🧾 Ingredients You’ll Need (Makes 2 Large Pizzas)
Here’s the full list of ingredients for the dough, sauce, and toppings — all easy to find, but when used right, they create absolute pizza magic.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| For the Dough | |
| All-purpose flour | 500 g (about 4 cups) |
| Warm water | 325 ml |
| Instant dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 2 tsp |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp |
| Sugar | 1 tsp |
| For the Sauce | |
| Canned San Marzano tomatoes | 400 g |
| Garlic (optional) | 1 clove, minced |
| Salt | To taste |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp |
| Dried oregano (optional) | ½ tsp |
| Toppings | |
| Mozzarella cheese (low-moisture) | 2–2½ cups, shredded |
| Pepperoni slices | About 100–120 g (to taste) |
| Parmesan cheese | ¼ cup, finely grated |
| Fresh basil leaves (optional) | A few for garnish |
| Crushed red pepper flakes | Optional, for a spicy finish |
🔥 Step-by-Step Instructions: Let’s Make Real Pizza!
Step 1: Prepare the Dough (Let It Rest!)
If you have time, make the dough at least a day ahead for best flavor. A cold fermentation in the fridge overnight makes a world of difference.
- In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook until combined.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes by hand or mixer until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Better yet: cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, then bring to room temp before using.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
This simple, no-cook tomato sauce brings pure, clean flavor.
- Pour canned tomatoes into a bowl. Crush by hand or pulse with an immersion blender until smooth but slightly chunky.
- Stir in olive oil, salt, minced garlic (if using), and oregano.
That’s it. No cooking required — the oven does that for you.
Step 3: Preheat the Oven
Crank your oven as high as it goes — 500°F / 260°C or more. Place a pizza stone or steel on the middle or top rack, and let it heat for at least 45 minutes.
Don’t skip this. A hot surface = crispy, golden bottom.
Step 4: Shape the Dough
- Divide your dough into two equal balls.
- On a floured surface, stretch (don’t roll!) into 10–12 inch rounds.
Tip: press gently from the center outward, leaving a thicker rim. Let gravity do the work.
Transfer to a sheet of parchment or a floured pizza peel.
Step 5: Add Sauce and Cheese
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, leaving about 1 inch at the edge.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella generously, evenly across.
- Add pepperoni slices — I like overlapping them slightly to get those famous curled-up crispy edges.
- Dust with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Step 6: Bake to Perfection
Slide your pizza onto the preheated stone or tray. Bake for 7–10 minutes, depending on your oven. You’re looking for:
- Golden, puffy crust
- Bubbly, molten cheese
- Curled, crisped pepperoni
- Slight char on the edges (aka “leopard spots”)
Optional: broil for 30 seconds at the end for extra color and crisp.
Step 7: Garnish and Slice
- Add fresh basil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or an extra grate of Parmesan.
- Slice while hot, and listen to that beautiful crunch.
🧠 Tips & Tricks for Pizza Perfection
✔ Use a pizza steel or stone
This makes all the difference. It retains heat and gives you that golden, crispy base.
✔ Choose good cheese
Low-moisture mozzarella is your best friend. Avoid fresh mozzarella unless you dry it well — too much water makes your pizza soggy.
✔ Overlap your pepperoni
Trust me. Overlapping helps the edges curl and crisp into those spicy little cups we all love.
✔ Cold ferment your dough
Letting the dough rise slowly in the fridge for 24–48 hours develops incredible flavor and chew.
✔ Don’t overload
Less is more. A heavy pizza takes longer to cook and might get soggy. Go light, layer smart.
✔ Let the pizza rest 2 minutes before slicing
Cheese sets slightly and gives you cleaner slices.
🙋♂️ FAQ – Your Pepperoni Pizza Questions Answered
What kind of pepperoni should I use?
Dry-cured, sliced thin pepperoni is ideal. Look for one that crisps up in the oven. Stick pepperoni (the kind you slice yourself) curls better and has amazing texture.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can refrigerate dough for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer. Just thaw in the fridge overnight and bring to room temp before using.
How can I get the pepperoni to curl up?
Use pepperoni with natural casing and slice it a little thicker. Overlap the slices and bake hot — that combo creates the curl.
What if I don’t have a pizza stone?
Use a heavy-duty baking sheet turned upside down and preheated. It works in a pinch!
Is this New York-style or Italian-style?
It’s a hybrid — the dough has Italian roots, but the pepperoni and cheese bring that classic American pizza shop vibe. Call it the best of both worlds.
🍕 Variations to Try (Once You’ve Nailed the Classic)
Spicy Honey Pepperoni Pizza
Drizzle hot honey over the baked pizza. Sweet, spicy, salty… unreal.
Double Cheese + Crisped Edge
Add cheese all the way to the crust’s edge. The overflow crisps into cheesy lace. Epic.
Pepperoni and Mushroom
Add thinly sliced mushrooms (pre-sautéed or raw) for umami depth.
White Pepperoni Pizza
Skip the tomato sauce. Use a garlic cream base, mozzarella, and pepperoni. Luxurious.
Stuffed Crust
Stretch cheese sticks into the crust before baking. Because why not?
💬 My Personal Story with Pepperoni Pizza
I grew up eating pepperoni pizza every Friday night. It wasn’t fancy — just takeout, but it was our ritual. Years later, when I started baking at home, pepperoni pizza was my white whale.
I burned the crust. I undercooked the middle. I soaked the dough with too much sauce. But with every attempt, I got better. I learned the rhythm of the dough. The way pepperoni curls when baked hot. The exact timing for that perfect cheese melt.
Now, this recipe is my love letter to those nights. And to every home cook chasing the perfect slice.
🧡 Final Thoughts: One Slice. Infinite Joy.
If there’s a pizza that brings everyone together — it’s pepperoni.
There’s nothing fancy or fussy about it. Just good dough, quality cheese, and crispy, salty, spicy pepperoni cooked to golden, bubbling perfection. It’s joy on a plate.
This recipe has been tested, tweaked, and devoured in my kitchen dozens of times. I hope it becomes part of your rotation — for parties, weeknights, or solo pizza therapy.
Because making pizza at home isn’t just about food. It’s about creating moments.
And let’s be honest — few things beat the moment you pull that hot pie out of the oven and see the cheese bubbling like lava.
So go ahead. Make this pizza. Own your crust. And enjoy every bite.
You deserve it.
🍕🔥 From my kitchen to yours,
buon appetito.
See Also: Authentic Pizza Napoletana Recipe – Like Naples at Home
