The Best Homemade Pizza

Everyone loves pizza and the best homemade pizza is made from scratch. That crispy crust smothered in pizza sauce cheese and any topping your heart desires. You can open up a new world of culinary delight by just using your imagination and adding a multitude of inspired toppings you will never find on a menu. There is no limitation to what you can do and now it is easier than you think to turn your kitchen into a pizzeria.

We’ve done the work for you and have sourced out the best pizza products available online. From pizza sauce to indoor and outdoor pizza ovens and seasoning kits. Create a unique pizza inspired gift basket for Mother’s or Father’s Day, Birthdays, or as a unique wedding gift and fill it with everything from pizza oils, Parmesan pizza crust mix, pizza sauce, classic Mediterranean seasoning blends, pizza recipe book and a pizza cutter.

The History of Pizza

The first pizza’s where simply flatbreads with toppings. It wasn’t until AD 997 when the word Pizza was used in different parts of Central and Southern Italy. The precursor of the pizza was most likely a focaccia, a flat bread known to the Romans as panis focacius. Naples is the birth place of the modern day pizza. In the late 18th century, tomato was added to the focaccia as a topping. It was sold in the street and was known as the dish for poor people.  Pizza first arrived in the United States with the arrival of Italian immigrants in the late 19th century. It was very popular among large Italian populations in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Saint Louis. Peddlers would walk up and down the streets with metal washtubs of pizzas on their heads, selling their pizza for two cents a slice. Soon afterwards small cafes and groceries began to sell pizza.

Pizza

The Pizza Oven

Some of the best pizzas are those cooked in wood fired stone ovens. The incredibly high temperatures and smoke from the wood give the toppings and crust the uniquely authentic flavor of old Italy. These ovens heat up to 700 degrees F, were as your average home oven only get to around 500 degrees F. The high temperatures quickly cook the dough leaving it will a pillowy inside and a slightly charred underside, without drying out the dough. Wood Fired Stone Ovens are very large, expensive and usually only found in Italian restaurants. However, several appliance manufactures have introduced smaller home versions of these pizza ovens that provide you with the same authentic flavor. The prices range from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousands of dollars depending on how much you love pizza and they make the perfect gift.

 

Breville has now made it very easy to become a pizza chef with the Breville Crispy Crust Pizza Maker. This compact countertop machine will change your life and cook incredible 11 inch pizzas in less that 10 minutes. Thanks to powerful dual heating elements and a built-in baking stone, it produces extraordinary, brick- oven-style pizzas. It has settings for Thin, Medium and Thick crusts to ensure uniformly baked pizzas no matter how generous you are with the toppings.

Breville Crispy Crust Pizza Maker

If you prefer cooking outdoors, then check out the Pizzeria Pronto Outdoor Pizza Oven. The Pizzeria Pronto has the same super high temperatures of a wood-fired pizza oven. It will bake flawless pizzas with bubbly toppings and a crisp crust in just five minutes, and it’s light enough to take on picnics, tailgate parties and camping trips. The Pizzeria Pronto is fueled by propane and is designed for outdoor use only.

Pizzacraft Pizzeria Pronto Outdoor Pizza Oven

The Pizza Dough

This is the most important element of your homemade pizza. Without the proper dough your pizza can turn into a sloppy mess of toppings or dry cardboard covered with cheese and tomato sauce. You need the proper dough that has been kneaded properly and has had time to rise. This will allow it to bake properly so it comes out light and crispy. Making the proper dough is not hard and the following recipe for Pizza dough will get you off to the right start.

Pizza Dough
Makes 4 twelve inch pizzas

Ingredients
15 oz 00 (strong bakers) flour or plain flour
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
9 fl oz luke warm water.

Method
1. Place flour into large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
2. Add yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil, and water and stir until combined.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until a smooth ball forms.
4. Place dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth. Set aside in a warm dough free place for 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knock back (punch) the dough to remove excess air, lightly knead.
6. Divide dough as required.

The Essential Tools for Homemade Pizza

Find everything you need to create delicious homemade pizza dinners for family and friends. Whether you’re looking for recipes for weeknight meals or menus for weekend parties, these options offer an arsenal of great ideas and tools for pizza lovers. Liven up your favorite homemade pizza with the fresh flavors of the Italian countryside—just a drizzle of aromatic oil is all it takes. Infused with aromatic rosemary and basil, the extra-virgin olive oil adds delicate herbal flavor to freshly baked pizza. It’s also great tossed with cooked pasta or sautéed with fresh seasonal vegetables.

Pizza fans line up around the block for square slices of the Sodini family’s Sicilian-style pies. This sauce makes it easy to bake up your own version at home. Crafted using Golden Boy’s own recipe, it’s a classic combo of ripe tomatoes, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, spiced with basil and oregano.

From pizza sauce to outdoor pizza ovens, stones, seasoning kits and oils to outdoor ovens and tools, browse our curated selection of pizza products.

Gourmet Homemade Pizza Recipes

Homemade Pizza - BLT

Homemade Pizza – BLT 

A homemade pizza recipe that combines Roma tomatoes, oregano, garlic, chopped bacon, baby arugula and fresh mozzarella. It does take a bit of extra time to roast the tomatoes, but its well worth it!
Tanya / Lemons for Lulu / Via Lemons for Lulu.com

Homemade Pizza - Smoked Salmon & Avocado

Homemade Pizza – Smoked Salmon & Avocado 

This pizza recipe uses a wholemeal/whole wheat pizza base and is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner with fresh smoked salmon slices drizzled with a little lemon juice. Topped also with avocado and fresh arugula leaves.
Karina/ Café Delites/ Cafedelites.com

Homemade Pizza - Balsamic Roasted Peach, Almond & Cilantro

Homemade Pizza – Balsamic Roasted Peach, Almond & Cilantro

The step of roasting the peaches and onions with balsamic before putting it on the pizza, may seem like a pain if you’re in a hurry, but it gives the best flavor ever! This recipe combines peaches, onion, raw almonds, cilantro and balsamic vinegar.
Tori / Gringalicious / Gringalicious.com

Homemade Pizza - Thin Crust Barbecue Pizza

Homemade Pizza – Thin Crust Barbecue Pizza

This paleo pizza recipe by cookbook author Caroline Potter has a secret ingredient in the crust: sauerkraut. Though we love the Kicking Barbecue Sauce on this pizza, it can also be served with smoked or grilled meats.
Gluten Free Living / Glutenfreeliving.com

Homemade Pizza - Heirloom Tomato

Homemade Pizza – Heirloom Tomato

This recipe calls for Pecorino Pepato, which is an Italian sheep’s milk cheese with peppercorns. Any pecorino can be substituted. Heirloom Tomatoes extra-virgin olive oil, fine seas salt, Pecorino Pepato cheese, pancetta and fresh basil make this recipe a winner.
Martha Stewart / MarthaStewart.com

Featured Pizza Products

Kettlepizza Gas Pro Deluxe Set

Convert your gas grill into a pizza oven and create pies that rival their pizzeria counterparts. The Gas Pro creates a cooking chamber that focuses heat to cook, crisp and brown pizzas to perfection. Truly the best way to make homemade pizza. Kit includes pizza stone and peel, and stores in heavy-duty case when not in use. Intended for gas grills with at least three burners and a minimum cooking area of 24 inches wide by 17 inches deep.

Forno Toscano Margheta Outdoor Pizza Oven

This wood-fired oven, handmade in Italy, will turn you into a true pizzaiolo. Homemade pizza done the right way! The reflective stainless steel dome creates convection that circulates heat, reaching temperatures between 700–800°F in just 15 to 20 minutes and capturing the rich, smoky flavor of the wood fire. Simply slide your pizza into the oven, and you’ll be rewarded with crisp, chewy Neapolitan-style pies in mere minutes.

Parmesan Pizza Crust Mix

Lots of pizza fans love extra cheese as a topping, so Williams Sonoma decided to take its classic flavor all the way to the foundation with a Parmesan-infused pizza crust. A great “secret ingredient” to keep on your pantry shelf, our all-natural mix creates a savory dough that’s very easy to handle. All you add are olive oil and water—the yeast is in the mix. Whether you bake your creations in a pan or on a stone, the pizza will emerge from the oven with a crispy, golden Parmesan crust.

Spicy Chile Pizza Oil

Add a bold, spicy kick to your favorite pizzas—just a drizzle of our zesty red chile oil is all it takes. Spiked with the complex heat of chile de arbol and pequin peppers, the extra-virgin olive oil adds vibrant flavor to freshly baked pizza. It’s also great tossed with cooked pasta or sautéed with fresh seasonal vegetables.

KettlePizza Deluxe Outdoor Pizza Oven Kit

Turn your charcoal grill into a wood-burning pizza oven with this clever kit. Pizza frame with thermometer, pan and baking stone lets you amp up the fiery heat for the best results on an 18.5″ or 22.5″ kettle grill. Pizza peel is there to help slide pies on and off the grill. Pizzeria-style pies bake in less than 8 minutes to the perfect crispness on the included professional-quality pizza stone.

Epicurean Mini Pizza Peel

Perfectly sized for sliding individual pizzas in and out of a countertop convection oven, this pizza peel offers a sure grip and keeps your hands safely away from the heat. After baking, cut your pizza into slices and serve right on the peel.

Golden Boy Pizza Sauce

At San Francisco’s legendary Golden Boy Pizza, the motto is “it’s hip to be square.” Pizza fans line up around the block for square slices of the Sodini family’s Sicilian-style pies. This sauce makes it easy to bake up your own version at home. Crafted using Golden Boy’s own recipe, it’s a classic combo of ripe tomatoes, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, spiced with basil and oregano.

Creamy Truffle Sauce

Take homemade pizza to a luxurious new level with this creamy truffle sauce. Its rich, earthy character comes from the finest white truffles, accented by savory aged Parmesan cheese, garlic and a dash of black pepper. For a truly extraordinary pizza, just spread the sauce on your favorite crust, add fresh toppings like premium mozzarella, wild mushrooms and fresh herbs—then bake to bubbly perfection.

Artichoke & Garlic Pizza Sauce

Considered the birthplace of pizza, Naples is famous for its pizzaioli (pizza makers) – artisans so revered for their skills that they were once awarded honorable titles by the monarchy. Made using only the finest, freshest ingredients, this authentic pizza sauce brings the tradition to your table. Artisan pizzerias rely on slow-simmered sauces like these as flavor foundations for their signature pizzas.
San Marzano is a chunky tomato sauce showcasing the natural sweetness of vine-ripened San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy, seasoned with fresh garlic and basil. Artichoke & Garlic is a creamy, herb-seasoned sauce that combines California-grown artichokes and garlic with premium extra-virgin olive oil from Spain.

Emile Henry Pizza Stone

Finished with Emile Henry’s proprietary glaze, this pizza stone produces perfectly crispy crusts and doubles as a cutting surface. Able to withstand exceptionally high heat, it can be used in the oven, on the grill and over an open flame – and it’s dishwasher safe.

Epicurean Pizza Cutter

Swiftly cut even the crispiest homemade pizza into uniform slices with the Epicurean Pizza Cutter. To use it, just grab the handle on either end of this innovative pizza cutter and rock it back and forth to cut your pizza into the desired portion sizes. The sharp blade makes easy work of anything from thin and crispy to deep-dish varieties, letting you get back to the business of serving and eating. Made from eco-friendly recycled materials, this lightweight, durable pizza cutter delivers lasting performance along with a bacteria-resistant construction that’s easy to maintain.

Pizzeria Pronto Outdoor Pizza Oven

Make your own pizzeria-quality pizzas in the backyard or on the go with this portable, propane-fueled pizza oven. The Pizzeria Pronto safely replicates the super-high temperatures of a wood-fired pizza oven, baking flawless pizzas with bubbly toppings and a crisp crust in just five minutes. Requiring no down time between pizzas, the oven is ideal for pizza parties, and it’s light enough to take along on picnics, tailgate parties and camping trips.

Pizza Seasoning

Perfect for homemade pizza or your favorite take-out pies, this classic Mediterranean seasoning blend also adds vibrant flavor to pasta dishes, focaccia and calzones. Aromatic Mediterranean herbs and spices are blended with savory onions and sweet sun-dried tomatoes to create a classic seasoning for pizzas and other Italian favorites. Sprinkle this flavorful blend over piping-hot pizza, or use it to season homemade sauces for pizza, calzone or pasta. All seasonings are crushed just before blending to ensure the most vibrant flavor and aroma. The premium, all-natural ingredients for our Pizza Spice Blend are sourced from around the world and expertly blended by a family-owned artisanal spice company in Northern California’s Napa Valley.

Assorted Mini Pizzas

Serve an upscale party hors d’oeuvre in just minutes. The expert cooks at The Perfect Bite Co. in Los Angeles have done all the hard work for you. Each sized to offer three to four bites, the pizzas combine a crispy crust with flavorful toppings, perfect for nibbling with wine or cocktails. Our assortment includes three flavors, all vegetarian: Margherita bursts with the flavor of juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, a blend of Italian cheeses and a dash of red chili pepper flakes. Mushroom pairs savory white mushrooms with aromatic porcini mushroom powder, topped with nutty Asiago and Gruyère cheeses. Sundried Tomato Artichoke balances sweet sundried tomatoes with earthy artichoke hearts; a parmesan-cream cheese topping and custom herb blend round it out.