My Favorite Homemade Pizza Recipes That'll Make You Ditch Delivery for Good

There's something genuinely satisfying about pulling a hot, bubbly pizza out of your own oven. I've been making homemade pizza for years now, and I can honestly say it beats most takeaway options — not just in cost, but in flavor. Whether you're keeping it classic with a margherita or going all out with toppings, the process is easier than you might think. Here are two of my go-to recipes that I keep coming back to, both perfect for a cozy night in with family or friends.

Homemade Margherita Pizza

This is my absolute weeknight staple. A proper margherita is all about simplicity — good dough, a punchy tomato sauce, and creamy mozzarella. I learned early on that the quality of your ingredients makes all the difference here. Don't skimp on the cheese, and please, use fresh basil if you can get it. Once you nail this base recipe, you'll have the foundation for practically every pizza you ever want to make.

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 325ml warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1sp dried oregano
• 250g fresh mozzarella, tornHandful of fresh basil leavesSalt and black pepper to taste

1. Combine flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the warm water and olive oil.
2. Mix until a rough dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. While the dough rises, make your sauce by simmering the crushed tomatoes with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper over medium heat for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.Preheat your oven to its highest setting — usually around 250°C (230°C fan) — and place a baking tray or pizza stone inside heat up.
5. Divide the dough into two equal portions. On a floured surface, stretch roll each piece into a rough circle about 2530cm wide.Carefully remove the hotray from the oven and dust it with a little flour or semolina. Lay on topSpoon the tomato sauce over the base, leaving a border the edge the crust. Scatter the torn mozzarella.Bake for 10–12 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown in spots.
6. Remove from the oven, scatter fresh basil leaves on top, drizzle with a little olive oil, and serve immediately.

Next Level Pizza Night

Once got comfortable with the margherita, I started experimenting — and is where things get really fun. I call my "next level" pizza because it's everything love about comfort food piled onto a perfectly chewy base. I make oneends when I have a bit more time, and it never fails to impress. You can swap favorite toppings, but the combination below is honestly hard to beat.

• 1 portion of pizza dough (see above)
• 4 tbsp tomato pizza sauce
• 150g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
• 75g nduja or spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
• 100g roasted red peppers, sliced
• 50g black olives, pitted and halved small red onion, thinly sliced50g parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• Fresh rocket leaves, serve
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat your oven to 250°C (230°C fan) and heat baking tray or at least 20 minutes — the hotter, the better.
2. Stretch dough out on a floured surface into a roughly 28cm circle like mine a bit thicker the edges for a puffy crust.
3. Transfer the dough onto piece of baking parchment to easier to slide onto the hot tray.Spread the tomato sauce evenly across the base, leaving about a 2cm border.
4. Scatter the grated mozzarella over the sauce, then distribute the nduja, roasted peppers, olives, and onion evenly across the top.
5. Finish with a generous handful of grated parmesan and a pinch of chili flakes.
6. Usingaking parchment as a sling, carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated tray in the oven.Bake for 1014 minutes until the edges are deep golden and the cheese is gloriously melted and caramelized>Pull out of the oven and let it rest for two know's hard to wait, but it's worth itTop of fresh rocket, final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and slice it up right away.

Both these pizzas have become staples in my kitchen, and I genuinely hope they do the same in yours. The key takeaway from all my-making adventures? Don't rush the dough, oven as hot as possible, and use ingredients actually love. Once you start making home, it's really hard to go back.