Go Back Email Link
+ servings
margarita pizza ingredients

Margherita Pizza with Homemade Pizza Sauce

The Starving Chef
Unleash your inner chef with this homemade margherita pizza topped with fresh basil pesto and a simmered-to-perfection tomato sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Sauce Cooking Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Pizza
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

FOR BASIL PESTO:

FOR PIZZA SAUCE:

  • 1 can sheet pizza dough or homemade equivalent
  • 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 3 tomatoes sliced
  • ½ red onion sliced
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 tablespoons garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme

FOR GARLIC BUTTER

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a pizza stone in the oven and let it preheat for at least one hour.
  • In a food processor, puree the tomatoes, red onion, 2 tablespoons of basil, 2 tablespoons of thyme, and garlic until smooth. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over high heat. Add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir in brown sugar and simmer. Keep simmering until the mixture starts bubbling and thickens—this should take about 45 minutes to an hour. If necessary, adjust the temperature to prevent the sauce from burning.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool until it's no longer steaming. While the sauce cools, combine all the pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Preserve any unused sauce for future pizzas!
  • In a small bowl, melt the remaining butter. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and salt. Unroll the pizza dough onto a pizza board or onto the preheated stone. Brush the garlic butter across the entire crust.
  • Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough. Slice the mozzarella cheese and arrange it on top of the pizza. Sprinkle any remaining basil leaves. Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until the pizza dough is cooked through and the mozzarella is bubbling.
  • Drizzle the pesto over the pizza as desired. Slice and serve hot right away. Enjoy!
Keyword buffalo sauce
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!