Italian Pepperoni Pizza
Twenty-five minutes is all you need to make this Italian Pepperoni pizza recipe. It is a delicious and wholesome pizza that everyone loves. And the best part? It is easy to make!
Friday movie night is incomplete around this part without pizza. I am talking, chicken pesto flatbread pizza, flatbread pizza margherita, and my personal favorite anchovy pizza. Make it healthy-ish with some added veggies. Yezzza!
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Reasons To Love This Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Recipe
Making a pepperoni pizza recipe from scratch is super easy. Here is everything you need:
- When you pat the veggies dry, it helps the crust to turn out wonderfully crisp instead of soggy, such a game changer!
- Shredded mozzarella works great, but I just love using mozzarella balls. They melt into adorable gooey puddles that are so delicious! Feel free to use both!
- Store-bought dough is super handy and works like a charm, but if you have the time, homemade dough takes your pizza to the next level.
- A delicious tomatoey and rich pizza sauce brings in the depth of flavor. Again, you can buy pre-made pizza sauce or prepare one at home. Either way, the flavors add so much to the pizza. Speaking of sauces, have you tried my multi-purpose roasted bell pepper sauce? It's the sidekick for many recipes, and it's guaranteed to give a bland recipe an added oumph.
📃Ingredient Description
Here are some of the ingredients needed to make the homemade Italian pepperoni pizza:
- Pizza dough: Store-bought or homemade dough both work! Homemade gives you that chewy, bakery-style bite, while store-bought saves time on busy nights.
- Pizza sauce: A good tomato base makes all the difference. Use your favorite jarred sauce or whip up a quick homemade version. I swear by Mezzetta sauce.
- Pepperoni: Go classic or spicy. "Cupping" pepperoni (the kind that curls up when baked) gets crispy edges that pack extra flavor.
- Cheese: Mozzarella balls melt into creamy pockets of cheese that balance the bold pepperoni. Shredded mozzarella works too.
- Add-on: Veggies are optional! I enjoy added toppings like sweet or jalapeños peppers, and onions. Their sweetness adds freshness and keeps the pizza from feeling too heavy. Slice thin so they cook evenly.
Please refer to the recipe card for the exact measurements.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are outlined in the recipe card below, but here are a few steps with visuals to guide you:
Step 1: Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into 12" diameter or as big as you want depending on how thick you want the pizza crust.
Step 2: spread the pizza sauce onto the dough, leaving about an inch of crust around the edges.
Step 3: Add the shredded cheese or sliced mozzarella. The add pepperoni leaving a little space in between.
Step 4: Top with the fresh cheese. Pat dry the veggies if using and spread out over the pan. Bake and slice!
Top Tip
- If adding veggies, I'll advise pre-cooking any veggies with high water content like zucchini, broccoli, mushroom, green bell pepper (unless you slice thin), asparagus, tomatoes, Swiss chard, cauliflower e.t.c. Pat dry before topping on pizza.
- A light drizzle of olive oil before baking helps the crust crisp up and adds a rich, savory finish.
- Add fresh basil just immediately after baking for that pop of color and herbaceous flavor that ties everything together (if you prefer).
- Make sure to remove excess moisture on mozzarella balls by placing it on a paper towel for a few minutes, then pat dry before adding to the pizza.
Toppings For Pepperoni pizza?
The sky is the limit! Here are a few ideas:
- Sausages: add more meat to your pizza with thinly sliced sausages.
- Pineapple: if you love sweet and savory, then trying pineapple is a must!(hold your tomatoes, some of us are unappologetically wild like that, ok)
- Bell peppers: Bell peppers not just add flavor and texture but bring in color as well.
- Olives: Whether it's green olives or black, they taste delicious!
- Mushrooms: Freshly sliced mushrooms taste so good on pepperoni pizza.
What drinks pair well with pizza?
- Martini: Dry vodka martini goes so well with pepperoni pizza and most types of pizza.
- Mojito: Nothing fancy at all! Serve it with a classic mojito, and enjoy!
- Tequila: Tequila is also a fantastic drink and goes so well with. Enjoy with my Pineapple coconut margarita.
- Soda: When you have nothing else, you have soda! It goes so well with every type of pizza.
✅Recipe FAQS
Have a few questions in mind? No problem! Here are the most commonly asked questions and their answers.
Storing leftover pizza is super easy. All you have to do is place it in an air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator. It is good to go for about three days.
To reheat, place it in a preheated oven over an aluminum foil and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes at 350-degree F. The pizza might be a little dry because of moisture from the refrigerator.
The answer is yes! By choosing a gluten-free flour, you can turn it into a gluten-free crust. As for dairy-free is concerned, use vegan products like vegan crust, vegan mozzarella cheese, no/vegan pepperoni, and many vegetables. You can't go wrong here, peeps!
Did your homemade pepperoni pizza get soggy? There can be so many reasons behind the soggy-saster (Definitely trademarking that word 🙂 )
The vegetables weren't pat dry properly before topping on the pizza. The excess moisture from vegetables can begin to sip on the pizza in the oven before it starts to cook. So, slice very thin, so it is cooked once the pizza is out of the oven.
Love Pizza? Here are More Pizza Recipes to Try:
Have you given this recipe or any other from my website a try? Please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and sharing your experience in the 📝 comments section. Your feedback means the world to me, and I'm excited to hear from you!
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
📖 Recipe
ITALIAN PEPPERONI PIZZA RECIPE
Equipment
- Cast iron, pizza stone, or pizza pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Pizza Dough (homemade or store bought)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for brushing dough)
- 2 tsps Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- ⅓ cup Pizza Sauce
- 6 oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated or more if you like it extra cheesy
- 16 Slices pepperoni
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced optional
- 2 sweet peppers, seeded, thinly sliced optional
- 8 deli-sliced jalapeños peppers (optional)
- 4 oz Fresh mozzarella balls, drained, halved
- Pinch of salt and ground black pepper
- 8 fresh basil leaves, torn optional
Instructions
ROLL OUT THE DOUGH
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into 12" diameter or as big as you want depending on how thick you want the pizza crust. Sprinkle a tiny bit of semolina over a pizza pan or cast-iron skillet for an easy release.1 Pizza Dough
- Place the dough on a pizza pan. The dough might retract, that's okay. Oil the tip of your fingers, and gently stretch the dough pulling outwards towards you. Use the tip of a fork to prick the dough slightly, careful not to poke through the dough. Brush the edge of the dough with extra virgin olive oil. Cover the rolled dough with kitchen towel or cling wrap while the oven heats up.Preheat the oven to 450°FExtra-virgin olive oil
ASSEMBLE THE PIZZA
- Sprinkle garlic, oregano, salt and ground black pepper over rested dough round. Using the back of a spoon, spread the pizza sauce onto the dough, leaving about an inch of crust around the edges. Add a tablespoon at a time Add the pepperoni, top with the fresh and shredded mozzarella .2 tsps Dried oregano, 1 tsp Garlic powder, ⅓ cup Pizza Sauce, 6 oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated , 16 Slices pepperoni
- (If using) add the onion, peppers, jalapeños, and mozzarella balls (pat dry any excess liquid before adding). Sprinkle with pinch of salt and black pepper. . Sprinkle a pinch of salt and black pepper.Pinch of salt and ground black pepper, ½ small red onion, thinly sliced, 2 sweet peppers, seeded, thinly sliced, 8 deli-sliced jalapeños peppers , 4 oz Fresh mozzarella balls, drained, halved
- BAKE
- Bake for 12 -15 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and finish it off with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil. Slice, and serve.8 fresh basil leaves, torn
Video
Notes
- If you are using a pizza stone or baking steel, make sure to preheat the stone on the top rack for about 15-20 minutes before placing the pizza on the stone. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
- Another option to bake the pizza is by using a cookie sheet, flip it backward, sprinkle a little cornmeal on it, and place the pizza over the pan.
- Check out my easy homemade pizza dough recipe to make yours
- highly recommend using fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella balls or logs melt better without the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese. Drain fresh mozzarella balls before using them to prevent excess moisture on your pizza; this will make it soggy.
- If you like a slightly golden finish, broil briefly for 30 seconds, but don't walk away. It can quickly go from toasty to burnt.
My guy LOVES pepperoni but I definitely crave the added veggies - this works for us both!
So glad to hear that, Sue! I equally like veggies on my pizza.
Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make this pizza again and again.
A family favorite! Thanks for sharing!
The pleasure is all mine, Angela. It's one of our favorites as well.
So easy to make, my family loved it!
That's music to my ears, Brianna. Thanks for stopping by!
This looks incredible! Homemade pizza is always so much better!
You can say that again! homemade is always well-made. Thank you!
I love pizza, especially pepperoni so you know I absolutely love this!
I hear ya! My son only eats pepperoni pizza
Oh my word! I need this in my life.
Thank you for stopping by! I hope you get to make it.
This pizza is the best!!
I agree, Lilly. Thank you!