatever toppings you prefer. I prefer bell peppers, basil, and black olives!
10. After your toppings, brush a little more olive oil along the crust (this will help achieve a golden crust). Then, sprinkle garlic salt around your crust!
11. Pop the pizza in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. At 15 minutes, carefully use tongs to lift up the pizza to ensure it isn’t burnt, depending on your oven. It should be a little golden. Continue to bake for another few more minutes until the crust is perfectly golden and the cheese is a little bubbly.
12. When it’s done, allow the pizza to cool down for about 15 minutes or so. Slice into 8 pieces, and finally....
Enjoy!
