Italian pizza dough recipe (traditional) – the only pizza dough recipe you might ever need. This homemade pizza dough can be used right away or left to rise overnight. Prepared easily with simple ingredients like Type 00 Italian flour, water and yeast – this authentic pizza dough is suitable for kneading in bread machine too.
If you’re after an easy pizza dough that tastes like it’s straight out of Italy, you’re in luck. This one’s a doddle to make and absolutely spot-on for a quick pizza night at home. It bakes up soft in the middle with those lovely crispy edges – exactly how proper pizza should be.
It’s a perfect base for a classic Neapolitan pizza, but honestly, use whatever toppings you fancy (yes, even pickles if that’s your vibe). You can roll it out straight away, or let it rise slowly in the fridge for up to 48 hours for that deep Italian flavor. I always (well, with a few exceptions) make mine ahead of time, stick it in the fridge (well covered with a shower cap or a lid), and then smugly pull it out at dinner time like I’ve been cooking all day.
Also check out this traditional Bulgarian pizza dough with Yogurt: Greek Yogurt Pizza Dough. Not to mention this epic Mediterranean Anchovy Pizza.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lukewarm water – adding lukewarm water helps the yeast rise just right. If water is too hot, the yeast will be killed. And if it’s too cold, the rising process will slow down way too much for the initial 30 minutes of rising at room temperature.
- Yeast – I personally prefer fresh yeast, but depending on where you live there might be none available. In that case, the closed substitute would be active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs activation in lukewarm water, as opposed to Instant yeast for example. Instant yeast lacks the protective coating and can be added directly to ingredients without activation.
- Olive oil, extra virgin -adding olive oil to the dough brings in extra elasticity and helps ingredients blend better together.
- Flour – the type of flour I use is the 00 flour – also known as Italian white flour (doppio zero). It’s often used in Italy to make pizza and pasta. As it is finely ground and provides perfect elasticity, it’s the optimal type of flour for a pizza crust. The best alternative to 00 flour for pizza dough would be the so-called bread flour. It has high gluten content which ensures its stretchiness.
- Pinch of salt -for preservation purposes.
- Pinch of (brown) sugar -needed for activating the fresh yeast /active dry yeast.
- Optional: Flour – for sprinkling on the surface while kneading (that is optional dough, I do the kneading in the large bowl by hand).
What is Italian Type 00 flour?
In much of Europe flours are labeled with numbers that refer to how finely they’re milled. In Italy, the scale runs from 00 (the finest) up to 2 (the coarsest). These numbers don’t indicate protein or gluten content – they only describe the grind. Italian 00 flour is extra finely milled but still very elastic, which makes it perfect for kneading and ideal for authentic pizza dough of all styles.
Recipe Tips
Flour: Use type 00 flour if you can. It makes the dough stretchy, smooth, and soft – giving you the closest thing to real Italian pizza. You can usually find it in supermarkets, specialty shops, or online (Amazon’s always a good bet).
Rising: Let the dough rise on the lowest shelf of the fridge, since that’s typically the coolest spot. If your fridge runs a bit warm, the dough may rise too quickly. Don’t worry – just knead it again in the bowl and move it somewhere cooler. It’ll rise again, and you can use it after 8–12 hours, or even up to 24 hours later.
Kneading: You can knead by hand, with a stand mixer, or in a bread machine. I usually leave it to the mixer – it saves loads of time and effort.
Handling the dough: Lightly grease your hands with olive oil before shaping the dough. This makes it easier to lift from the bowl. Alternatively, you can dust with flour or dampen your hands.
When it’s ready: The dough should double (or even triple) in size. When rolling it out, you should feel the little air bubbles inside – that’s when you know it’s spot on.
How long does pizza dough last in the fridge?
This Italian pizza dough lasts up to 48 hours in the fridge before it should be cooked. That means, it rises slowly in the coldest part of your fridge, well covered with a lid to avoid any moisture being trapped in the bowl. However, you can use it after 12 or 24 hours if the dough has risen enough to be used.
Italian Pizza Dough Recipe (homemade)
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1-2 pizza pan(s)
Ingredients
- 500 ml water, lukewarm
- 20 ml olive oil extra virgin
- 42 g cube of fresh yeast, or 2 tbsp. of active dry yeast
- 930 g white flour (type 00), or same amount bread flour
- pinch of salt
- pinch of brown sugar for activating yeast
- pinch of flour for kneading/rolling out the dough
Instructions
- First, add the yeast, pinch of sugar in a small bowl and cover with lukewarm water (approx. 3-4 tbsp). Cover and let yeast activate. Stir to combine.
- In the meantime, in a large mixing bowl add remaining water, 00 flour, olive oil and salt. Once the yeast gets activated, add it in.
- Next, knead a smooth, soft dough. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 20-30 minutes on room temperature (20-25C/68-77F). Use right away or let rise slowly for the second time as described below.
- OVERNIGHT RISING: To let the best taste develop overnight rising in the fridge is recommended. After kneading the dough, cover the bowl with a lid and place onto the lowest shelf in the fridge (usually the coolest part). Let sit for 12-24 or up to 48 hours.
- The dough begins to rise slowly in the fridge (due to being kept in colder conditions). When you want to start cooking pizza, take dough out the fridge 20 minutes in advance. Let it rest for a bit on room temperature, lid off.
- Then, (with oily hands) remove dough from bowl and divide into 4-6 smaller balls. Roll out each ball onto floured surface and add your preferred toppings. Then place onto parchment paper and bake in preheated oven (180C/360F) for about 20 minutes or until cooked.
Notes
- Pizza dough can be kneaded in a kitchen robot or bread machine.Â
- If you notice that the dough has risen and it’s not cooking time yet, take it out of the fridge and knead gently in the bowl. Then cover and place back in the fridge for a few hours.Â
- You can prepare pizza right away, after 1st rise or leave the dough to rise slowly in the fridge as part of your meal prep for the week.Â
Nutrition
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