Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
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This Neapolitan pizza dough recipe is your ultimate guide to mastering authentic Italian pizza at home. It’s the best step-by-step guide for achieving a soft, airy crust with that signature chewy bite and charred edges, just like in Naples. Once you try it, it’ll become your go-to pizza dough recipe!
Love pizza? Try my Roman-style pizza dough or pizza al taglio next time.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 24 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 24 hours 35 minutes
- Servings: 8 people
- Dietary Info: Vegan
- Method: Mix and knead the dough, then let it rise overnight. Shape into balls and let it rise again. Shape, top, and bake.
- Technique: kneading, stretching, and shaping dough.
- Flavor & Texture: This Neapolitan pizza dough recipe is very stretchy, which makes it easy to shape, and bakes quickly in a hot oven to create a crisp, crunchy, thin crust that pairs well with any toppings.
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite!
What makes Neapolitan pizza dough truly special is its simplicity and authenticity. Just four ingredients—00 flour, water, sea salt, and yeast—come together to create a soft, stretchy dough with a pillowy interior and beautifully blistered, charred crust. As I can attest, It’s the closest you’ll get to eating authentic Italian pizza without hopping on a plane!
The secret is in the slow fermentation (usually 24+ hours), which develops deep flavor and a light, airy texture. This dough is meant to be hand-stretched until it’s thin, and then baked at a high heat for just a couple of minutes. It’s the kind of dough that lets the ingredients and toppings shine, just like we make it in Italy. My family loves this pizza dough every time we have pizza night at home!
You’ll also want to try other authentic Italian recipes like pappardelle pasta and homemade ravioli!
Made With Amore,
“Amazing! I have been making your dough for 2 years now, and it is my go to recipe. The crust is so light and airy!”
– ERIN
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Neapolitan Pizza Dough
All you need is four simple ingredients, no oil or sugar—just pure, traditional pizza dough the way it’s made in Naples!
- 00 Flour: This ultra-fine Italian flour creates a soft, elastic dough with just the right chew. It’s the gold standard for Neapolitan-style pizza and creates the signature light crust. Bread flour (such as King Arthur) can be used with great results as well.
- Water: Typically, room temperature water works well. It hydrates the dough and activates the gluten in the flour. The water-to-flour ratio is key for achieving the perfect soft and stretchy texture!
- Fresh or Active Dry Yeast: A small amount is all you need! The yeast slowly ferments the dough, developing flavor and giving rise to that classic puffy, bubbly crust. Instant yeast will also work.
- Sea Salt: This adds essential flavor and strengthens the dough structure during fermentation. Use high-quality fine sea salt for best results.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Topping Ideas
- Margherita Pizza: San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella (fior di latte or buffalo), fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Homemade Marinara Sauce or Italian Tomato Sauce: Crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and olive oil (no cheese).
- Prosciutto e Rucola: After baking, top with thinly sliced prosciutto, fresh arugula, shaved Parmigiano, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Funghi: Top with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and fresh mushrooms.
- Try my Pear, Honey, Walnut Cheese Pizza with this dough!
How to Make Neapolitan Pizza Dough
This is the ultimate step-by-step photo overview of how to make authentic Neapolitan pizza dough from scratch. The full instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Night Before: Making the Dough
- First, add the salt to the water in a large mixing bowl and let it dissolve. Then, add a little bit of the flour to the salt and water.
- Sprinkle in the yeast and mix with the water and flour mixture.
- Knead on a clean surface for 10 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Knead again until smooth and elastic. You can also knead it in a stand mixer. Rest 10 more minutes, then form a smooth ball. Place in a floured bowl, cover, and let sit at room temp overnight (8–12 hours).
Day of Baking: Shaping the Pizza Dough Balls
- After letting the dough rise overnight, divide into 8 dough balls (~250g each). Shape using the pinch-and-tuck method.
- Place on a floured tray or in dough boxes. Cover and refrigerate for 12–48 hours (longer fermentation = better flavor!).
Day of Baking: Shaping and Cooking Neapolitan Pizza
- Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before baking. Let it come to room temperature. Lightly flour the surface. Flatten dough gently with fingers, leaving a raised rim (cornicione).
- Gently stretch the dough and toss gently to create 10–12″ rounds. Place the dough on a pizza peel or sheet pan.
- Preheat oven with pizza stone to 550°F for at least 30 mins (or 750–900°F for pizza oven). Top the pizza with tomato sauce and your favorite toppings.
- Bake in a home oven (550°F) for 10–15 minutes or in a pizza oven (900°F) for ~5 minutes. The pizza crusts will get slightly charred. Slice and serve!
Recipe FAQs
Neapolitan pizza dough is beautifully simple, as it is made with just 4 ingredients: Tipo 00 flour, water, salt, and yeast (no oil or sugar!). What makes it special is the higher hydration (60–65%), long, cold fermentation (often 24-48 hours in all) and shaping technique of stretching rather than rolling to create a thin crust with a light interior and crispy, chewy texture.
The best flour is Tipo 00 flour, a finely milled Italian flour with a lower protein content (around 11–12.5%). It creates a soft, elastic dough that’s easy to stretch and delivers that signature light, chewy texture with a crisp, blistered crust. It also absorbs water slowly, making it ideal for long fermentation—essential for authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Up to 48 hours. The longer it rests, the better the flavor; just make sure it’s well covered. Storing your pizza dough the right way will change your homemade pizza life! Here’s my tips on how to store pizza dough to give you everything you need to know.
Yes, you can! Freeze after shaping into balls. Remove from the freezer and thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before using.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve with Neapolitan pizza? This delicious and authentic pizza recipe serves as a main course, but is even better with some classic Italian sides, like from my complete list of 75 best side dishes for pizza.
If you’re looking for fresh veggies or salads, go for a pear gorgonzola salad, crispy Brussels sprouts, or Italian fennel and orange salad. But don’t forget dessert! Try my Classic Italian Tiramisu or Italian Pear Cake.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use Tipo 00 flour. This finely milled Italian flour creates the signature soft, elastic texture with light charring; don’t substitute with all-purpose if you’re after true authenticity.
- Weigh the ingredients in grams. Precision matters! Use a kitchen scale for consistent hydration and perfect fermentation.
- Cold fermentation is key. A long, cold proof (24–48 hours) develops deeper flavor, better texture, and makes the dough easier to digest.
- Stretch the dough; don’t roll. Gently press and stretch the dough with your hands. A rolling pin flattens the air bubbles you worked so hard to develop.
- Keep the toppings light. Neapolitan pizza is all about balance—too much sauce or cheese will weigh down the dough and cause sogginess. Use my Italian Pickled Peppers!
More Italian Pizza Recipes You’ll Love
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Neapolitan Pizza Dough
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ cups room temperature water, + 1 teaspoon warm water
- 35 oz Tipo 00 Pizza Flour, or good-quality bread flour
- 5 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon dry yeast
Instructions
Night Before Baking
- In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in the water. Add about 100g of the flour and mix until it forms a crepe-like batter. Add the yeast and mix well with your fingers until dissolved.
- Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing with one hand and scraping the sides of the bowl. When the dough comes together, transfer it to a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes. Cover and rest the dough for 10 minutes.
- Knead again for another 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Let rest for 10 minutes to let the gluten relax.
- Form the dough into a big smooth ball. Place it in a lightly floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let it rest overnight (8-12 hours) on the kitchen counter.
Next Morning: Shaping Dough and Cold Fermentation
- After 8–12 hours, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 250g/8.8oz each). Form each piece into smooth dough balls (use the pinch-and-tuck method for a tight surface). See notes for more tips.
- Place the dough balls on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, or place in airtight dough containers. Refrigerate for 6-48 hours. (The longer the cold ferment, the better the flavor!)
Day of Baking: Shaping & Baking the Pizza
- Take the dough balls out of the fridge 2-3 hours before baking. Let them rest at room temperature, still covered.
- Preheat the oven to its highest setting (usually 550°F), with a pizza stone placed on the middle rack. Let the stone heat for at least 30 minutes. For professional ovens or pizza ovens, heat to 750-900°F.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Gently flatten the dough with your fingertips, leaving a thicker outer rim (cornicione).
- Carefully stretch the dough by lifting it over your forearm and flipping it back onto the surface. Shape into a 10-12-inch circle.
- Sprinkle a little semolina flour on your pizza peel or baking sheet and transfer the pizza dough onto it. Top the dough with tomato purée, mozzarella, and any other desired toppings. Do not add to many toppings, or it will weigh down the pizza. (Add mozzarella halfway through baking if using a home oven.)
- Slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated stone. Bake in a home oven at 550°F for about 10-15 minutes, or in a pizza oven at 900°F for about 5 minutes.
Serving Pizza
- Add fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil after baking. (If you're using fresh mozzarella, add the cheese after the pizza comes out for a creamy, soft texture! See my magherita pizza recipe for more.)
- Remove the pizza from the oven with the pizza peel, and transfer to a wooden cutting board or parchment paper. Slice and serve immediately, and prepare the next pizza.
Notes
- The double knead (before and after a short rest) gives the dough better structure and elasticity.
- Cold fermentation (refrigeration) brings incredible flavor—don’t skip it!
- If the dough feels tight after refrigerating, let it relax fully at room temperature before shaping.
- Take a piece of dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flatten it a little with your fingers. Grab the edges of the dough with your fingers and pinch them together in the center.
- Keep lifting the edges up and tucking them underneath, like you’re wrapping the dough into a little pouch. Turn the dough a little and pinch and tuck again. Do this about 4-5 times.
- After a few pinches and tucks, you’ll see the top get smooth and tight — that’s exactly what you want! Flip it over so the smooth side is facing up. Gently roll it under your palm in a small circle to make it even tighter if needed.
- The goal is to create a smooth, tight ball of dough without any tears; this helps it rise evenly and bake beautifully!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
best homemade pizza dough recipe!!!
Yes!! It truly is a wining recipe.
Making pizza again this weekend and this is our family go-to recipe!!
This pizza dough is heavenly! Amazingly fluffy and tender with a crispy exterior that melts in your mouth!
This is a recipe straight from Italy. If you want to make authentic pizza Napoletana at home this is your one stop recipe for detailed step by step instructions to get you the result you desire. Enjoy!
This is a spectacular recipe.
Thanks Ben! I am happy you loved it. It is the traditional Italian way. I hope you can make it often.
Thank you for the recipe! Can you please share a video of how you stretch the dough balls into pizza shape?
Hello Julie! I do not have a video of that ready, but i should create one! Please let me know if you need more guidance from the written instructions. I like to press the dough ball sown with my fingers and create a flat circle. Then, I stretch it and rotate to keep the circle shape. Then. you can toss a bit by keep your fist at the center of the circle. Keep stretching with hands until desired size. I hope that helps! I have more step by step visuals on my Instgram account CucinabyElena.
I live at 6300’. Should I make any adjustments to the recipe?
I do not think it is necessary. Enjoy!
Hi! Where I live, it is more common to use fresh yeast. How much should I use for this recipe?
Great question! You will use about 7 grams!
Best recipe ever, and I’ve tried a few. I love how Elena sees into the future and anticipates my questions like which yeast and flour to use and how to put the dough balls in air tight containers. My kids love “making” pizza, usually just putting toppings on at the end, but I will take what I can get for such an awesome product at the end. You realize when you take that first bite that all the details go so far in the end.
Thank you! I am happy that I could help answer all of your questions! I agree- following the recipe produces a true authentic pizza crust!
Can I use the Antimo Caputo Chefs Flour? I cant find the exact one in the recipe!
An authentic taste of Italy in your home!
Hi Elena just a few questions : 1. what do you consider room temperature for the 24hr. dough ball rise ? 2. Vincenzo has a video where he adds salt onto the dough when he kneads the dough ? 3. do u agree adding the yeast to the salted water and 105 of flour is Ok tp protect the yeast ? Thank you and great recipe directions !
Bill Pentangelo
Hi Bill- happy to help. Room temperature for a long rise (24 hours) should be 60-70 degrees F. If it is too hot, it will proof prematurely. For this recipe, the salt should be added exactly when stated. We tested this recipe dozens of times, adding the salt at different times, and we found this to be the best way. Enjoy! Best, Elena
Best pizza ever! We made this for a Christmas party with little cousins and it was so much fun! And then to top it off, everyone decided it was the best pizza they have ever had. You can’t buy something that delicious. We added a little olive oil and Maldonado salt to the crust, I couldn’t stop eating.