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Homemade pizza dough base.

The Best Easy Italian Pizza Dough

This is THE BEST Italian pizza dough you will ever make. Easy to make without a mixer, and it bakes up with a crispy base and a chewy crumb. Load on all your favorite toppings or keep it simple with cheese and tomato sauce.
4.50 from 20 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
resting time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 Bases
Calories: 760kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer place the flour, yeast, and sea salt. Measure out the water and ensure that it is warm- 110ºF or 43ºC. Pour the olive oil into the water and whisk.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour and pour half the water mixture in. Start to mix the dough with your hands or the dough hook if using the mixture. Continue adding the water slowly, until the dough comes together into a shaggy but not sticky dough. If making by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. If using a mixer set the speed to medium/low and mix with the dough hook for 5 minutes.
    The dough should be smooth and springy when it's kneaded correctly. If the dough doesn't spring back when gently pressed, continue to knead for a further 2-3 minutes.
  • Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and leave covered in a warm place to prove for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size. If your kitchen is cold this may take up to 1 hour.
    Once the dough has proved, knock the air out and divide it into 4 balls of dough. Freeze whatever dough you don't use, wrapping it in plastic wrap or a freezer bag.
  • Press the remaining dough out on a lightly floured surface, being sure to start from the center of the dough and work your way outwards. If you love a fluffy crust, then be sure to leave a ½ inch border around the edge of the pizza base.
  • Gently place the pizza base on a lined baking tray and top it with your preferred sauce and toppings. Or use a pizza stone to bake your pizza.
    Bake in a 400ºF oven for about 12-15 minutes.

Notes

  1. Use your hands rather than a rolling pin to push the dough out on the baking tray or worktop. This will ensure a more rustic and authentic pizza base. 
  2. Kneading this dough properly is the most crucial step. If you don't have a stand mixer continue to knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic. *Dough that hasn't been kneaded properly will result in a dry, tough and crumbly base because the gluten strands haven't been developed enough to create a chewy pizza crust.
  3. Temperature matters! The hotter your oven goes, the better homemade pizza will be. Domestic ovens can't come close to the heat of a proper wood-fired oven, but a hot oven and a pizza stone will go a very long way to make it worth the effort.
  4. The nutrition calculations are per pizza base which is usually a pizzeria medium. 

Nutrition

Calories: 760kcal | Carbohydrates: 131g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 8mg
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