This Gluten Free Margherita Pizza is completely foolproof, with the easiest & most delicious gluten-free pizza dough recipe. It’s thin, crispy on the bottom, and perfectly chewy. It gets topped with a quick homemade tomato-basil marinara sauce, plenty of fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and lots of fresh basil!
(This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you SO much for reading and supporting the brands I love!)
Although I love a good, high-maintenance, topping-filled pizza piled high with prosciutto, wood-fired mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, truffle oil, and balsamic glaze, sometimes, there’s nothing quite like the classic. A margherita pizza! A perfectly simple marinara, fresh mozzarella, parm, and basil make this pizza special – this is the perfect example of times when the simplest things are the best. Plus, it’s gluten-free!
I’m not personally gluten-free, but a number of people in my life are, and I also love experimenting and playing around with alternative flours. It’s just fun! I enjoy the challenge, and I really find so much joy in cooking for other people, and I like having options for everyone! Hence, I got to work on this gluten-free pizza dough, which I actually LOVE.
As a gluten-loving, carb-obsessed person, I’m always semi-skeptical of gluten-free breads and baked goods, but this crust is everything I want in a thinner crust pizza dough.
It’s perfectly thin, crispy, and chewy, and it stands up beautifully to a thick layer of garlicky tomato-basil sauce, lots of fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil leaves!
And, it’s made with my favorite EVER gluten-free all-purpose flour: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
This flour is made with a blend of white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, and xantham gum. This particular blend is so nice, because you don’t have to add anything else to it. It subs perfectly in recipes where you’d use wheat flour or any kind of all-purpose flour. And in this case, it works great for pizza dough.
I’ve had a lot of success using it in muffins and cookies, too! Even if you’re not gluten-sensitive, it’s still such a fun flour to use and experiment with in your kitchen!
This dough only requires the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, warm water, yeast, honey, an egg, salt, and olive oil. Super simple! No extra tough-to-find ingredients like different gums and starches. It’s all already in the flour, ready to use.
We’re making this pizza completely from scratch, but the steps could not be simpler!
After we prep the gluten-free pizza dough, the simplest garlicky tomato basil marinara is up next!
All you need: olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil. It simmers for a quick 15 minutes, and it makes a little extra so you can use it in other recipes throughout the week! Or lets be real, another pizza. 🙂
Since this gluten free pizza dough is on the delicate side before it’s cooked, I find the easiest way to roll it out, is directly on your pizza stone (if you have one!), or baking sheet!
The other crucial part to making the crust as crispy as possible, is to par-bake it. Before adding the toppings, I like to bake it for 15 minutes, so that the bottom gets crispy, and the top starts to get golden-brown. This step creates a barrier between the crust and the sauce and to prevent any sogginess. It is crucial – so don’t skip the par-bake step!
After the crust gets baked for 15 minutes, we add the marinara, mozzarella, and parm, and it heads back into the oven for another 12-15 minutes. Until the cheese is perfectly golden and bubbly, and the crust is perfectly crispy and golden! Don’t be alarmed if your crust cracks slightly on top, or on the crust – that’s totally normal and to be expected!
Here’s a quick run-down of exactly how you make this gluten-free margherita pizza from start to finish!
- Prep your dough. Start by proofing the yeast (just a fancy way of saying combining the yeast with warm water and honey for 10 minutes to activate it!). Once it has proofed, add your Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, salt, egg, and olive oil and mix until combined. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it “rise” for an hour. (It won’t rise very much at all, but the dough will have a little bit more “give” to it).
- In the meantime, make your tomato-basil marinara. Start by sautéing a good amount of garlic (and red pepper flakes if you’d like!) in olive oil. Add your crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover it and let it simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in a handful of fresh basil. Done!
- Roll out + par-bake your dough. The easiest way to do this by far is to roll it out straight on your pizza stone or baking sheet. The dough is fragile before it’s cooked, so it’s tough to roll out on the countertop and transfer it to a stone or baking sheet. So, save yourself the hassle and roll out/form your dough straight on your baking vessel. You want it to be about 1/4” thick! Par-bake the dough for 15 minutes – this will ensure a super crispy bottom and will prevent any sogginess! Again, don’t be alarmed if the dough cracks on top or on the crust – totally normal!
- After the crust has par-baked, add your toppings! A generous layer of the tomato-basil marinara, fresh mozzarella, and grated parmesan. Bake it for an additional 12-15 minutes or until it is perfectly golden!
- The final step: let it cool for a few minutes, then finish with extra grated parm, and plenty of fresh basil leaves. Cut into slices, and enjoy!
I also enjoy finishing it with some red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and flaky salt, but that’s just me! You can add whatever “extras” you like to this pizza!
The result is a thin, crispy, but not cracker-like pizza, and having the homemade simple tomato-basil marinara really makes it! And the fresh basil, obviously. I am so excited that we’re approaching basil season – I love it SO much!
This pizza serves 2-3, but for more reasonable people, you could probably serve 4. Especially if you make a big salad to have alongside!
The other great thing about it – it reheats really well.
If there’s any leftover, that is! I like to reheat it in the oven (preferably on a pizza stone!) to keep it as crispy as possible.
And if you’re like me, and always want a little green with your meals, these salads would be awesome to serve alongside this pizza!
Green Bean Fennel Farro Salad (you could sub quinoa to keep gf!)
Arugula Farro Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Smoked Mozzarella (you could sub quinoa to keep gf here too)
Lemony Farro Arugula Salad (can you tell how much I love farro?! you could sub quinoa or even brown rice in this one too)
Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad with Dried Cherries, Walnuts, and Feta
Chopped Greek Quinoa Salad with Pita Chip Croutons (you could omit the pita chips or sub for gf version to keep gf!)
Don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @spicesinmydna if you make this recipe! Nothing makes me happier than seeing what you create in the kitchen!
Gluten Free Margherita Pizza
This Gluten Free Margherita Pizza is completely foolproof, with the easiest & most delicious gluten-free pizza dough recipe. It's, thin, crispy on the bottom, and perfectly chewy. It gets topped with a quick homemade tomato-basil marinara sauce, plenty of fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and lots of fresh basil!
Ingredients
For the gluten free pizza dough
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 cups (plus 1 tablespoon) Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the tomato-basil marinara
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- small handful fresh basil leaves
For the pizza
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing the dough
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- fresh basil leaves, for serving
- crushed red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)
- dried oregano, for serving (optional)
- flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Begin by making the pizza dough. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast, or until the surface is bubbly/foamy. Add the flour, salt, egg, and olive oil. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon, then finish mixing the dough with your hands until it comes together. Form the dough into a ball or disc, and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let it "rise" for 1 hour. (The dough won't rise very much at all since we're using a gluten free flour, but it will become more springy to the touch + it will have a little more "give").
Meanwhile, make the tomato basil marinara. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds - 1 minute, or until it is fragrant. Don't let it brown! Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, and raise heat to high. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once sauce is finished, stir in the fresh basil, and season to taste with additional salt. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 450℉. Once pizza dough has "risen", lightly flour your pizza stone or baking sheet, and lightly flour your rolling pin as well. Turn the dough out onto the stone/sheet, and roll into a 1/4'' thick circle. Finish forming the dough with your hands and pinch together any cracks on the edges. Lightly drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil, and brush it around until coated (or just use your hands!). Bake for 15 minutes. (Don't be alarmed if the top and/or edges crack a little bit, that is totally normal!)
Remove pizza from oven and spread with a generous layer of the tomato basil marinara, leaving 1/2'' or so on the edges for the crust. (You will have some sauce leftover.) Top with the fresh mozzarella slices, and sprinkle evenly with the grated parmesan. Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden, and crust is golden and crispy. Let pizza cool for a few minutes, then sprinkle with extra grated parmesan, and top with fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, dried oregano, and flaky sea salt, if desired. Cut into slices and serve!
Recipe Notes
*This is the gluten free flour I use and love!
*Recipe makes more tomato-basil marinara than you will use for this recipe. Extra will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Try Caputo’s Fioreglut flour from Naples, Italy. It’s amazing and I challenge you to tell the difference! I cook it in a pellet fired Ooni Pizza Oven and it comes out as perfect as a wood fired pizzaria! I don’t know why more pizza restaurants don’t use this flour, as usually the GF option is not as great. You can get it from Amazon if you can’t find it locally and it’s about the same price as Bob’s. You’ll never go back once you try it!