🍕 Grandma Pizza Recipe: Crispy, Cheesy, and Just Like Nonna Used to Make
There’s something magical about a grandma pizza. It’s not flashy. It’s not trendy. But oh boy — it’s pure comfort on a tray.
This is the kind of pizza that reminds you of Sunday dinners, flour-dusted aprons, and the smell of garlic filling the house. Thin but not flimsy. Crispy on the edges. Chewy in the middle. Bursting with rich tomato flavor, and blanketed with just enough cheese to keep it humble — but irresistible.
In this post, I’m sharing my personal grandma pizza recipe, perfected after years of testing, tweaking, and tasting. It’s simple. It’s rustic. And it delivers that old-school New York Sicilian-style pizza soul in every bite.
🧾 Ingredients for Grandma Pizza Dough & Toppings
Let’s start with the essentials. This recipe makes one sheet-pan-sized grandma pie (around 9×13 or 10×14 inches — perfect for 4–6 hungry people).
🍞 Dough Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 3 cups (360 g) |
| Warm water (110°F / 45°C) | 1 cup (240 ml) |
| Instant yeast | 2¼ tsp (1 packet) |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | 1½ tsp |
| Sugar | 1 tsp |
🍅 Sauce Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Crushed San Marzano tomatoes | 1 can (14 oz / 400g) |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 1 tbsp |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp |
| Salt | To taste |
🧀 Topping Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Low-moisture mozzarella | 1½ cups, shredded |
| Parmesan cheese, grated | ¼ cup |
| Fresh basil (optional) | A handful |
| Extra virgin olive oil | For drizzling |
🥖 Step-by-Step Grandma Pizza Dough (The Foundation)
🔥 Step 1: Activate the Yeast
In a large bowl:
- Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast.
- Stir and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
This step gives your crust that perfect rise — airy inside, crisp on the outside.
🥣 Step 2: Mix and Knead the Dough
Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Drizzle in olive oil. Mix until a rough dough forms, then knead (by hand or with a stand mixer) for 6–8 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
Pro Tip: Bread flour gives better structure and chew, but all-purpose works in a pinch.
🧘♂️ Step 3: Let It Rise (Low & Slow)
- Oil a large bowl. Place dough in, cover, and let rise at room temp for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
OR, for even better flavor, let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight (8–24 hours).
🏗 Step 4: Stretch into Your Sheet Pan
Generously oil your baking sheet (don’t skimp!). Gently press the dough into the corners of the pan.
If it resists, let it rest for 10 minutes, then try again.
🛏 Let It Rest Again
Cover and let rise another 30–45 minutes while you prep the sauce and preheat the oven.
🍅 Step-by-Step Sauce (No-Cook & Flavor-Packed)
In a bowl:
- Mix crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and a pinch of salt.
- Stir well and taste.
This no-cook sauce lets the bright acidity and natural sweetness of the tomatoes shine. You can simmer it if you want a thicker base, but trust me — this raw style works so well on a grandma pie.
🧀 Assembling the Grandma Pizza
Now comes the fun part. Here’s how to build it:
- Preheat oven to 230°C / 450°F (ideally with a pizza stone or steel inside).
- Lightly press dimples into the dough with your fingertips — like focaccia.
- Spoon on your tomato sauce, spreading edge to edge.
- Add a light layer of shredded mozzarella, followed by grated parmesan.
- Drizzle with olive oil for those crispy golden patches.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes until bubbly, golden, and crispy on the bottom.
- Top with fresh basil and let rest 2 minutes before slicing.
🧠 What Makes Grandma Pizza Different?
- It’s pan-baked, not stone-baked
- Thinner than Sicilian pizza, but still rectangular
- Crust is olive-oil-rich and crispy, almost like focaccia
- Sauce usually goes under the cheese
- Toppings are minimal but high-quality
- Baked in a home oven on a sheet pan, just like nonna used to do
It’s not about showing off. It’s about flavor, tradition, and love.
🔁 Variations You’ll Love
Try these riffs if you want to mix it up:
- Vodka sauce grandma pizza (creamy & decadent)
- Spicy arrabbiata sauce + hot honey drizzle
- Anchovies + olives = classic Sicilian vibe
- Roasted garlic & rosemary white grandma pizza
- Buffalo chicken grandma with blue cheese crumble
🔥 Pro Tips for the Perfect Grandma Pizza
✅ Oil the pan well — this is what gives you that crisp, golden crust edge.
✅ Use room-temp dough — cold dough resists stretching.
✅ Don’t overdo the toppings — grandma pizza is minimalist.
✅ Preheat your oven long enough — especially if using a stone/steel.
✅ Let it rest before slicing — 2 minutes = perfect slice structure.
❓ FAQ: Grandma Pizza Recipe
Can I use store-bought dough?
Yes — if you’re short on time, use fresh dough from your local bakery or supermarket. Just let it come to room temp and follow the stretching instructions.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely! Use a high-quality gluten-free pizza dough or try [my gluten-free pizza base recipe] for a delicious alternative.
Can I freeze grandma pizza?
Yes! Pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes, cool, wrap, and freeze. Add sauce + toppings straight from the freezer and bake as usual.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes — just use a larger sheet pan or two smaller ones. This dough scales up beautifully.
What’s the best cheese to use?
Low-moisture mozzarella is key. Add grated parm for umami. You can also mix in provolone or fontina for depth.
🧡 Why I Love This Recipe (A Food Blogger’s Heartfelt Moment)
Every time I make this pizza, I think of my grandma — flour on her cheek, singing softly in the kitchen, apron tied perfectly.
She didn’t measure. She didn’t stress. She just knew how it should feel. And somehow, every time, it was perfect.
This recipe isn’t fancy. It’s not complicated. It’s real. Honest. And full of flavor. It’s the kind of meal that makes people close their eyes on the first bite and say, “Wow, that’s good.”
🎉 Final Thoughts: The Grandma Pie You’ll Keep Making Forever
There’s a reason grandma pizza is having a comeback. It’s nostalgic, comforting, and wildly satisfying. It tastes like tradition — crispy edges, tangy sauce, gooey cheese… all on a chewy golden slab of love.
This grandma pizza recipe is:
✅ Easy
✅ Authentic
✅ Crowd-pleasing
✅ Weeknight-friendly
✅ Freezer-friendly
✅ Family-approved
So go on — get out that sheet pan, crank up the oven, and bring a slice of grandma-style joy to your kitchen. You won’t regret it.
See Also: Gluten Free Pizza Base Recipe That’s Crispy, Chewy & Totally Crave-Worthy
