Here’s how to make the best ever sheet pan pizza! This easy method makes a big pan for everyone to enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Want to make pizza that feeds a crowd? Let’s make Sheet Pan Pizza! This style of pizza is a bit different than the standard circular variety, but it’s become an instant favorite around here. Why? It makes a big pan the equivalent of 3 medium pizzas, and it’s so easy to make! You don’t need any special equipment, and you don’t have to bother with shaping the dough. Even better, it’s even quicker than our Pan Pizza or Focaccia Pizza. Let’s get baking!
How to make sheet pan pizza: an overview
Sheet pan pizza is a style of pizza where you make the dough in a sheet pan, instead of stretching it into a circle like our traditional Italian pizza dough. You can also skip using a pizza peel and stone, because you’ll bake it right in the pan. This method is great for pizza beginners and lets you bypass several standard steps in the process.
The sheet pan version is even quicker than some of our other alternate methods (pan pizza and focaccia pizza), so it’s now our top choice when it comes to easy weeknight pizza recipes. You’ll need 1 hour and 15 minutes of prep time, then 15 minutes to bake. Here’s a breakdown of the timing in this recipe:
| Make the dough | 15 minutes, active |
| Roll the dough and rest (Proof 1) | 15 minutes, inactive |
| Rest the dough again (Proof 2) | 45 minutes, inactive |
| Bake the pizza | 15 minutes (6 minutes without toppings, 6 to 8 with toppings) |
The keys: two proof times and two bake times
The keys to this sheet pan pizza? You’ll see there are two rest or proof times, and then two bake times. Here’s what to know about this:
- Two proof times makes for the best fluffy dough texture. The longer you proof bread or pizza dough, the fluffier and better texture it gets. We’ve optimized this recipe to be very fast, so you won’t want to shorten any of the proof times. It’s essential for making the best crust! (Focaccia pizza has even thicker crust and even longer rest times.)
- Bake the crust without toppings, then add toppings and bake more. This helps to get the best crispy on the bottom, fluffy in the middle texture to the pizza crust. It’s not a standard way to cook pizza, but once you try it you’ll appreciate the method. (Note that this is not required with our standard Pizza Dough, only sheet pan pizza.)
This sheet pan pizza is 3 in 1!
Another great feature of this sheet pizza: it’s the equivalent of 3 pizzas in 1! That means you don’t have to make separate pizzas for the family. Just make this one sheet pan, and it’s enough for everyone. If you’d like, you can make different toppings on different parts of the pizza.
Topping ideas for sheet pan pizza
You can top this sheet pan pizza in so many ways! Here we amazing Easy Pizza Sauce, then topped it with smoked mozzarella cheese and fresh mozzarella. Then we sprinkled it with a topping of seasoned baby arugula, like this Arugula Pizza. Head to the recipe below for instructions! Or, here are some of our other favorite pizza topping ideas! You’ll just need to double or triple them for this pizza (you can eyeball it):
- Make the Perfect Margherita Pizza
- Go spicy with Incredible Jalapeno Pizza
- Ditch the pizza sauce for 3 Cheese Shrimp Pizza, Ricotta Pizza, White Pizza or Spinach Pizza
- Go classic with Homemade Cheese Pizza or Pesto Pizza
- Try delicious fusion Best Ever Taco Pizza
This sheet pan pizza recipe is…
Vegetarian.
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Best-Ever Sheet Pan Pizza
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
Description
Here’s how to make the best ever sheet pan pizza! This easy method makes a big pan for everyone to enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
For the pizza dough*
- 375 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 264 grams (1 cup – 2 tablespoons) warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the sheet
For the pizza toppings
- 1 ¼ cup pizza sauce (purchased or our favorite Easy Pizza Sauce)
- 1 cup (3 ounces) shredded smoked gouda cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- Optional topping: 4 cups (3 ounces) baby arugula, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the dough (5 minutes): In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, yeast, kosher salt, oregano and garlic powder. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until flour is incorporated.
- Knead the dough (8 minutes): Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
- Roll out and rest the dough in a 13″ x 18″ sheet pan (15 minutes): Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Add a light sprinkle of flour to the boule. Then roll out dough on floured surface to roughly the shape of the sheet pan. Brush 3 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom and sides of a standard 13″x 18″ sheet pan. Add the dough and brush it lightly with oil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes to relax the dough.
- Rest the dough again (45 minutes): Press the dough back into the corners of the pan so it evenly covers the pan. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500F.
- Bake the pizza dough* without toppings: After the 45 minute rest, bake the pizza dough for 6 minutes without sauce and toppings.
- Add the toppings and bake again: Remove the dough from the oven. Add the pizza sauce, smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces), and Parmesan cheese, and top with a few pinches of kosher salt. Take care, since the pan will be hot! Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly brown.
- Serve: If using, in a small bowl, mix the baby arugula with the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle the pizza with torn basil, then add the arugula on top. Cut into pieces with a knife (a pizza cutter doesn’t get all the way to the pan edges) and serve immediately.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Sheet pan pizza
Let us know if you have any questions!
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This looks great! Does this dough work with being prepared earlier? Could I do all the instructions before baking and then refrigerate until later, or does it need to be baked straight away?
Thanks!
You should be able to refrigerate for up to a day (though it will get quite puffy, it should still work). Just remove from fridge 30 minutes before topping.
Can I use a store bought pizza dough? If so, how would the baking instructions differ from the original recipe?
You could use store bought, though the results might be a little bit more dense of a crust. Start in step 3, and then in step 4 you’d probably only need an additional 15 minute rest.
Hi guys, I discovered your website after searching for some baking recipes for left over sweet potato. I’ve tried several of your recipes since then and they’ve all been fantastic! Unfussy, healthy and delicious. I tried your sheet pan pizza recipe, including your simple pizza sauce, this evening and it was truly one of the best home made pizza recipes ever! The base was lovely and light, crisp and tasty. My 8 year old son couldn’t stop eating it! I’m based in Australia so had to do the weights and measures conversions, as well as tailoring things a little bit to local ingredients (and to my own oven). But, as with all your recipes, it was easy to do and so worth it! Keep up the great work!
★★★★★
We’re so glad to hear this! Thank you for the comment and please let us know what other recipes you enjoy along the way.
Could I use “00” flour instead of all purpose? Would I need to make any changes? Thanks!
The “00” will work great in this recipe. No changes needed.