This is the BEST Homemade Pizza recipe. You’ll be craving this pizza weekly! Learn my tips and tricks, and you’ll be making pizza like a pro in no time!
Making this perfect homemade pizza recipe is cost-effective, and in my opinion, the taste and quality of ingredients are better than picking up a pizza from a pizza chain. This recipe costs about $7.22, makes two 14-inch pies, and serves 6-8 people. That is only $1.20 per serving!
Nothing beats pizza night. For more fun pizza options, try this Strawberry Pizza with Bacon and Balsamic, this BBQ Chicken Pizza, and this Fruit Pizza for dessert!
Table of contents
I have been trying to make the perfect homemade pizza for years now! I’ve been playing around with the recipe for a while now. Today I present to you pepperoni pizza perfection!
Yesterday, I posted my all-time favorite Pizza Dough Recipe along with the methods, tips, and tricks that I’ve learned along the way after years of making it. Last week, I posted my Copycat Pizzeria Pizza Sauce recipe, and today I’m putting it all together with this Homemade Pizza Recipe!
Ingredients and Cost
Per Serving Cost: $1.20
Recipe Cost: $7.22
- 1 recipe pizza dough – $1.23
- 1 teaspoon yellow cornmeal – $0.01
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil – $0.14
- 1 recipe pizza sauce – $1.95
- 40 pepperoni slices – $0.80
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese – $0.99
- 2 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese – $2.10
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.
Pizza Stone Instructions
- First, prepare the pizza dough recipe. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Next, place parchment paper on top of the pizza peel and sprinkle cornmeal over the top. Then move one dough ball to the pizza peel, press the dough out into a 14-inch circle, and brush the dough’s outer edge with olive oil.
- Place two paper towels on a microwave-safe plate, evenly spread the pepperoni on the plate, and top with two more paper towels to cook for 30 seconds. Use the top paper towels to sop up any extra grease and set aside.
- Now, spread the pizza sauce over the pizza dough. Then sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the dough, followed by mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices.
- Finally, use the pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 8-12 minutes. Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
Round Pizza Pan Instructions
- First, prepare the pizza dough recipe. Move the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Next, sprinkle cornmeal over two 14-inch round pizza pans.
- Then move one dough ball one of the pans and press the dough out into a 14-inch circle. Brush the dough’s outer edge with olive oil.
- Assemble the pizza as per the instructions above.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until the crust has browned and the pizza is cooked through. Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Pizza Dough – I give a detailed explanation of my chosen methods, ingredients, and pizza tools in this pizza dough post. You’ll find tips and key freezing instructions, too!
Pizza Sauce – My Homemade Pizza Sauce recipe is SO much better than store-bought, and it’s an easy no-cook recipe that you make in the blender. And to top it all off, it’s freezer-friendly, too!
Pizza Cheese – To make the ultimate Pepperoni Pizza, you need a combination of 2 kinds of cheese; Parmesan and whole milk mozzarella.
Parmesan Cheese – This adds some extra flavor to the pizza, and I add it underneath the mozzarella so it doesn’t brown and become crisp.
Whole Milk Mozzarella – This cheese is a MUST for this recipe because it melts so much better than part-skim mozzarella (I find part-skim mozzarella cooks up a little rubbery)! Whole milk mozzarella can be a little bit tricky to find in your grocery store. If it’s not in the dairy aisle’s brick cheese section, I usually have luck finding it at the deli counter. I ask the folks at the deli counter just to cut off a 1/2 pound chunk for me, and I shred it myself at home.
Pepperoni – I love pepperoni, but I hate how it makes an oil slick on top of the pizza while it’s baking. In the past, I would end up blotting the top of the pizza with a paper towel to get the extra grease off, but not with this pizza recipe!
To combat the lake of pepperoni grease on top of my pizza, I cook the pepperoni between sheets of paper towel in the microwave. This way, the paper towel sops up the extra oil, and voilà, you have the best homemade pizza!
Pizza Topping Rules
You don’t want any more than ½ cup of toppings total on each pizza. If you’re adding fresh veggies like onions, bell peppers, or broccoli, I suggest cooking them in the microwave for 30-90 seconds or until the veggies start to soften. This way, you don’t have crunchy uncooked veggies on your pizza.
Pizza Topping Combinations
The options are just about endless when it comes to pizza toppings, as almost anything goes! Make sure you use no more than ½ cup of toppings per pizza. Here are some of my all-time favorite combinations:
- Pepperoni and Cheese (you can never go wrong with this classic!)
- Firefighter – Instead of sauce use ranch dressing and top the pizza with jalapenos and pepperoni.
- Canadian Bacon and Pineapple – you can use fresh or canned pineapple
- Veggie – bell pepper, onion, mushroom, tomato, and sliced olives.
- Meat Lovers – pepperoni, Italian sausage, beef, ham, and bacon. Make sure all of the toppings are cooked before putting them on the pizza.
- BBQ Chicken – BBQ chicken, red onions, sometimes bacon, and cilantro.
- Chicken and Bacon – Use ranch or alfredo sauce instead of red sauce, and then top the pizza with small diced cooked chicken and crumbled bacon.
- Buffalo Wing – Make the sauce by using 2/3 cup buffalo wing sauce and 1/3 cup ranch. Top the pizza with small diced cooked chicken tenders.
Cook’s Note
- If pepperoni isn’t your thing, then go ahead and add your favorite toppings instead. I would say no more than ½ cup TOTAL of toppings on each pizza.
- If you’re adding fresh veggies like onions, bell peppers, or broccoli, I suggest cooking them in the microwave for 30-90 seconds or until the veggies soften. This way, you don’t have crunchy uncooked veggies on your pizza.
Cook’s Tools
- pizza stone
- pizza peel
- parchment paper
- box grater
- pizza cutter
More Pizza Main Dish Recipes
- New York-Style Thin Crust Pizza
- Strawberry Pizza with Bacon and Balsamic
- BBQ Chicken Pizza – A California Pizza Kitchen Copycat
- Pepperoni Pizza Salad Sandwich
- Supreme Pizza Pull-Apart
- French Bread Pizza
- Simple Crescent Roll Pizza
- Grilled Spinach Artichoke Flatbread Pizza
- Pulled Pork Pizza
- Mexican Street Corn Flatbread Pizza
- Pizzeria Salad Wrap
More from Food Folks and Fun
Perfect Homemade Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- pizza stone
- pizza peel
- parchment paper
- box grater
- pizza cutter
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pizza dough
- 1 teaspoon yellow cornmeal
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 recipe pizza sauce
- 40 pepperoni slices
- 1 ounce freshly finely grated Parmesan cheese about ½ cup
- 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
MAKE DOUGH:
- Prepare the pizza dough recipe and oven thru step 7.
PREP OVEN:
- Move the oven rack to the second-highest position. Place a pizza stone on the rack and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.
STRETCH PIZZA:
- Place parchment paper on top of the pizza peel and sprinkle cornmeal over the top. Move 1 dough ball to the pizza peel and press dough out into a 13-14 inch circle by gently stretching and pressing the dough. (I find it’s best that once the dough is pressed out into an 8-inch circle to place the palm of my hand in the center and gently pull the dough by the edges to get it to 14 inches).
- If the dough is really snapping back while you’re trying to press and stretch it, then cover it with a damp paper towel and let the dough relax for 5-10 minutes before starting again to get the dough to 14 inches.
- Brush ½ tablespoon of olive oil around the outer edge of the dough.
COOK PEPPERONI:
- Place 2 paper towels on top of a large microwave-safe plate. Spread the pepperoni out evenly on the plate and top with 2 more paper towels. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Press the top paper towel onto the pepperoni to sop up any extra grease; set aside.
ASSEMBLE PIZZA:
- Spread ¾ cups of the pizza sauce over the pizza dough using the back of a large spoon or ladle, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edge.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce, and then follow with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spread 20 pepperoni slices evenly over the cheese.
BAKE PIZZA:
- Once the pizza stone has been preheated at 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes, use the pizza peel to slide the pizza and parchment onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and the cheese is bubbly.
SERVE:
- Use the pizza peel to remove the pizza from the oven. Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with remaining dough, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Tonight is my daughters birthday party and we are making homemade pizza with 8 13yr old girls. Thanks for the recipe and the sauce recipe too. That is PERFECT~
Yay! I’m so glad you’re going to make this recipe. Good luck with the birthday party!
Hi! I don’t have a pizza stone. How long and what temp to cook without a stone? I really want to make this tonight! Please and thank you!!
Hi Belinda. I haven’t tested this recipe without a pizza stone yet, but I do have some tips. If you have a second pizza pan, invert it (turn it upside down) place it in the oven while the oven preheats. When you pop your pizza in the oven, place your pizza pan directly onto the preheated pan. Hopefully this will help the bottom of the pizza crisp up nicely. You will only need to increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes when you do this.
Now that I know how to make the homemade pizza dough, I can’t wait to make the whole pizza. I love meals the whole family can gets excited about and this is one of them. Thanks!
You’re so welcome! 🙂
Oooooo, the perfect homemade pizza to go with your perfect homemade pizza dough. I love the restaurant quality look of your pizzas! Thank you for sharing these great recipes 🙂
oh my God these this looks better than any pizz i would see in a resturant!
Awww, thank you! 🙂
I absolutely enjoy making pizza from scratch at home!
Me, too. It’s so satisfying!
Nothing beats a good homemade pizza! I haven’t baked my own pizza in a couple of months now, but you inspired me to! Your pizza looks very delicious.
This DOES look like the perfect homemade pizza! We love having weekly pizza night at our house, and I’ll have to try this recipe soon!
I hope you enjoy!
Tasty! I love this recipe!
I love the tips about the cheese and pepperoni – I”m going to try the different cheeses and am excited to lose the “lake of grease” on my pizza! Happy Pizza night!
Woot, woot! I’m glad you found those tips useful!
Where can l find the pizza peel? And are they expensive?
Hi Kathyleen, I got mine from Amazona and it was around $20. Here’s a link to the pizza peel that I have: http://amzn.to/2DV1rcK
That’s a beautiful pizza! Who doesn’t love pepperoni!
I know, right?!
Hi can we use whole wheat crust
Sure. To begin with swap out half of the bread flour for whole wheat flour and see how it comes out, and the next time you make the dough increase the amount of wheat flour until the crust meets your personal taste.
This recipe is amazing! I bought a store bought crust because I make it during the week for my kids and don’t have time to do the whole dough thing but the sauce is amazing. Thanks for sharing!!
Hi Lina, I’m so glad that this recipe worked for you with store-bought dough!
Jill
Your recipes always come thru, perfectly made this for lunch for friends perfect, making shrimp and grits u henrys favorite think this recipe came from you super fast meal on table 20 minutes. Fast perfect each time
I love making homemade pizza!
There’s nothing better than homemade pizza. My 5 years old want to make it all the time! Great recipe.
You were so right about the cheese! Whole mozzarella made all of the difference. My boys devoured this so quickly. Thanks!
So glad this recipe was a hit!
Yes…Yes…and YES! This pizza looks so darn good I could eat half of it myself! I’m not kidding in case you were wondering lol
These tips are wonderful to make the perfect pepperoni pizza- I especially love the advice to un-grease the pepperoni first- duh, why didn’t I think of that?
I love, love love, love pepperoni pizza, but I always have the same problem with the grease. Thank you so much for the tip! This is going to increase my pizza enjoyment exponentially.