Cheese Pizza Recipe 🧀 Homemade, Cheesy & Better Than Takeout

🍕 Cheese Pizza Recipe That’ll Ruin You for Delivery Forever
🧀 Because when it’s done right, just cheese is everything.
Let me tell you something straight up — a cheese pizza, when made right, can be pure magic.

Forget all the overloaded toppings and fancy drizzle. When you’ve got a chewy golden crust, a bright tomato sauce that tastes like summer, and that gooey, bubbling, melty cheese layer that stretches when you pull a slice? That’s it. Game over. You’ve reached pizza nirvana.

And this? This is my go-to cheese pizza recipe. It’s simple, it’s honest, and it never fails. This is the kind of pizza you whip up on a Friday night when you just want to chill with something real, something cheesy, something homemade that feels like a hug in every bite.

Ready? Let’s make magic.

🧾 Ingredients – Nothing Fancy, Just the Good Stuff
For the Dough
All-purpose flour 3½ cups
Warm water (not hot!) 1¼ cups
Instant yeast 2¼ tsp (1 packet)
Sugar 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Olive oil 2 tbsp

Wanna save time? Store-bought dough totally works. No shame.

For the Sauce
Crushed tomatoes 1 can (14 oz)
Garlic (minced) 2 cloves
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Dried oregano 1 tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Sugar (optional) ½ tsp

Pro tip: Simmer low and slow. Taste as you go. If it doesn’t make you wanna lick the spoon, it ain’t ready.

For the Cheese Layer
Shredded low-moisture mozzarella 2 cups
Fresh mozzarella (torn chunks) ½ cup (optional but 🔥)
Grated parmesan (salty finish) 2 tbsp (optional)

🍕 Let’s Build the Best Cheese Pizza of Your Life
🔥 Step 1: That Dough Life
You’ve got two choices:

Make your own (worth it, trust me)

Buy a good-quality pre-made dough (Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, even local bakeries)

If you’re making it from scratch, mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it get foamy — that’s yeast saying hello. Add flour, salt, olive oil. Mix it up. Knead for a good 8–10 minutes till smooth. Let it rise in a warm spot for an hour.

Boom. Dough done.

🔥 Step 2: Saucy Business
Heat olive oil, toss in minced garlic (don’t burn it!), then add crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, sugar. Let it bubble and reduce for 20 mins until thick and rich.

Taste. Adjust. Make it yours. It should smell like you walked into Nonna’s kitchen.

🔥 Step 3: Shape That Crust
Once your dough is puffed and happy, punch it down gently and roll it out. I like 12 inches round, about ¼-inch thick. Rustic is beautiful. Perfect circles are overrated.

Place it on parchment paper, pizza peel, or a preheated stone.

🔥 Step 4: Build the Pie
Thin layer of sauce — don’t drown it.

Sprinkle mozzarella evenly. No clumps.

Tear up fresh mozzarella and dot around the pizza.

Finish with grated parmesan.

Optional but amazing: drizzle olive oil over the top and a crack of black pepper.

🔥 Step 5: Bake It Like a Boss
Crank your oven to 500°F (260°C). It has to be hot-hot to get that crispy base and golden cheese.

Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling, browned in spots, and the crust is puffed and golden.

Let it rest for 2 minutes. Slice. Serve. Devour.

💡 Vinit’s Tips & Tricks
Grate your own cheese. It melts 1000x better than pre-shredded.

Add herbs after baking – basil, oregano, even chili flakes.

Want spice? A drizzle of hot honey post-bake is unreal.

Don’t overload the cheese. Balance is key. You want melty, not greasy.

❓ Real Talk FAQ
Q: Can I use store-bought sauce?
Sure. But once you taste the homemade one, you’ll never go back.

Q: Can I use other cheeses?
Yep. Fontina, provolone, gouda — all great. But mozzarella is king.

Q: What if I don’t have a pizza stone?
Use a flipped baking sheet. Preheat it. Works like magic.

Q: Is cheese pizza boring?
Not this one. With the right ingredients and love? It’s a damn masterpiece.

🧀 Leftovers? No Problem
Store in fridge up to 3 days

Reheat in skillet with lid for crispy bottom

Freeze slices individually for emergency pizza nights

❤️ Final Thoughts – Why I’ll Never Stop Making Cheese Pizza
I love a good topping-loaded pizza, don’t get me wrong. But there’s something about classic cheese pizza that just hits different.

It’s nostalgic. It’s simple. It’s beautiful.
And when you make it yourself — from the dough to the sauce to the last sprinkle of cheese — it tastes next level.

So the next time you’re tempted to order delivery, stop. Make this instead. You’ll never look back.

From my kitchen to yours — stay cheesy.

See Also: BBQ Pizza Recipe  Sweet, Smoky, Cheesy Perfection