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This Easy Night Pizza Dough keeps homemade pizza simple with a soft dough and savoury seasoning. What would you put on yours?
Homemade pizza starts with this Easy Night Pizza Dough. This one is easy, garlicky and ready for your favourite toppings.
The crust might be the best part of pizza night. Easy Night Pizza Dough starts with garlic and Italian seasoning and your own your favourite combination for toppings.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy Easy Night Pizza Dough
- Easy Night Pizza Dough is the kind of recipe you’ll want when takeout isn’t what you’re after and you’d rather make the pizza yourself.
- It uses everyday ingredients you probably already have.
- The garlic and Italian seasoning give the crust extra flavour without making it complicated.
- The dough is easy to mix, knead and stretch, even if homemade pizza dough isn’t usually your thing.
Easy Night Pizza Dough
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rest Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 large pan 1x
- Category: Lunch Recipes
- Method: Easy baking
Description
This Easy Night Pizza Dough gives you a soft, easy to handle dough with a lightly crisp edge and plenty of flavour from garlic and Italian seasoning. It comes together without a long wait, so you can have homemade pizza in the oven pretty quickly.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/4 tsp white sugar
- 3/4 cup water, warmed to 110⁰F (43⁰C)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic pepper or Garlic Plus seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Pizza sauce and toppings of your choice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast and 1/4 tsp white sugar into 3/4 cup water warmed to 110⁰F (43⁰C). Let it stand for about 8 minutes, until the yeast looks foamy. If nothing happens, your yeast may be past its best or the water temperature may be off, so it’s better to start again before continuing.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic pepper or Garlic Plus seasoning, and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook if you prefer.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes, just until it comes together and feels smoother. It doesn’t need a long kneading session.
- If the dough feels very sticky, sprinkle over a little extra flour, about 1 tsp at a time. If it feels dry or crumbly, wet your hands slightly and continue kneading rather than adding a lot of extra water at once.
- Cover the dough loosely and let it rest for 10 minutes. This little rest makes the dough easier to stretch without constantly springing back.
- Starting at the centre and working towards the edges, gently press and stretch the dough into a 12 inch circle or square, depending on the pizza you’re making. Try not to squash all the air from the outer edge if you like a slightly puffier crust.
- Place the dough on a lightly greased pizza pan and gently stretch it again if needed to reach the edges.
- Spread pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge, then add your favourite toppings. Don’t pile them on too heavily or the centre can take longer to bake.
- Bake at 500⁰F (260⁰C) for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the crust is cooked through. Keep an eye on it near the 8-minute mark because ovens and toppings can make a difference.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Nikita
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Additional Information and Suggestions
- What temperature should the water be? The water should be 110⁰F (43⁰C). It needs to be warm enough to activate the active dry yeast without being so hot that it damages the yeast.
- How do I know if the yeast is working? After sitting with the warm water and sugar for about 8 minutes, the yeast should look foamy or bubbly. If there’s no activity at all, the yeast may be inactive or the water temperature may have been unsuitable.
- Does the dough need to rest after kneading? Yes. A 10-minute rest makes the dough easier to stretch and helps prevent it from springing back while you shape it.
- What if the dough is too sticky? Add a small amount of flour, about 1 tsp at a time, while kneading. Avoid adding too much flour because that can make the finished crust heavy.
- What if the dough feels dry? Moisten your hands slightly and continue kneading. If it still feels dry, add water a few drops at a time rather than pouring in a large amount.
- Can I use instant yeast? Yes. Use 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast in place of active dry yeast. The same amount works well, although instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated in the same way.
- Can I use bread flour? Yes. Bread flour can be used instead of all-purpose flour and will give the crust a chewier texture. You may need a small amount of additional water depending on the flour.
- Can I use whole wheat flour? Yes, but using all whole wheat flour will produce a denser crust. For a lighter result, replace only part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- What can I use instead of Garlic Plus or garlic pepper? Use 1/2 tsp garlic powder for a straightforward garlic flavour. If the substitute doesn’t contain salt, keep the 1/2 tsp salt in the recipe.
- Can I make a thicker crust? Yes. Don’t stretch the dough quite as far across the 12-inch pan. Let the shaped dough rest for another 10 to 15 minutes before adding the sauce and toppings.
- How should I store the dough? Place the dough in a lightly oiled airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping.
- Can the dough be frozen? Yes. Shape the dough into a ball, lightly coat it with oil and place it in an airtight freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before stretching.
Easy Night Pizza Dough gives homemade pizza a flavourful base with garlic and Italian seasoning. The dough is straightforward to mix, easy to stretch and ready for sauce, cheese and favourite toppings, making it a practical choice for a homemade pizza night.
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