Home Pepperoni Pizza are three word most people will enjoy hearing. The best part is it’s very easy to make, even the dough. As there is no yeast involved, the dough doesn’t need to proof cutting down the entire time to about 30 minutes. I love to add both mozzarella and cheddar to the pizza for that mature yet gooey flavour and texture. Serve as a main dish or as a snack for later. Whichever you choose everybody will be happy.
I don’t know what it is about making pizzas at home but I love it. Home Pepperoni Pizza is exactly that sort of dish being forgiving, yet it still manages to feel like a proper treat when it comes out of the oven bubbling and golden. This is not about chasing perfection or copying a restaurant-style pizza. It is about enjoying the process and appreciating how a few everyday ingredients can come together into something genuinely comforting.
What I love most about this pizza is the dough. Making dough used to feel intimidating, but once I realised it does not need hours of proving or fancy techniques, it became much less scary. The dough here is soft, slightly sticky, and easy to handle, even if you are not confident with kneading. There is a real pleasure in pressing and rolling it out by hand, watching it slowly stretch into a round shape. It does not have to be perfectly circular either. In fact, the slightly uneven edges make it feel more homemade and far more charming.
The base is lightly seasoned, which might sound like a small detail, but it makes a noticeable difference. A pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper in the dough give it a bit of character, so it does not just taste like a bland vehicle for toppings. When it hits the hot tray in the oven, it begins to puff slightly, setting the foundation for a pizza that is crisp underneath but still soft in the middle. Even as an amateur cook, that moment feels like a small win.
The tomato sauce is another simple but important part of this Home Pepperoni Pizza. It is not complicated or overloaded with ingredients, just passata enriched with a little tomato purée, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Mixed together in a bowl, it smells immediately familiar and comforting. The dried herbs give a gentle background flavour without overpowering the tomatoes, which remain the star. Spreading the sauce over the warm base is oddly satisfying, especially when you deliberately leave a narrow border around the edge for the crust to rise and colour.
Cheese is where this pizza really starts to feel indulgent. Torn mozzarella gives you those lovely creamy pockets that melt and stretch, while the grated cheddar adds a sharper, savoury note and helps everything brown beautifully. I like the combination because it feels generous without being heavy. Then come the pepperoni slices, dotted across the top. They curl slightly as they cook, releasing their spiced oils into the cheese and sauce below. Even before the pizza is fully baked, the smell alone is enough to make you hover impatiently by the oven.
As it bakes, the whole thing transforms. The base puffs, the cheese bubbles, and the pepperoni edges crisp just enough. There is always a moment of doubt, wondering if the middle will be cooked through, but once it is out of the oven and resting for a minute, that worry disappears. Cutting into it reveals a proper homemade pizza, one that looks rustic rather than perfect, but tastes all the better for it.
Serving Home Pepperoni Pizza straight away is essential. It is best enjoyed hot, with the cheese still molten and the crust warm in your hands. For me, this pizza represents the joy of casual home cooking. It does not demand special skills or rare ingredients, just a bit of time and a willingness to get your hands slightly floury. Every time I make it, I am reminded that good food does not need to be complicated, and that sometimes the simplest dishes are the most rewarding of all.
Home Pepperoni Pizza
Ingredients
The dough
- 300 g strong white bread flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp rapeseed oil
- 175 ml lukewarm water
- freshly ground black pepper
the topping
- 120 g passata
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp dried mixed herbs
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 large mozzarella ball torn into small pieces
- 10 slices pepperoni
- 30 g cheddar grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a large baking tray upside-down on a shelf.
- To make the dough, sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.300 g strong white bread flour, 2 tsp baking powder
- Add the salt and a pinch of pepper, then stir in the oil.½ tsp sea salt, 2 tsp rapeseed oil
- Make a well in the centre, then stir in the warm water and mix to a soft dough, drawing the flour in from the side of the bowl a little at a time. Ideally you want to end up with a soft and slightly sticky dough.175 ml lukewarm water
- Put the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes, until smooth and springy.
- Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on the work surface, then dust with a little flour and place the dough on top of it.
- Carefully roll the dough out into a 30cm/12in disc, roughly the thickness of about 5 mm.
- Slide the dough and the paper onto the hot baking tray in the oven.
- Bake for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the passata into a bowl, add the tomato purée, mixed herbs, sea salt and black pepper and mix thoroughly.120 g passata, 1 tbsp tomato purée, ½ tsp dried mixed herbs, ½ tsp sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Remove the dough tray from the oven.
- Cover the base with the tomato sauce, using the back of a spoon, leaving a small gap around the edges of the dough.
- Scatter the mozzarella over the tomato sauce, then top with the pepperoni and cheddar.1 large mozzarella ball, 10 slices pepperoni, 30 g cheddar
- Add any other topping you like at this stage.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the base has puffed up and is cooked through and the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter and serve immediately.
34 comments
I was fed up with how expensive pizzas were so tried this. Half the price and a lot tastier than the local.
The smell while baking was irresistible, filled the whole kitchen.
Decent pizza, though the dough could be a bit more crisp.
Tomato sauce and herbs worked perfectly together, very comforting.
Cheese melted beautifully, and the pepperoni added a perfect kick.
The crust edges browned nicely, adding a satisfying crunch.
Fun to make with kids, and they loved choosing toppings.
Easy enough for a beginner, but tastes like a pro made it.
The dough was easy to handle, even for a beginner like me.
Perfect for a quick family meal, everyone enjoyed it.
Every bite had the right balance of sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
Pepperoni slices curled nicely and added great flavour.
Golden, bubbling cheese and crisp edges – exactly what I wanted.
A homemade pizza that feels indulgent but is easy to make.
Loved how simple it was to make yet so full of flavour.
Soft, slightly sticky dough made rolling it out easy and fun.
Even my picky kids loved this pizza, a big win!
Tomato sauce was rich and seasoned just right, very tasty.
Quick to prepare and very satisfying, even for a casual cook.
A great homemade pizza that tastes better than takeaway.
Pepperoni adds a subtle spice without overwhelming the pizza.
The crust is soft and golden, a real treat straight from the oven.
Cheesy, saucy, and perfectly seasoned, just how a pizza should be.
Flavours were good, but I think it needed a little more seasoning.
Great as a weekend treat, everyone enjoyed helping assemble it.
Baking was straightforward, and it came out perfectly cooked.
Absolutely delicious pizza, perfectly cheesy with just the right amount of pepperoni.
Simple ingredients, but the results are seriously impressive.
Even without extra toppings, it was incredibly flavoursome.
Crust had a lovely texture, not too thick or thin.
Cheddar and mozzarella together gave a fantastic cheesy flavour.
This pizza has become a regular in our weekly meals.
The dough puffs up beautifully and stays soft inside.
Would definitely make this again – so simple and tasty.