Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe with a step-by-step guide to help you achieve optimal results! Neapolitan pizza is largely defined by its pillowy, chewy crust with a simple tomato sauce and puddles of fresh mozzarella cheese. This is a recipe you will make time and time again!

Here is another loved recipe with this pizza dough Pear Honey Walnut Basil Cheese Pizza. And if you love pizza you will also enjoy this Roman Style Pizza Dough!

What Is Neapolitan Pizza Dough?

Neapolitan pizza has a very thin crust at the base, with dough that puffs up around the sides, creating an incredibly airy crust.

The dough is very elastic (think of Italian pizza maker’s “pizzaioli” tossing and stretching that gorgeous dough). You don’t need a rolling pin for this dough.

The stretching and pulling are all done by hand.

The crust is so light that certain areas become charred very quickly, so it’s important not to overcook and completely burn this type of crust.

Simple Ingredients

• FLOUR For Neopolitan pizza, use type 0, or “00” flour. These are Italian-milled, finely ground flours with a protein/gluten content of around 10-12%, perfect for a thin, crispy pizza crust—more on flour in the next section.

• WATER The water should be around 20 degrees C (68 degrees F). When you knead the dough, the temperature will increase. That’s why the water doesn’t need to be too hot when you start the process.

• YEAST In Italy, it is most common to use natural fresh yeast or brewer’s yeast for pizza dough. You can find fresh yeast in almost all European grocery stores!
  • I find natural fresh yeast very difficult to find in the United States, so I use dried Italian yeast that I like.
  • You can also use active dry yeast at most grocery stores. The amount of yeast used is minimal.
  • The dough ferments slowly over a longer period, so you don’t need much. I find it easier to digest when it is made this way.
  • IMPORTANT TIP: The salt and yeast should not have too much direct contact when mixing the dough. Why?
    • If the yeast has too much contact with the salt, it will damage the yeast cells. In turn, this will ruin the fermentation process. The salt is mixed with water and flour before adding the yeast.

• SALT Neapolitan-style pizza is made with about 2.5- 3% fine sea salt.
  • The purpose of the salt in Neapolitan pizza dough is to extend the fermentation time and to improve texture and flavor. Salt slows down the yeast. When adding salt to the dough, the yeast gets less active, and you get a longer, slower rise.
  • Salt helps strengthen gluten, so the dough keeps its shape during the long fermentation.
  • A long and slow fermentation improves flavor and texture. The strong gluten formation makes the dough elastic and less prone to tearing.
  • Can you believe the salt also helps brown and crisp the crust during baking? A lot of information about SALT! Who knew salt could play such an important role in pizza dough.

How to Make Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Here are visuals and directions for making the perfect Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Steps from top to bottom:

1. After dissolving salt in water, start adding flour little by little

2. The mixture will be fairly liquid

3 & 4. Add yeast.

5. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast by mixing by hand in the salt, water, and flour until combined

Steps from top to bottom:

1-3. Start adding flour little by little to the bowl and working with your hands.

4. Once the dough is more solid move it to a floured work surface.

5. It may take 15-20 minutes of kneading to get a smooth dough ball.

Steps from top to bottom-

1. Cover the dough ball with a damp cloth for about 2 hours.

2. Uncover the risen dough.

3. Divide the dough into about 8 pieces

4. Pinch method to make a smooth dough ball (use “pinch and tuck” method in recipe steps.

5. Place the dived dough balls in airtight container for final rise (2 boxes with 4 dough balls in each).

How to Cook and Bake Neapolitan Pizza

Neapolitan pizzas are also cooked at very high temperatures (800 F to 900 F) for no more than 90 seconds. We use our Gozney RoccBox to get the heat take this pizza to the next level.

If you don’t have a high heat pizza oven cook it in your oven at the hottest setting 550 degrees F, preferably on a pizza stone.

Make sure to let your oven heat 30 minutes, with the pizza stone, before baking your pizza pie for the highest heat possible.

Pizza Stone I recommend if you are using a regular oven. We’ve owned this one for 10 years!

What Is The Best Flour For Pizza Dough?

I highly recommend using the Caputo “00” pizzeria flour and Caputo lieveto (dry Italian yeast).

It is the flour the pizza makers use in Italy. I talked to several this summer, and they agree this is the best!

Take it from the true Italian “pizzaiolo” and use this flour and yeast for the best results.

Why is 00 Flour Best for Pizza Dough?

Caputo 00 flour is ideal for pizza dough for two reasons: one, it’s finely ground, and two, it has a lower gluten content than most flours.

The “00” refers to the texture of the flour: Italian flours are classified by numbers according to how finely they are ground, from the roughest ground “tipo”1, to 0, and the finest 00.

Gluten, the natural protein that remains when starch is removed from wheat grains, creates the elasticity you feel when you bite into a crunchy loaf of bread.

The lower the flour’s protein content, the lower the gluten, and the lower the gluten, the less elasticity there will be in your dough (cake flour has the lowest gluten level).

Gluten levels are controlled by selecting different strands of wheat for processing: high-gluten bread flour is made from wheat that has 14-15% gluten.

Meanwhile, the Caputo 00 is made from the finest grains the Caputo family can find to give your dough just enough, but not too much, stretch at 12.5% gluten. It is ideal for making pizza dough!

Can I Substitute all-purpose flour or Bread Flour for 00 Flour?

Bread flour is the best substitute for 00 flour when making pizza. It has a high gluten content, ensuring the dough will still be smooth and stretchy.

Although it is not as fine as 00 flour, it will still work and will yield you great pizza dough. 

How To Shape Pizza Dough

Thanks to my dear husband Dr. Jordan Davis, for helping with this video!

For this recipe, you can also use all-purpose flour, but the consistency will be a bit firmer, and the dough will not be as stretchy.

I do not recommend it to achieve optimal results. Here is a link that bundles the pizza FLOUR and YEAST.

It is the best price I found for you! BUY IT: PIZZA FLOUR AND ITALIAN DRY YEAST

Pizza Toppings

The most authentic Neapolitan pizza toppings are mozzarella, tomato sauce (usually made with San Marzano tomatoes), and basil, also known as Pizza Margherita. However, the sky is the limit as far as toppings. Read more about different types of mozzarella in my post mozzarella vs burrata.

Make it your own with your favorite toppings.

Don’t make it too heavy with toppings, or this style of pizza will have a hard time sliding in and out of the oven!

Ratios for Sauce and Cheese

• 1 dough ball (about 250 gr). Use this recipe for the dough.
• Raw tomato sauce puree (180 grams ). Brands I like: Mutti, Cento, and Bianco Do not use canned, pre-made, or seasoned sauces.
• Fresh Mozzarella (about 70-85 grams). Must use fresh mozzarella packed in water. You can also try buffalo mozzarella!
• Fresh Basil (about 3-4 leaves)

Equipment

I love this Euro Design Pizza Peel

LINK TO THE DOUGH CONTAINER WE LOVE!

Top Tips

• Use THIS flour and yeast
• Do not let the yeast and salt come in direct contact with one another (I explain why above)
• Let it rise the proper time as the recipe suggests
• Let dough balls rise in a good air tight container .
• If making in a regular oven, preheat for half an hour or so at high heat, aiming for a stone temperature of around 800°F to 900°F. 

How long will pizza dough last?

Storing your pizza dough the right way will change your homemade pizza life! Read How to store pizza dough for ALL your pizza storing needs.

If you have leftover pizza dough, want to save time and work before the next pizza night, make a big batch of dough to store, or love the convenience of having pizza dough ready, you need to know how to store pizza dough properly.

I recommend storing pizza dough when they are already divided into balls.

You can also try using this Marinara Sauce for your pizza.

Serving Suggestions

This delicious and authentic pizza recipe serves as the main course. Side ideas include Arugula, Apple, and Pistachio Salad in Parmigiano Cups, pear gorgonzola salad, Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe, and Italian Fennel, Citrus, Pomegranate and Salad.

Don’t forget dessert! Try Classic Italian Tiramisu (without alcohol), Italian Cream Crumb Cake (sbriciolata alla crema), Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl), or Frozen Lemon Dessert (Creamy Lemony Treat).

You may also want to try: Authentic Homemade Pappardelle Pasta Recipe and homemade ravioli!

More Delicious Recipes for YOU

Tomato focaccia

Authentic Italian Amatriciana Sauce

Easy Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad (Vegetarian)

Italian Frittata Recipe with Spinach

Italian Style Pasta Salad Recipe (with Arugula)

Easy “Crack” Lemon Bars (Winning Recipe)

Recipe Video

Recipe Adapted from: Vincenzos Plate. A big thank you to Vincenzo for teaching us the way with this recipe!

Make it a family affair and get everyone involved if you make this recipe, don’t forget to return it and leave a STAR rating and comment. Thank you! You will want to try pizza dough this way. It is worth the effort!