Homemade Margherita Pizza with Fresh Basil

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Classic Italian-style pizza topped with fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and fragrant basil leaves baked to a bubbly golden crust. This Italian-inspired pizza recipe, ready in about 27 minutes, pairs pizza dough, olive oil, tomato sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 12 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 lb (store-bought or homemade) pizza dough
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
8 oz, sliced fresh mozzarella
1 medium, thinly sliced ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup whole leaves fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp, for dusting cornmeal

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside to heat.
Step 2: On a floured surface, roll out 1 lb pizza dough into a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick.
Step 3: Lightly dust a pizza peel or baking sheet with 1 tbsp cornmeal and transfer the rolled dough onto it.
Step 4: Brush the dough edges with 2 tbsp olive oil, then spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce evenly over the center, leaving a 1-inch border.
Step 5: Arrange 8 oz sliced fresh mozzarella and 1 medium thinly sliced ripe tomato evenly over the sauce.
Step 6: Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper over the toppings.
Step 7: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Step 8: Remove pizza from oven and scatter 1/4 cup fresh whole basil leaves on top before slicing and serving warm.