Simple Homemade Mini Pizzas (Mediterranean Style) – a delicious, from-scratch dinner that’s as easy to make as it is to enjoy. The secret lies in achieving the perfect soft, airy crumb, with melted cheese tucked into the edges for an irresistible bite. They are perfect for birthday parties, other family celebrations or just a simple pizza night at home. Finish them off with your favorite toppings – extra cheese, green olives, peppers, onions, and more – for a flavorful, customizable treat.
Today I’m sharing the ultimate mini pizzas – irresistibly easy to make from scratch and perfect for a cozy pizza night (or packed into a lunchbox the next day – we’re big fans of leftover pizza too!).
The little secret behind these mini pizzas is tucking a bit of cheese around the edges of the dough. That way, when you take a bite, the crust is soft, gooey, and melts right in your mouth.
ALSO try my recipe for the perfect Italian Pizza Crust . Slow rising of the dough makes all the difference.
Behind the Bites
The earliest form of pizza can be traced back to ancient flatbreads eaten across the Mediterranean, especially by the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. These were simple breads topped with olive oil, herbs, and local ingredients – more like today’s focaccia than modern pizza.
The pizza we recognize today was born in Naples during the 18th and early 19th centuries. At the time, Naples was a bustling city with many working-class residents who needed cheap, filling food. Street vendors began selling flatbreads topped with tomatoes (which had only recently been accepted as safe to eat in Europe), garlic, oil, and sometimes cheese.
One of the most famous moments in pizza history came in 1889, when a local pizzaiolo created a dish for Queen Margherita of Italy. The pizza – topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to represent the Italian flag – became known as the Pizza Margherita.
For a long time, pizza remained mostly a regional specialty within Italy. It wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th centuries – along with Italian migration – that pizza began spreading more widely across Europe.
Traditional Italian pizza-making became so important culturally that UNESCO officially recognized “The Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo'” in December 2017 during the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in South Korea.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – all purpose organic flour
- Water – lukewarm if possible
- Olive oil
- Instant dry yeast – or fresh yeast cube if you have any
- Pasta sauce – store-bought or homemade (check out my recipe for 30 min homemade Italian pasta sauce)
- Yellow cheese – cheese that melts well when baked like cheddar or shredded mozzarella
- Toppings: olives, red pepper or anything else you like
How to make Mini pizzas at home?
1st: Mix all ingredients for the dough and let it rise in a warm place. The dough should be soft and easy to work with. Then divide into 10 + equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a small circle and add some shredded yellow cheese around the corners.
2nd: Roll the edges inwards and press slightly to secure the cheese into the dough pocket. Top with some pasta sauce, olives, chopped peppers and some more finely shredded cheese. Brush the dough with olive oil, bake in preheated oven and serve.
Best Tips
Quicker Rising time: To help the dough rise faster, let the yeast dissolve with a pinch of sugar in the lukewarm water (should not be hot) and let it dissolve. Then add the rest of the ingredients.
Yellow cheese: Finely grate the cheese using the smallest setting/option – the finer the shreds, the better they’ll melt and crisp at the edges.
Simple Mini Pizzas (Mediterranean)
Ingredients
Mini Pizza Base (dough)
- 450 g flour, all purpose
- 300 ml water, lukewarm
- 20 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 10 g instant dry yeast
Mini Pizza Toppings
- 150 g tomato sauce, store-bought
- 200 g yellow cheese, finely shredded
- 150 g green olives, pitted
- 1 red pepper, sliced
Instructions
- First, in a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients for the dough. Knead a soft, non-stick dough.
- Then, cover with a cloth and leave somewhere warm to rise. Approx. an hour in my kitchen.
- In the meantime, chop the pitted olives, slice the pepper and shred the cheese finely. Set aside.
- When dough has risen, divide into 10 equal pieces (or more). Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out each piece of dough in a circle. Dough circle should be thin.
- Then, sprinkle some yellow cheese around the edges of the circle. Tuck the dough inwards to cover the cheese. Repeat for remaining dough.
- Next, in the center of each pizza add some tomato sauce, sliced peppers and olives. Sprinkle with some of the remaining shredded cheese. Leaves pizzas to rest in a warm room for 15 minutes.
- Bake in preheated oven on 180C/360F for about 10-15 minutes, or until cooked. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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