Homemade Healthy Pizza Recipe

Easy to make pizza recipe from the basics without any processed food, colorants or artificial ingredients. Just like we were in Italy.

Pizza is one of the world’s most beloved dishes. It originated in Naples, Italy, in the late 18th century and has since become a global phenomenon. While pizza can be a delicious and satisfying meal, it’s often high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sodium. However, the rise of healthy eating has led to the development of healthy pizza recipes that are both nutritious and delicious.

One popular healthy pizza recipe is gluten-free crust pizza. Gluten-free crusts are made with alternative flours, such as almond flour or coconut flour, making them suitable for people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. The crust can be topped with low-carb toppings such as grilled chicken, mushrooms, and peppers, for a filling and satisfying meal that won’t sabotage your diet.

Another way to make pizza healthier is by using vegetable-based sauces. Traditional tomato sauce can be high in added sugars and sodium, but vegetable-based sauces, such as pesto or marinara made with carrots or sweet potatoes, are packed with vitamins and minerals. These sauces can be paired with low-fat cheese or alternative cheese made from cashews or tofu.

Cauliflower crust pizza is another popular healthy pizza recipe. Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be used to make pizza crust that’s low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. The crust can be topped with a variety of healthy toppings such as grilled vegetables, chicken, or shrimp, for a nutrient-rich meal.

Mediterranean pizza is a healthy pizza recipe inspired by the Mediterranean diet, which is known for its health benefits. Mediterranean pizza typically includes toppings such as olives, feta cheese, and roasted red peppers, which are all rich in healthy fats and antioxidants. These toppings can be paired with a thin whole-grain crust for a satisfying and healthy meal.

Margherita pizza is a classic Italian pizza that consists of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil. This simple pizza is both delicious and healthy when made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. It can be made with a thin whole-grain crust or a cauliflower crust for a low-carb option.

Famous chefs have also gotten in on the healthy pizza trend. For example, Chef Wolfgang Puck has created a healthy pizza recipe made with whole wheat dough, low-fat cheese, and grilled vegetables. Chef Jamie Oliver has also developed a healthy pizza recipe that includes a whole-grain crust, roasted vegetables, and a tomato sauce made with fresh tomatoes.

In conclusion, healthy pizza recipes have come a long way since the traditional pizza was invented in Naples. By using alternative flours, vegetable-based sauces, and healthy toppings, pizza can be a nutritious and satisfying meal. Whether you prefer gluten-free crust, cauliflower crust, or traditional whole-grain crust, there’s a healthy pizza recipe out there for everyone to enjoy.

There are endless variation to play with the sauce, topping or the thickness of the crust but that’s another story so let’s dive into basics:

Ingredients

(makes 10 thin crust, Ø12″ – 5 oz  / Ø26cm – 150g pizza)

Starter

• ⅞ cup / 100g Flour
• ½ cup / 100ml Water
• ¼ teaspoon / 1g Fresh yeast

Dough

• 6¼ cup / 750g All purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon / 5g Fresh yeast
• 2 cups / 500ml Lukewarm Water
• ¾ oz / 20g Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoon / 10g Salt

Sauce

• 2 medium Onion (finely cut)
• 1 teaspoon / 5g Salt
• ¼ cup  / 60ml Oil
• 2 cloves / 6g Garlic (crushed)
• 29 oz / 700g Tomato pure
• 3-4 leaf Fresh basil
• 5-10 leaf Fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon / 5g Salt

Topping

• 10 oz / 300g Cheese of choice (Gouda, Edam…)
• 8.8 oz / 250g Mozzarella

How to make Healthy pizza

Starter

1. Making a starter is not absolutely necessary but it will provide a more complex flavor for the dough. Combine flour, water and the yeast in an airtight container and put it into the fridge for 4 – 6 hours. It will double in size so choose a big enough box.

Dough

1. Measure flour into a kneading bowl and sprinkle fresh yeast on top. No need to dissolve the yeast.
2. Pour in the olive oil and at least half of the water.
3. Add the starter in too. It tends to stick to the box but mixing it with some flour from the bowl will help salvage every bit without much effort. If starter is not used just add the equivalent amount of flour and water to the bowl.
4. Knead the dough until it comes together gradually adding the remaining water and the salt. We are after a sticky humid dough as we are going to bake the pizza in a low temperature home oven. Flouring our hand will prevent the dough to stick to it. 
5. Cover the dough and place it to a 68°F  – 81°F / 20°C – 27°C corner to raise.
6.  It could take anything from 40 – 90 minutes depending on the temperature to double in size.

Sauce

1. Pour oil into a pan and caramelize the onions then add the crushed garlic and fry it until it gets fragrant. (Check out the Low Carb Condiments for detailed Tomato Sauce recipe)
2. Pour the pureed tomato and add basil, oregano and salt then cook it on low heat until about quarter of the liquid evaporates. Add salt to taste.

Topping

1. Grate the cheese and cut the necessary ingredients up.

Assembly

1. 1. Take the dough out onto a floured surface.
   2. Separate into two and shape the dough into elongated forms for easier measuring.
   3. Cut the dough up into 6 equal parts that will results 8 oz / 230g pizza dough.
   4. Sprinkle a bit of water on a cleaned surface then flour our hands.
   5. Roll balls from the dough. Check out how to roll dough
   6. Place the rolled dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle water on top.
   7. Cover it with a kitchen towel then sprinkle water onto the kitchen towel too. If we are lucky this will prevent the dough sticking to it. Alternatively we can use a high walled container with a lid, anything that will let the dough rise while not letting it to dry out.
   8. Place it into a 68°F  – 81°F / 20°C – 27°C corner again for 60 – 90 minutes until it doubles.
   9. Dust a spatula with flour and take a dough off the tray.
   10. Place it onto a floured working surface upside down then flour the top of the dough and our hands too.
   11. Start shaping the pizza by pressing down the top of the dough by moving from one side of the dough to the opposite. Check out How to shape a pizza!
   12. Create the side of the crust by leaving out a ½” / 1cm part of the dough down along the side of the crust.
   13. Press down gently the middle the second time.
   14. Flip the dough then repeat the shaping process on this side too.
   15. It’s time to give the dough its final shape. Hold the dough still with one hand while grabbing the dough with the other and stretching it mildly about double of the original size.
   16. Rotate the dough a quarter and stretch that side as well.
   17. Repeat the turning and stretching until the desired size is achieved. A 10″ / 30cm size pizza can easily achievable with this method. Alternatively use a rolling pin.

1. Spread tomato sauce on top of the dough
2. Add some topping.
3. Place the dough into a preheated oven at maximum temperature which means 480°F / 250°C in most cases for about 6 – 8 minutes. Turn around the pizza after 4 minutes if necessary.

Enjoy!

Note: Home ovens aren’t really made to make pizza so we have to try our best to imitate a real oven. Place the baking tray on the top shelf and place the pizza there. The best results can be achieved by using pizza baking steel but in lack of that we can use the standard metal baking sheet. If we don’t have a pizza peel to move the dough into the hot tray in the oven preheat a baking tray in the oven. Once its hot take it out with a heat resistant glove, slide the prepared pizza onto it and put it quickly back into the oven.

Ever tried swapping tomato sauce to sour cream?

Delicious!

We can prepare all the pizzas at once or place some of the dough onto a tray, cover them with transparent foil and place them into the fridge for another day. If a crust forms on the top of the dough before we can prepare them then whisk it with a bit of water. Cover it back and leave it for an hour and the crust should be solved.

We can store unprepared dough in the fridge for several days or even freeze them. If we choose to put them into the fridge we have to knead them a little bit every day to show we still love them.

Storing them in the freezer isn’t that taxing luckily. Make sure to brush the dough with a bit of olive oil before foil wrap them and we are good to go.

F.A.Q.

Can homemade pizza be healthy?

Homemade food is as healthy as we make them to be. It’s true that plain white flour isn’t the healthiest ingredients out there but a thin crust topped with some good protein and vitamins every now and then shouldn’t ruin our life.

What is the healthiest pizza?

The one we make at home. No store bought pizza can be healthy given the amount of sugary sauce and preservatives are stuffed in them.

Is pizza really that bad?

No, if it’s made at home with good ingredients without sugar, preservatives and flavor enhancers.

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Star this recipe!

Deliciously healthy pizza recipe

Easy to make pizza recipe from the basics without any processed food, colorants or artificial ingredients. Just like we were in Italy.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean, Sugar free recipe

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Starter

• ▢ ⅞ cup Flour
• ▢ ½ cup Water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Fresh yeast

Dough

• ▢ 6¼ cup All purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Fresh yeast
• ▢ 2 cups Lukewarm Water
• ▢ ¾ oz Extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Salt

Sauce

• ▢ 2 medium Onion finely cut
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ ¼ cup Cooking oil
• ▢ 2 cloves Garlic crushed
• ▢ 28 oz Tomato pure
• ▢ 3-4 leaf Fresh basil
• ▢ 5-10 leaf Fresh oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Salt

Topping

• ▢ 10 oz Cheese of choice Gouda, Edam...
• ▢ 8.8 oz Mozzarella

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

Starter

• Making a starter is not absolutely necessary but it will provide a more complex flavor for the dough. Combine flour, water and the yeast in an airtight container and put it into the fridge for 4 - 6 hours. It will double in size so choose a big enough box.
  

Dough

• Measure flour into a kneading bowl and sprinkle fresh yeast on top. No need to dissolve the yeast.
  
• Pour in the olive oil and at least half of the water.
  
• Add the starter in too. It tends to stick to the box but mixing it with some flour from the bowl will help salvage every bit without much effort. If starter is not used just add the equivalent amount of flour and water to the bowl.
  
• Knead the dough until it comes together gradually adding the remaining water and the salt. We are after a sticky humid dough as we are going to bake the pizza in a low temperature home oven. Flouring our hand will prevent the dough to stick to it.
  
• Cover the dough and place it to a 68°F - 81°F / 20°C - 27°C corner to raise.
  
• It could take anything from 40 - 90 minutes depending on the temperature to double in size.
  

Sauce

• Pour oil into a pan and caramelize the onions then add the crushed garlic and fry it until it gets fragrant. (Check out the Low Carb Condiments for detailed Tomato Sauce recipe)
  
• Pour the pureed tomato and add basil, oregano and salt then cook it on low heat until about quarter of the liquid evaporates. Add salt to taste.
  

Topping

• Grate the cheese and cut the necessary ingredients up
  

Assembly

• Take the dough out onto a floured surface.
  
• Separate into two and shape the dough into elongated forms for easier measuring.
  
• Cut the dough up into 6 equal parts that will results 8 oz / 230g pizza dough.
  
• Sprinkle a bit of water on a cleaned surface then flour our hands.
  
• Roll balls from the dough. Check out how to roll dough
  
• Place the rolled dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle water on top.
  
• Cover it with a kitchen towel then sprinkle water onto the kitchen towel too. If we are lucky this will prevent the dough sticking to it. Alternatively we can use a high walled container with a lid, anything that will let the dough rise while not letting it to dry out.
  
• Place it into a 68°F - 81°F / 20°C - 27°C corner again for 60 - 90 minutes until it doubles.
  
• Dust a spatula with flour and take a dough off the tray.
  
• Place it onto a floured working surface upside down then flour the top of the dough and our hands too.
  
• Start shaping the pizza by pressing down the top of the dough by moving from one side of the dough to the opposite. Check out How to shape a pizza!
  
• Create the side of the crust by leaving out a ½" / 1cm part of the dough down along the side of the crust.
  
• Press down gently the middle the second time.
  
• Flip the dough then repeat the shaping process on this side too.
  
• It's time to give the dough its final shape. Hold the dough still with one hand while grabbing the dough with the other and stretching it mildly about double of the original size.
  
• Rotate the dough a quarter and stretch that side as well.
  
• Repeat the turning and stretching until the desired size is achieved. A 10" / 30cm size pizza can easily achievable with this method. Alternatively use a rolling pin.
  
• Spread tomato sauce on top of the dough
  
• Add some topping.
  
• Place the dough into a preheated oven at maximum temperature which means 480°F / 250°C in most cases for about 6 - 8 minutes. Turn around the pizza after 4 minutes if necessary.
  

Notes

Let pizzas cool for a little bit then slice, serve and enjoy

Pin now, Enjoy later!