If you’re looking to make quick and easy pizza at home then you need this simple homemade pizza dough recipe using instant yeast!
Sometimes you decide you want pizza for dinner the day you plan to eat it. And a sourdough starter pizza base isn’t going to prove in time (well, my sourdough pizza base recipe isn’t). So this is where this homemade pizza dough recipe using instant yeast steps in!
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Instant yeast activates in less than 5 minutes, so when added to flour - the dough expands in approx. 2-8 hours (depending on how hot or cold your house is) meaning you can have fresh, homemade pizza dough ready to shape in a matter of hours.
Suitable For The Whole Family: Weaning Tips
Suitable from approx. 6 months old
Mozzarella is a good low-sodium choice cheese to serve to young babies.
However, I would suggest you use pre-grated mozzarella on a baby's pizza and NOT a fresh ball of mozzarella, as when fresh mozzarella melts it can be really stringy and hard for babies to chew. Whereas grated mozzarella melts nicely and doesn’t clump together.
How To Serve: you can serve a slice of pizza to baby as it is (just make sure it’s cool enough)!
Instant Yeast or Sourdough Starter: What’s Best?
The answer to this totally depends on your situation. And that’s primarily how much time you have i.e. do you plan ahead or are you a “I decide on the day what I’m having for dinner” sort of person?
I’ve not uploaded my sourdough pizza dough recipe yet, but it takes 48 hours to prove in the fridge, so you need to know ahead of time that you want pizza if you’re planning to make it.
Whereas if your kid says to you at 9am that they want pizza for dinner tonight, then this homemade pizza dough recipe using instant yeast is the perfect option! The time spent making the dough (which isn’t much if you use a stand mixer) is off-set by the time made to cook if you’re using in an outdoor pizza oven like my Ooni. https://shrsl.com/4lu4k
Ingredients
Water: I say use lukewarm because it helps to activate the yeast faster. Make sure it’s not too hot though (aim for tepid), as it could kill the yeast.
Yeast: I use active, dried yeast
Sugar: any kind will be suitable
Flour: I personally use Strong Bread Flour when making pizzas, but you can also use ‘00’ flour as well.
Olive Oil
Salt: fine sea salt is preferable, rather than large flakes of salt
I also use Mutti Pizza Sauce for my base, but I’ll be sharing a homemade pizza sauce recipe soon.
How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
If you are using a domestic oven pre-heat it (and a heavy baking tray or pizza stone for 30 minutes) on its highest setting (230C + / 475F or Gas Mark 9).
See ‘Can I Make This Homemade Pizza Dough In The Oven?’ section below for oven instructions.
Otherwise, fire up your pizza oven.
Activate yeast by adding yeast, sugar & water to a jug, stirring it and leaving it for 5 mins until it starts to go a little 'bubbly'
In a stand mixing bowl (with the hook attachment) add strong white bread flour and olive oil
Then pourin the activated yeast mixture
Mix on medium / high setting using dough hook for 3 minutes, then add salt before mixing for a further 3 minutes. Finally placing dough into a bowl lined with oil (to prevent sticking) and cover with a wet dish towel
Leave it for approx 4 hours at room temperature (or until the dough has doubled in size)
Separate into 2 or 3 x balls, then knead each dough in flour/semonlina for a few minutes before shaping and placing on oiled surface to prove for another 30-45 minutes before shaping into discs to make your pizza
Use semolina or flour to coat your dough ball. Then dust a work surface and stretch your pizza base.
Working from the centre out create a well in the middle of the ball. Push the air bubbles to the outside of the pizza, which helps to create a puffy crust.
Once you have a disc shape lift it off the work surface. Start to stretch it into a pizza base using the back of your fists.
Or alternatively holding the outer rim and slowly turning the dough whilst its own weight stretches it.
Remember to put the dough back on the work surface regularly so that it gets coated in flour/semolina. You are looking for at least a 10” pizza shape.
If you’d like to see some videos describing how to shape a pizza dough ball, check out Roly of East Pizza dough’s tutorials here - I always find them really useful to refer to!
Cook in outdoor pizza oven (ideally over 400C/750F) for approx 90-120 seconds.
Can I Make This Homemade Pizza Dough In The Oven?
If you’re making pizza in the oven there are a few points to ensure:
Pre-heat your oven (like you would your outdoor pizza oven)
Turn your oven up as high as it will go i.e. ideally 230C + / 475F or Gas Mark 9
Ideally use a heavy bottomed oven tray or a pizza stone (pre heat this also)
Once you’ve stretched your dough, place the un-topped pizza on a sheet of oiled baking paper. Then place on the preheated baking tray or pizza stone and allow it to bake for 2 minutes.
Take the pizza out and now top your pizza with sauce and toppings. Then put the pizza back in the oven and bake for a further 8-10 minutes (depending on how hot your oven is or how well cooked you want your pizza).
And finally …
If you have any questions, or want to tell me what you think of my recipe, then leave a comment below!
If you like this recipe and are looking for more family friendly recipes, then why not try my Easy Orzo with Italian Sausage and Broccoli?
Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe Using Instant Yeast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 ml lukewarm water
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast dried active
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 475 g strong bread flour or ‘00’ pizza flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Activate 2 teaspoon instant yeast by adding yeast, 2 teaspoon sugar & 300 ml lukewarm water to a jug, stirring it and leaving it for 5 mins
- In a mixing bowl, add 475 g strong bread flour and 1 tablespoon olive oil before pouring in the activated yeast mixture
- Mix on medium / high setting using dough hook for 3 minutes
- Add 1 teaspoon salt then mix for a further 3 minutes
- Place dough into a bowl lined with oil (to prevent sticking) and cover with a wet dish towel
- Leave it for approx 4 hours at room temperature (or until the dough has doubled in size)
- Separate into 2 or 3 x balls then follow step by step above.
Emily says
how do i store the dough to use for the next day?
Lauren says
you can choose to store it in an oiled, airtight container in the fridge - but worth noting that once you activate the yeast it will keep 'working' so preferably don't allow it to rise for the full duration as per the recipe then refrigerate. a good few hours before you want to use it, take it out the fridge and allow to come to room temperate and continue rising slightly. stored slows the process but it does keep happening.
Lorna says
This is the best pizza dough recipe I have ever made. Made it many times now , so easy to make . Thank you ❤️
Stacey says
Best pizza recipe! (Much like all of Lauren’s recipes to be fair). Always come back to it - winner with everyone including the kids 🙌🏼 1000/10 🍕 Lauren you need your own book and/or show 🫶🏼