For real. All you do is take a few ingredients, mix them with a little kneading, dump in a bowl to let rise. Less than an hour later you get no-fail homemade pizza dough, ready to be topped with EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!! Best is that this recipe creates the best pizza dough for 8 lovely thin crust pizzas so cook some now and you can save some for later. Batch cooking heaven. Related bread Recipe = No Yeast Irish Raisin Soda Bread!!!!!!! Kids loooooove helping with the mixing and measuring, making pizza and finally tucking into a warm cheesy pizza that they whipped up themselves. Making this authentic Italian Pizza Dough is a great rainy day activity, summer break treat or just perfect to entertain the kids when they’re stuck at home.
Why You’ll Love This
It is quick and easy to make. It’s made entirely with pantry staples. Feel free to mix it by hand or with a stand mixer. Easy to prep ahead for an affordable freezer-friendly meal. It is extremely adaptable, one crust base and soooooooooo many meals.
Great for an inexpensive treat, homemade takeaway, Italian themed dinner, pizza night, movie night and date night.
Recipe Tools
How to Make Italian Pizza Dough
How To Make Homemade Italian Pizza Dough By Hand
Combine 00 flour, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, herbs, and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl. Now make a well in the center of the mix. Add olive oil and warm water to the well. Mix all ingredients using a wooden spoon. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add in a few spoonfuls of water. Place mixture on a floured work surface and knead for about 3 minutes. It will be smooth and elastic at this point. Shape into a ball. Then cover with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place till it doubles in size (should take about 1-2 hours). At this point, the herb pizza dough is almost done. Place on a lightly floured surface and knead for a few seconds to remove the air. Next, divide it into 8 portions for thin crust pizzas, or 4 portions for thick crust pizzas. Roll one portion out into a pizza shape. You are now ready to make your pizza (read below for instructions).
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An awesome Stand Mixer. 8 qt Instant Pot.
I use and love the 8 qt, extra Instant Pot Insert & sealing ring.
3 qt Instant Pot or 6 qt Instant Pot depending on family size. Handy spatula. These awesome measuring jugs or cups. Measuring teaspoons. Sea Salt Flakes <= amazing salt that makes your food taste good. Try my favorite spice kit for different flavors on your recipes. Bowls with covers.
For storing your leftover food.
Make With A Stand Mixer
Step 1. To a mixer bowl, add flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt and mixed herbs (optional). Attach the dough hook. Step 2. Make a well in the center of the mix, add in olive oil and warm water, then turn on the mixer. Step 3. Keep the mixer running until dough is smooth and elastic. (If the mixture is too dry, add in a few spoonfuls of water.) Step 4. Lightly flour the mixing bowl, place the dough inside, dust the top with flour and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Step 5. Leave the dough and let it rise to double in size. This takes about 1 hour in a warm place. Step 6. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knock it and knead for a few seconds to remove air. Step 7. Split the dough into 8 portions. Form into balls and roll out into a pizza shape.
Your dough is done, so now you can add toppings of your choosing (see the next section for a few ideas), bake and enjoy.
Make and Proof Pizza Dough In the Instant Pot
Combine flour, flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt, herbs in a large bowl. Now make a well in the center of the mixture and then add olive oil and water. Mix everything with a wooden spoon. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add in a few spoonfuls of water. Place your Dough on a floured work surface and knead for about 3 minutes. It will be smooth and elastic at this point. Shape into a ball, oil your Instant Pot Insert and add into the insert. Close the Instant Pot, choose the yogurt setting, normal pressure and set the time for 1 hour (it actually takes between 50-60 minutes to rise). Remove the Instant Pot Pizza Dough, and then divide it into 4 portions for 4 thin crust pizzas, or into 2 portions for 2 thick crust pizzas. Roll out one portion into a pizza shape. Now you’re ready to make pizza (see the instructions further below).
Your dough is done, so now you can add toppings of your choosing (see the next section for a few ideas), bake and enjoy.
Bake Your Pizza Crust
Preheat the oven to 470F/ fan-assisted 22oC / 240C/ gas 8, with a pizza stone or with a baking tray lined with aluminum foil inside it. Roll out the pizza dough and prick with a fork. Remove the pizza stone or baking tray from the oven, and transfer the pizza crust dough onto it (you will need one tray or stone per pizza). Bake for 4-5 minutes, then remove from the oven and top with pizza sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice. Return to the oven and bake for another 4-5 minutes, or until pizza crust is golden and crispy and cheese is nice and melted.
Recipe Tips
Stickier dough makes for a lighter fluffier pizza crust. I find that the pizza dough is ready at about 50 minutes, so you can check the dough at that time. You can also use cornmeal or polenta to dust the Instant Pot pizza crust as you roll it out. If you don’t have a pizza stone or pizza oven, then bake the pizza crust for 5 minutes first before adding the topping and continuing (this is what I normally do).
Cooking Tips
My failsafe method of avoiding a soggy pizza crust is to prick the dough with a fork and then bake it plain for 5 mins before adding any toppings (especially if you don’t have a pizza stone). However, you can add your toppings directly to the rolled crust if you prefer but may end up with a slightly soggier pizza crust. Don’t over-top your pizza, and especially don’t overdo it with the tomato sauce. Less is more when it comes to the toppings. If using freshly torn herbs, it is best to add those after cooking for maximum flavor.
Recipe Variations
You add herbs and spices to add extra flavor into the crust. Additions can include Individual herbs => Oregano, thyme, parsley and basil or red pepper flakes. Seasoning blends => Italian Seasoning, Greek Seasoning or Tuscan Seasoning.
Meal Prep & Prep Ahead
With this recipe, you will have created the dough for 8 thin crust pizzas. It’s the perfect recipe to enjoy now and again in the future. I love to make batches and batches of it, freeze it and whip it out when I need beans for other meals. Prep Ahead – The dough will last in the fridge for 24 hrs. Wrap individual portions in cling film. Freeze – If you don’t plan to use it all within 24 hrs, freeze the remainder by following these steps:
Wrap each portion in plastic film and then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags. Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags. Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer. Store in the freezer for 3 months. It will defrost in only 1-2 hours.
Toppings
You can pretty much top this easy Pizza Dough with anything and everything. Favorites around here include:
artichokes roasted peppers anchovies eggs salami ham chili oil jalapeño pastrami pineapple mushrooms chicken pesto sun-dried tomatoes onions
FAQs
What Is The Best Flour To Use?
I think the best flour to use is either all-purpose – bread flour and “00” Italian flour. A combination of the two works really well too.
More Pizza Recipes
Instant Pot Chilli and Herb Pizza Dough recipe. Air Fryer Pita Bread Pizza. Grilled Peach, Cherry and Parma Ham Pizza (the mini chefs looooove making fruity pizzas; omit the herbs in the dough if you want to add fruity toppings) Summer Pesto Pizza with Tomatoes
Weight Watchers Points
There are 14 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
Thank you for reading my how to make pizza dough recipe post. And please visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
Original post Feb 2014, updated Jan 2018, and March 2020
