Flatbread Margherita Pizza
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There’s something about a classic Margherita pizza that never goes out of style—and when it’s built on a homemade flatbread crust? This flatbread margherita pizza is total summer dinner perfection. An easy yeast dough is mixed up and rolled out. Then topped with mozzarella, tomatoes and fresh basil leaves!
This flatbread margherita pizza starts with an easy, made-from-scratch dough that bakes up soft on the inside with just the right crisp around the edges. It’s topped with juicy tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, and basil—keeping it simple, fresh, and flavorful.
And the best part? This dough is similar to making a homemade pizza but a bit faster, making it a go-to for weeknights or last-minute pizza cravings.
Whether you’re planning a pizza night with the family or just craving something fresh and satisfying, this homemade flatbread pizza delivers big flavor with minimal effort. It’s also super customizable, so if you have extra veggies, meats, or cheeses hanging out in the fridge, feel free to get creative.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Flatbread Margherita Pizza
- Quick and approachable: No fancy ingredients or equipment—just pantry staples and a bowl. Great for busy weeknights or a perfect appetizer!
- Crisp and chewy crust: The dough bakes up with the best texture combo: crispy bottom, soft center.
- Perfect for summer: Fresh tomatoes, gooey mozzarella cheese, and basil are the stars—and they shine!
- Make-ahead friendly: Prep the dough in advance and freeze it, so you’re always ready for pizza night.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients for the dough and toppings (see the full printable recipe below:
For the Dough:
- All-purpose flour – You can sub with 00 flour for a more tender bite or bread flour for extra chew.
- Instant yeast – For a quick rise. You can also use active dry yeast; just increase the rise time slightly.
- Sugar – Feeds the yeast and adds a touch of sweetness. Swap with honey or maple syrup if preferred.
- Salt – Essential for flavor and gluten structure.
- Warm water – Be sure it’s around 110°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Olive oil – Adds richness to the dough. You can sub with melted butter or avocado oil.
For the Toppings:
- Pizza sauce – Store-bought or homemade. You can also just use regular tomato sauce or marinara sauce.
- Fresh mozzarella – Use sliced or torn pieces. You could also use mozzarella pearls. I don’t suggest pre shredded mozzarella as it tends to burn before the crust is done baking.
- Fresh tomatoes – Sliced thin for even baking. You could swap and use cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes.
- Fresh basil leaves– Added after baking for that classic finish.
How to Make Flatbread Margherita Pizza
This dough recipe makes 3 flatbread pizzas. Here’s how to turn it into a classic Margherita pizza:
Mix the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Add the Wet Ingredients. Pour in the warm water (110°F / 43°C) and olive oil.
Begin mixing on low speed with the dough hook attachment (or with a spoon if you are mixing by hand) until the dough starts to come together.
Adjust as Needed. If the dough feels too dry and isn’t coming together, add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. The goal is to have a soft, slightly tacky dough that’s not sticky or dry.
Knead the Dough. Mix or knead until a smooth, elastic homemade pizza dough forms. This will take about 5–7 minutes in a stand mixer or 8–10 minutes by hand.
First Rise. Shape the dough into a ball and lightly oil it. Place it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Gently Deflate & Second Rise. After the first rise, gently press down on the dough to release some of the gas. Cover it again and let it rest for 15–20 more minutes at room temperature to relax the gluten. This will make it easier to roll out later.
Divide & Roll. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a bench scraper or knife to divide it into 3 equal portions.
Shape each portion into a ball first, then roll each ball into an oval or round flatbread shape, about ¼-inch thick for a thinner crust than traditional pizza crust.
Dock the Dough. Use a fork to poke holes all over the rolled-out flatbread dough. This technique is called “docking,” and it prevents large air bubbles from forming during baking. Press the fork tines about halfway through the dough – you don’t need to pierce all the way through. This helps create a crispy flatbread that’s perfect for toppings.
Par-bake the Flatbread. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). For best results, place your rolled dough on parchment paper on a preheated pizza stone or a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the edges of the flatbread with a little olive oil. Par-bake for 4-5 minutes, just until the dough starts to firm up and is no longer raw in the center but before it begins to brown significantly.
Add Toppings & Final Bake. Remove the par-baked flatbreads from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Add pizza sauce, along with pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh tomato slices. Return them to the oven for an additional 5-8 minutes until the crust is golden brown, the toppings are heated through, and the cheese is melted.
Cool and serve. Remove from the oven. Top with fresh basil leaves. Let the finished flatbread pizzas cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip docking: Poking the dough with a fork prevents large bubbles and helps it bake evenly.
- Use parchment: Makes transferring to and from the oven super easy.
- Hot oven = crisp crust: Be sure your oven is fully preheated to 450°F.
- Keep toppings light: Less is more when it comes to flatbread—this helps it bake evenly without sogginess.
Recipe Variations
You could easily switch things up with this versatile flat bread dough! Here are a few fun suggestions:
- Try adding some fresh garlic, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze once it’s done baking.
- Add a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese.
- Spread basil pesto on instead!
- Make it a bbq chicken flatbread pizza! Top with bbq chicken, sliced red onion, fresh corn, and cilantro!
- Make it a whole wheat flatbread by swapping out half of the regular flour for whole wheat flour.
Storage & Reheating
If you have leftovers (lucky you!), here’s how to store and reheat:
- Store baked flatbread pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, pop slices into a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes or warm in a skillet for a crisp bottom.
- Freeze unbaked dough after the first rise—wrap tightly and store up to 3 months. Thaw before using.
Recipe FAQs
Flatbread dough is rolled thinner, bakes faster, and has a crispier texture. It’s perfect for lighter, more minimal toppings like fresh tomato and mozzarella.
Yes! Just let the yeast sit in the warm water for 5–10 minutes until foamy before mixing. Expect a slightly longer rise time.
Absolutely. Store the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze after the first rise for up to 3 months.
Par-baking helps set the crust so it doesn’t get soggy under the toppings and gives you a perfect base every time.
More Recipes To Try
Love baking with yeast? Then be sure to try my perfect pull apart monkey bread baked in a bundt pan. Or my favorite cinnamon roll recipe with my cinnamon roll icing.
Another great recipe to try is my banana bread cinnamon rolls or my apple cinnamon rolls!
Ingredients
Pizza Dough:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting, can substitute some whole wheat flour if desired
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water 110°F / 43°C
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus a little more for brushing
Toppings:
- Fresh tomato slices
- Fresh basil
- Fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Mix the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon salt
- Add the Wet Ingredients. Pour in the warm water (110°F / 43°C) and olive oil. 1 cup (240 ml) warm water 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Begin mixing on low speed with the dough hook attachment (or with a spoon if you are mixing by hand) until the dough starts to come together.
- Adjust as Needed. If the dough feels too dry and isn't coming together, add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's too sticky, sprinkle in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. The goal is to have a soft, slightly tacky dough that's not sticky or dry.
- Knead the Dough. Mix or knead until a smooth, elastic homemade pizza dough forms. This will take about 5–7 minutes in a stand mixer or 8–10 minutes by hand.
- First Rise. Shape the dough into a ball and lightly oil it. Place it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Gently Deflate & Second Rise. After the first rise, gently press down on the dough to release some of the gas. Cover it again and let it rest for 15–20 more minutes at room temperature to relax the gluten. This will make it easier to roll out later.
- Divide & Roll. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a bench scraper or knife to divide it into 3 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball first, then roll each ball into an oval or round flatbread shape, about ¼-inch thick for a thinner crust than traditional pizza crust.
- Dock the Dough. Use a fork to poke holes all over the rolled-out flatbread dough. This technique is called "docking," and it prevents large air bubbles from forming during baking. Press the fork tines about halfway through the dough – you don't need to pierce all the way through. This helps create a crispy flatbread that's perfect for toppings.
- Par-bake the Flatbread. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). For best results, place your rolled dough on parchment paper on a preheated pizza stone or a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the edges with a little olive oil. Par-bake for 4-5 minutes, just until the dough starts to firm up and is no longer raw in the center but before it begins to brown significantly.
- Add Toppings & Final Bake. Remove the par-baked flatbreads from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add pizza sauce, along with fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh tomato slices.
- Return them to the oven for an additional 5-8 minutes until the crust is golden brown, the toppings are heated through, and the cheese is melted.
- Cool and serve. Remove from the oven. Top with fresh basil leaves. Let the finished flatbread pizzas cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Storage: Wrap any leftover slices well and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes) before rolling it out.
- Freezing: After the first rise, divide and wrap dough balls individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or at room temp for 2–3 hours before using.
- Reheating Baked Flatbread: To reheat, place the slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes or until they are warmed through. You can also reheat the slices in a skillet over medium heat for a crispy bottom.
