Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on Oct 10, 2025 This classic Neapolitan-style pizza dough recipe makes the best pizza crust that’s lightly crisp around the edges, chewy, and perfect to top with authentic Margherita pizza toppings like homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
We all know that there is pizza, like what you get delivered when you have zero time… And then there is pizza, a long-beloved food that is both casual and complex, rustic yet impressive… if it is made right.
Neapolitan pizza is known as the very first pizza recipe, originally made in the late 1800’s in Naples, Italy. Pizza Napoletana is considered perfect by any standard, and its simplicity is what makes it truly timeless! Today we are sharing with you the foundation for this authentic Italian dish – The recipe starts with a genuine Neapolitan pizza dough that bakes up unbelievably crisp, soft, and chewy, every time.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough Recipe
- Make ahead – The dough needs to proof in the fridge for at least 12 hours, and can be made weeks in advance and frozen. So it’s terrific to get started the day before you plan to bake, or even earlier at your convenience.
- The perfect crust – Neapolitan pizza should be between a thin crust and what we think of as a “regular” crust. This recipe yields dough that stretches beautifully and bakes into a crust with a texture that is both crispy and slightly chewy. Pure amore!
- Complete Pizza Napolentana recipe – After making the best pizza dough, we show you how to stretch it out and load it up with traditional Margherita pizza toppings, including a homemade tomato sauce, thick slices of mozzarella cheese, olive oil and fresh basil.
I’m sure the Neapolitan Pizza Association (A.K.A AVPN and yup, it’s real and a very big deal!) will agree, this simple recipe is sure to elevate your weekend pizza nights!
Ingredients and Tips
- Neapolitan pizza dough – Authentic Napoletana dough is made with 4 basic ingredients: Bread flour, warm water, dry active yeast, and salt.
- Homemade pizza sauce – All you need are canned plum tomatoes, salt, and pepper for a classic tomato sauce.
- Cheese – This recipe includes thick slices of buffalo mozzarella cheese and fresh grated parmesan cheese.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use a high-quality EVOO for the best taste and smooth texture.
- Fresh basil – Baby basil leaves are light and vibrant, perfect for finishing the baked cheesy pizza.
- Cornmeal – You need only a bit of coarse cornmeal to help the pizza slide off the baking sheet and not stick to the hot surface.
Recipe Variations
- All-purpose flour – AP flour will do if you don’t have 00 bread flour. It just might make the Neapolitan pizza crust thinner and not as puffy.
- Tomato sauce – In a pinch, feel free to use canned or jarred pizza sauce.
- Dairy-free – I haven’t tested it, but you can try substituting traditional mozzarella and parmesan cheeses with your favorite plant-based options for a nondairy and vegan pizza recipe.
- Toppings – Make this recipe with any of your favorite pizza toppings like pepperoni or cooked sausage, mushrooms, peppers, olives, or whatever you prefer.
How to Make Homemade Neapolitan Pizza
Tip for Success – We smoosh our plum tomatoes by hand over a sieve, but you can puree them in a food processor or blender if you prefer.
Find the full Neapolitan Pizza Dough recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Keep leftover pizza in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – I recommend freezing the Neapolitan dough only after loading it with toppings and baking. You can roll it out into a circle on a baking sheet, then flash freeze for about an hour. Once it is frozen solid, wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by one or two layers of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge for several hours before adding toppings and baking.
- Reheating – Our favorite method to reheat pizza is in the air fryer. It gets the crust crispy and cheese melted without drying out! Alternatively, you can bake the pizza at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy slices of warm pizza with gooey, melty cheese alongside a crisp green salad for a bit of balance. Or if you keep your pizza classic Margherita-style, you might want a meaty and heavy-loaded Italian antipasto salad on the side!
Can’t get enough carbs? I certainly don’t blame you! Although you probably won’t find this combination in Italy, in the US it’s pretty common to have pizza and breadsticks at the same meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you technically can! Roll it out thin as we’ve described here to make a thin, chewier crust like a Pizza Napoletana. Then add on the same Margherita toppings and you’re in business!
This recipe makes 2 small-to-medium pizzas, each with 6 slices. So in total you have 12 slices, which is about perfect for 4-6 people.
Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Neapolitan Pizza Dough –
- 2+ cups bread flour
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
For the Neapolitan Pizza Sauce –
- 28 ounce can plum tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
For the Neapolitan Pizza Toppings –
- 2 balls buffalo mozzarella cheese about 1 lb
- 6 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12-18 basil leaves
- Cornmeal for the pans
Instructions
For the pizza dough:
- Start a day in advance if possible. The longer the pizza dough rests the better it stretches and rises. Place the yeast in an electric mixing bowl with a bread hook attachment. Pour 1/4 cup of warm water over the yeast and swirl. Allow the mixture to foam for 10 minutes. (Make sure the water is just above room temperature, not hot, or you will kill the yeast.)
- Then add the remaining 1/2 cup of water and salt. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add 2 cups of bread flour. Allow the mixer to run until the flour is well combined and the hook is kneading the dough. The dough should be very sticky, but still firm enough to pick up. Add a little more flour if needed. Let the mixer knead the dough for another 5-10 minutes.
- Cover the mixing bowl and let the dough rise for 2 hours. Once the dough has doubled in size dump it out on a floured work surface and cut it into two 8-ounce pieces. Roll the ends under to create round balls. Then wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, if possible.
For the tomato sauce:
- Place a sieve over a mixing bowl. Drain the tomatoes. Discard the tomato juices from the can. Then press the tomatoes through the mesh strainer to make a thin sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir. Then taste, and season the sauce again if needed. (If in a hurry, place the drained tomatoes in the blender and puree.)
- Preheat the oven to 550 degrees F, or a grill to 650-800 degrees F. Place a pizza stone in the oven (or on the grill) to preheat.
Prep the crusts:
- Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to 12 to 13-inch circles. You can also use your hands to gently stretch the dough. Sprinkle cornmeal on two flat baking sheets and place the dough circles on the pans.
Top the pizzas:
- Use a ladle to spoon tomato sauce onto the pizza dough. Spread the sauce in a thin even layer, leaving a 1-inch rim around the edges.
- Slice the mozzarella balls into ¼ inch rounds. Arrange the mozzarella slices around the pizza crusts. Then sprinkle 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese on top of each pizza. Gently stretch the pizzas back out, being careful to leave a good bit of edge around the rim. This helps create the thin bottom and raised edge.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over each pizza. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake the pizzas:
- Slide the pizza off the baking sheet onto the hot stone. (The cornmeal helps with sliding.)
- Bake for 5-7 minutes until the edges are golden. If grilling, cook for 3-5 minutes. (Cook one at a time if you only have one baking stone.)
- Once the pizza crusts are golden and the cheese is melty, remove from the oven and arrange fresh basil leaves over the top. Cut and serve.
Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Keep leftover pizza in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – I recommend only freezing the Neapolitan pizza dough before loading with toppings and baking. You can roll it out into a circle on a baking sheet, then flash freeze for about an hour. Once it is frozen solid, wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer or two of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge for several hours before adding toppings and baking.
- Reheating – Our favorite method to reheat pizza is in the air fryer. It gets the crust crispy and cheese melted without drying out! Alternatively you can bake the pizza at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
