Last updated on January 9, 2020 by Liza Hawkins
Homemade thin crust pizza is an easy and delicious weeknight meal!
We’re BIG fans of pizza over here — delivery, restaurant, or homemade thin crust pizza. It doesn’t really matter to us, so long as the cheese-to-sauce ratio is adequate (meaning it needs to have lots and lots of cheese), and the crust is both chewy and a little crispy — it can’t be bland.
Homemade pizza dough is really simple to make, super forgiving (I substitute whole wheat flour sometimes, or use a blend of both), and takes a mere five ingredients.
I’ve even tried my hand at homemade gluten-free pizza crust!
Keep yeast packets in your pantry, and you’ll likely have what you need (yeast, flour, water, salt, oil) to make awesome dough, whenever the mood strikes!
When I make a batch, I always make enough to freeze for later — pizza can then pulled together in the time it takes to preheat your oven to five hundred degrees.
From thawing to topping, about fifteen minutes. Quicker than delivery, my friends!
Thin Crust Pizza
We love thin crust pizza. Especially rolled as papery thin as possible!
One day (especially now living in closer proximity to Chicago), I do want to attempt a perfect homemade Chicago-style deep dish crust — I’m picturing one of my cast iron skillets, something that’s crispy and buttery and melts in your mouth…
One day.
Mmm…
As for the cheese, I prefer fresh mozzarella, and plenty of it!
The rest of my family likes it, too, but equally as much as the less fancy shredded “pizza mix” from the grocery store. Either works just fine.
And while homemade tomato sauce isn’t difficult to make, I find a regular, inexpensive can of tomato sauce (with salt) or a jar of marinara does the job fine as a pizza sauce.
Once opened, jarred sauce keeps well in the fridge, and can be used later as the base for Baked Ziti, more pizza, or in meatloaf.
Just be sure to season either sauce after it’s spread onto the dough, most sauces need a little salt even if it’s already included.
And toppings?
Well, that varies by family member.
I typically keep plenty of veggie options in the fridge (tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms, peppers) and we usually have bacon, too (because, BACON).
I like lots of toppings, my daughter loves veggies and both my son and husband are purists: plain cheese.
Time to grab the pizza peel and heat up the oven!
Thin Crust Pizza
Single serving homemade thin crust pizza is the best!
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough round
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 1/2 ball fresh mozzarella
- Toppings of your choice
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal (optional — for use with stone)
Instructions
With a pizza stone:
- Place a pizza stone on the middle rack in a cold oven. Preheat your oven to 500°F and sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. You want it as thin as possible!
- Transfer the pizza dough to your prepared peel, then top with sauce, cheese and toppings.
- Quickly jerk and slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Remove the pizza and enjoy immediately!
With a pizza pan:
- Preheat your oven to 500°F.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. You want it as thin as possible!
- Transfer the pizza dough to your pizza pan, then top with sauce, cheese and toppings.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Remove the pizza and enjoy immediately!
Notes
The amounts and types of toppings are intentionally vague because what people like vary so much!
An alternative my daughter enjoys is using olive oil instead of tomato sauce, with a sprinkle of salt and garlic powder, then the cheese and other toppings — more like a flat bread. Yum!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 324mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
