Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Dough: Bread flour 3 cups (360 g), warm water 1 cup minus 1 tbsp (225 ml, 105–110°F), instant yeast 2 tsp (6 g), fine sea salt 1 1/4 tsp (7 g), sugar 1 tsp (4 g), olive oil 1 tbsp (15 ml).
- Herbed Tomato Sauce: Crushed tomatoes 1 cup (240 g), tomato paste 2 tbsp (33 g), olive oil 1 tbsp (15 ml), sugar 1 tsp (4 g), fine sea salt 1/2 tsp, dried oregano 1 tsp, dried basil 1/2 tsp, garlic powder 1/2 tsp, onion powder 1/4 tsp, red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp (optional).
- Toppings: Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella 8 oz (225 g, shredded), feta 3 oz (85 g, crumbled), roasted red peppers 1/2 cup (70 g, sliced and patted dry), red onion 1/2 cup (60 g, thinly sliced), cremini mushrooms 5 oz (140 g, sliced), black olives 1/3 cup (50 g, sliced), baby spinach 1 1/2 cups (45 g), olive oil 2 tsp (for sautéing and brushing).
- For the peel/pan: 2 tbsp semolina or fine cornmeal.
Do This
- 1. Mix dough: combine warm water, yeast, sugar; add flour, salt, and olive oil. Knead 8 minutes until smooth.
- 2. Rise 60 minutes in a lightly oiled bowl, covered, until doubled.
- 3. Sauce: simmer crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oil, and herbs 10 minutes; cool.
- 4. Preheat oven with stone/steel to 525°F for 45 minutes.
- 5. Pre-cook mushrooms and onions in a dry skillet 6 minutes to drive off moisture; cool. Pat red peppers dry.
- 6. Stretch dough to 14 inches; place on semolina-dusted peel. Sauce (1/2 cup), half mozzarella, spinach, veggies, remaining mozzarella, and feta. Brush rim with oil and take cheese to the very edge.
- 7. Bake 8 minutes until edges are deeply browned and cheese is spotty-golden; broil 30–60 seconds if needed. Rest 2 minutes, slice, serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crisp, hand-tossed crust with that pizzeria-style, edge-to-edge caramelized cheese halo.
- Herby, bright tomato sauce that complements savory mozzarella and tangy feta.
- Veggies are prepped to stay vibrant and non-soggy: sweet roasted peppers, silky onions, meaty mushrooms, briny olives, and tender spinach.
- Home-oven friendly with stone/steel or sheet-pan options.
Grocery List
- Produce: Red onion, cremini mushrooms, roasted red peppers (jarred), baby spinach, optional fresh oregano or basil for garnish.
- Dairy: Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, feta.
- Pantry: Bread flour, instant yeast, olive oil, sugar, fine sea salt, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes (optional), black olives, semolina or fine cornmeal.
Full Ingredients
Hand-Tossed Pizza Dough (1 large 14-inch crust)
- Bread flour: 3 cups (360 g), plus extra for dusting
- Warm water: 1 cup minus 1 tbsp (225 ml), 105–110°F
- Instant (rapid-rise) yeast: 2 tsp (6 g)
- Fine sea salt: 1 1/4 tsp (7 g)
- Sugar: 1 tsp (4 g)
- Olive oil: 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- Semolina or fine cornmeal for the peel/pan: 2 tbsp
Herbed Tomato Sauce
- Crushed tomatoes: 1 cup (240 g)
- Tomato paste: 2 tbsp (33 g)
- Olive oil: 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- Sugar: 1 tsp (4 g)
- Fine sea salt: 1/2 tsp
- Dried oregano: 1 tsp
- Dried basil: 1/2 tsp
- Garlic powder: 1/2 tsp
- Onion powder: 1/4 tsp
- Red pepper flakes (optional): 1/4 tsp
Toppings & Finish
- Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded: 8 oz (225 g)
- Feta, crumbled: 3 oz (85 g)
- Roasted red peppers, sliced and well dried: 1/2 cup (70 g)
- Red onion, thinly sliced: 1/2 cup (60 g)
- Cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced: 5 oz (140 g)
- Black olives, sliced: 1/3 cup (50 g)
- Baby spinach: 1 1/2 cups (45 g), patted dry
- Olive oil: 2 tsp (for sautéing and brushing the rim)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the hand-tossed dough
In a large bowl, whisk warm water with yeast and sugar. Let stand 2 minutes to hydrate. Add flour and salt, then olive oil. Mix with a spoon until shaggy, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and springy (or knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium-low for 6 minutes). Shape into a tight ball.
Lightly oil a clean bowl, add the dough, turn to coat, and cover tightly. Let rise at warm room temperature for exactly 60 minutes, until doubled.
Step 2: Cook the herbed tomato sauce
While the dough rises, combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy. Cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Pre-cook and dry the veggies
Set a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook dry (no oil) for 4 minutes, stirring, until they release moisture and concentrate. Add 1 tsp olive oil and the red onion; cook 2 minutes until just tender. Transfer to a plate to cool. Pat roasted red peppers dry with paper towels. Keep spinach and olives dry as well—this prevents sogginess.
Step 4: Preheat for pizzeria results
Place a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 525°F for 45 minutes. If you don’t have a stone/steel, use an inverted heavy sheet pan and preheat it the same way.
Step 5: Stretch the hand-tossed crust
Lightly dust a peel (or a sheet of parchment) with semolina. Turn the dough out and gently press into a 6-inch round, leaving a thicker rim. Lift the dough and use the backs of your hands to stretch and rotate it to 14 inches, letting gravity help. Aim for an even base with a 3/4-inch rim. Lay it on the prepared peel/parchment.
Step 6: Sauce and layer the toppings
Spread exactly 1/2 cup of the cooled herbed sauce over the dough, going to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Scatter half the mozzarella. Add baby spinach in an even layer (so it wilts under the cheese), then mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers, and black olives. Top with remaining mozzarella and all the feta. Brush the rim lightly with the remaining 1 tsp olive oil. For edge caramelization, let the cheese kiss the edge of the crust all the way around.
Step 7: Bake to edge caramelization
Slide the pizza onto the stone/steel. Bake for 8 minutes until the rim is deep golden-brown with lacy, browned cheese at the edge and the top is bubbling with speckled color. If you want more color, switch to broil for 30–60 seconds, watching closely.
Step 8: Rest, slice, and serve
Transfer the pizza to a cooling rack and rest for 2 minutes to set the cheese. Move to a cutting board, slice into 8 pieces, and serve hot. Optional: sprinkle with a pinch of dried oregano or red pepper flakes.
Pro Tips
- Weigh ingredients for best consistency; hydration matters for a supple, tossable dough.
- Dry your toppings: pre-cooking mushrooms/onions and patting peppers/spinach prevents soggy pizza.
- Preheat thoroughly: a 45-minute heat soak on a stone/steel is key for rapid oven spring and a crisp base.
- Cheese-to-the-edge is the trick to that caramelized halo—don’t leave a wide bare crust.
- If using a sheet pan, lightly oil it, stretch dough to the edges, and bake at 500°F for 13–15 minutes on the lowest rack.
Variations
- Extra-Veg: Add thinly sliced grape tomatoes after baking for fresh pop, or swap in artichoke hearts (well dried).
- Whole Wheat Crust: Replace 25% of the bread flour with white whole wheat; add 1–2 tbsp extra water.
- Garlic Finish: Brush the rim post-bake with 1 tbsp melted butter mixed with 1 small grated garlic clove and a pinch of parsley.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Dough can cold-ferment for 24–72 hours: after kneading, refrigerate in an oiled, covered container; bring to room temp for 60 minutes before stretching. Sauce keeps 1 week refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Leftover pizza: refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat on a skillet over medium heat 4–5 minutes (covered for the last 1 minute) or in a 450°F oven for 6–8 minutes on a preheated sheet pan.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per slice (1/8 pizza): 330 calories; 14 g protein; 13 g fat; 37 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 760 mg sodium.
