A Simple and Easy Margherita Pizza Recipe

 I love fresh basil and use it often all summer long. I try to keep a plant going on our deck and snip leaves from it to make pesto, make salad dressing, and make my favorite pizza-- a margherita pizza! I think most recipes are best with fresh ingredients so in the summer when fresh basil and garden fresh tomatoes are ready I love to cook up this simple pizza. 


Ingredients:

Pizza dough; ours makes 6 individual servings

6 whole tomatoes; sliced (though you may need more or less depending on the size of the tomatoes)

6 cloves fresh garlic; minced

Fresh sliced mozzarella broken into pieces 

Fresh basil; I don't really measure but use a few handful of leaves that I slice into strips

 

First I preheated my oven to 500 and spread parchment paper on my cookie sheets. I used some olive oil to help spread out the dough into individual pizzas.

I laid 5-6 tomato slices on each piece of dough, sprinkled on some garlic, and topped the pizzas with some chunks of cheese. Then I used my kitchen sheers to slice the basil leaves over the top of everything. 


 I popped the trays in the oven and baked them for 10-12 minutes.


 Until the cheese was all melted and had some nice golden brown flecks in it. 

 

It's delicious with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze too! 

 


Comments

  1. Maria RineerAugust 20, 2025 at 6:22 AM

    Your pizza looks good! I love homemade pizza. That's great that you use your fresh basil. I bought a beautiful basil plant at the Farm and love how it looks and smells but I find that I don't use it much. I have just now started to get enough tomatoes for marinara (I've made just two batches so far but I have tons of tomatoes ripening so there will be more) and I have been using the basil for that. So I'll get some use out of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 1:06 PM

      Oh thank you! Alec and I both love basil so I use lots of fresh basil all summer long. I am not sure my plant will last much longer as we've been having some really cold nights and mornings!

      Delete
  2. Jenn LloydAugust 20, 2025 at 7:18 AM

    Yum! I want to make this. I love this type of pizza, and when it's homemade is my favorite. Happy Wednesday to you, sweet friend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy ScottAugust 20, 2025 at 7:22 AM

    That looks so good! This is my favorite type of pizza! Your oven looks so clean and that reminds me I need to clean mine!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 1:07 PM

      Me too; Alec and I nearly always get this type of pizza when it's offered on a menu.

      Delete
  4. nicole orriensAugust 20, 2025 at 7:25 AM

    This I can do! I just love recipes that are easy and simple to do, and don't require too many ingredients. Thank you so much for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. GinaAugust 20, 2025 at 7:32 AM

    This looks so good - adding parchment paper to my grocery list along with pizza fixins'.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 1:07 PM

      We go through so much parchment paper but I just love how easy it makes cleanup.

      Delete
  6. Adrienne PatenaudeAugust 20, 2025 at 10:26 AM

    this looks delicious. I may need to make this Friday for our homemade pizza night

    ReplyDelete
  7. HollyAugust 20, 2025 at 11:43 AM

    My favorite kind of pizza- thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. PamelaAugust 20, 2025 at 12:07 PM

    I love fresh tomatoes on a pizza.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lindsay's Sweet WorldAugust 20, 2025 at 12:10 PM

    We so rarely make our own pizzas at home, and I really want to start doing that more! This looks delicious. My favorite pizza topping is fresh basil!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 1:09 PM

      Mine too! We used to make homemade pizzas each Friday but now I only make them once or so a month since 3 of us really aren't supposed to be eating much dairy/cheese.

      Delete
  10. Jodie's Touch of StyleAugust 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM

    Do you have the pizza dough already made and in the freezer?? We used to do that but haven't in ages.
    The fresh basil is the best.
    XOXO
    Jodie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM

      Nope, I typically whip up my pizza dough in the morning and let it sit on the counter during the day.

      Delete
  11. Kim CarberryAugust 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM

    Yum! That pizza looks so good and even more special because of the fresh ingredients.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kim August 20, 2025 at 3:37 PM

    Wow...this is my favorite kind of pizza! Do you buy the pizza dough or make it yourself? I need to find a simple recipe for that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 6:55 PM

      I make mine myself. We use a Weight Watchers friendly recipe I found here: https://mybizzykitchen.com/2017/12/18/skinny-pizza-dough/

      Delete
  13. MarshaAugust 20, 2025 at 4:47 PM

    Margherita pizza is my very favorite! I've never tried to make it, though. Mike doesn't like it, and I'd probably eat the whole thing!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne August 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM

      That's why I make individual pizzas; Alec and I ate these two margherita pizzas and the rest of the family had BBQ pulled pork pizzas. Some nights I make 5 completely different pizzas!

      Delete
  14. Tanya August 20, 2025 at 4:58 PM

    This looks delicious! Margherita is always my go-to pizza order.

    ReplyDelete
  15. JudeeAugust 20, 2025 at 5:43 PM

    I love pizza and this looks really delicious. What a great meal!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousAugust 20, 2025 at 10:38 PM

    You recipes are always so good. It's my daughter's favourite pizza as well, the less ingredients the better. Rita

    ReplyDelete

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