Name: Slow Raise Margherita Pizza | No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 525 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups All Purpose Flour; 1/2 cup Warm Water; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Active Instant Dry Yeast; 1 tsp Sugar; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 300 grams Cherry Tomatoes (2 cups Chopped); 6-8 Garlic Cloves; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 tsp Sugar; 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper; Few Fresh Basil Leaves; Salt as needed; 100 grams Mozzarella Cheese; Fresh Basil Leaves; 2-3 tsp Olive Oil; 1 tbsp Corn Meal to sprinkle on pizza pan (can also use Semolina/All Purpose Flour)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Weekend pizza just got better with this easiest No Knead Slow Raise Margherita Pizza recipe, with detailed stepwise pictures. Up your pizza game with this simple no knead slow raise pizza dough recipe!

With all my Sourdough experiments still going strong, I have a very simple commercial yeast based recipe to share. With this No Knead Slow Raise Margherita Pizza, all you need is a small amount of active instant dry yeast and some patience. The dough literally works itself, without us having to indulge in elbow grease. I have many pizza recipes posted before – Farmhouse Pizza, Thin Crust Tawa Pizza, Mint Pesto Pizza and even a fool-proof Margherita Pizza. So what’s difference with this No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough? You don’t have to knead your dough at all. If you give your dough a little more time to raise, to develop flavor on its own, it tastes absolutely delicious.

I made this No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough quite by chance. I somehow got messed up with the measurements while making the pizza dough one day and even after a couple of hours, the dough didn’t double up in size. I decided to leave in a warm oven until it nearly did and the resulting pizza was gorgeous, if I can say so myself. I tried to remember how I did it and took a rough note of the measurements I used. As I was not sure if it succeeded by chance, I made it again after a month. Consistent results and a very happy pizza. I updated my recipe notes and measurements again. We made this Slow Raise Margherita Pizza more than five times now, including for one pizza night party with our friends.

While I perfected the No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough, I also worked on my Marinara Sauce. I have been making my Homemade Pizza Sauce for years now and this new version of Marinara Sauce happened because I had an unused box of ripe Cherry Tomatoes. Infact, that was my inspiration to make Margherita Pizza. Just the goodness of tomatoes in the Marinara Sauce, Fresh Basil and Mozzarella Cheese. Pure bliss. I have used this to make Slow Raise Margherita Pizza mostly but also with other vegetable toppings twice, it is just so delicious. I have a few tricks and tips that I use in my Indian made OTG to get the perfect crust. You may find a few listed in my other recipes too, so this is just based on all my learning in the kitchen and trying to perfect the pizza game in my oven.

Indian OTGs don’t go beyond 220°C and unless you go for the highest variant, you don’t get the backlight or the fan. For making perfect pizza, you need a really hot oven. I have tried using cast iron skillets and pans in my oven, but honestly it didn’t help much because no matter what, our oven temperatures stay at 220°C. So use your flat tray, or regular pan and up the temperature as much as you can. Having the oven run on toast mode (both top & bottom filaments fired up) during preheating stage and then adjusting it to just bake (bottom) or grill (top) helps when the pizza is baking. Another game changer – corn meal. If you have ever looked at a Dominos pizza kitchen, they sprinkle it baking tray with a yellow flour before patting the dough. I got a pack of it from my last US trip (seems ages ago) and it has been the best. The dough doesn’t stick and the pizza bottom turns wonderfully golden brown. More tricks and tips in recipe below.

How to make Slow Raise Margherita Pizza | No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough

📖 Recipe

Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Slow Raise Margherita Pizza | No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough

No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough

In a mixing bowl add all-purpose flour, active instant dry yeast, salt and all but 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix it all well.

Add warm water and mix the dough until it comes together.

Gently knead the dough until it is soft and pliable for about a minute. Add ½ teaspoon of Olive Oil on top.

Place it in a greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and let it rest in a warm place for about 7-8 hours until it doubles up in size.

After 8 hours -

Marinara Sauce –

In a pan, heat Olive Oil. Add finely chopped garlic cloves. Fry for a few seconds.

Add halved/chopped cherry tomatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add sugar and salt as needed. Cook the tomatoes until they are mushy, beginning to disintegrate.

As the oil starts to ooze from the edges, add ground black pepper. Cook for a minute.

Add a tablespoon of finely chopped basil leaves and remove the sauce from heat. Let it cool down completely. It stays well in the fridge for a week in an airtight container.

Slow Raise Margherita Pizza –

When you are ready to make the pizza, preheat the oven at the highest temperature for 15 mins. I kept mine at 220°C. Prepare the pizza pan/flat tray by lining it with aluminum foil and sprinkle corn meal all over it.

Slightly punch down the proofed dough and knead it again for a minute.

Divide the dough into four equal parts and take a ball of dough. Pat it on a dusted aluminum foil into a circle of about ¼ an inch of thickness. While patting the dough, start from the center and move it towards the end, maintaining even thickness all around. It also helps to wet your fingers with olive oil.

While working with one part of the dough, keep the rest of it covered with cling film to prevent from drying out.

Drizzle few drops of olive oil over the top and add a tbsp. and half of pizza sauce, spread it evenly leaving a cm around the edges. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil all over the pizza.

Place the pizza tray in the bottom most rack of the hot oven on bake mode (bottom heat filaments ON) at 220°C for 7-10 mins. The bottom should turn golden brown.

Remove it from the oven, quickly add chopped mozzarella cheese on top and roughly torn basil leaves.

Place the pizza tray at the top most rack of the hot oven on grill mode (top heat filaments ON) at 220°C for 5 mins until the cheese is bubbly.

Serve hot immediately with roughly torn fresh basil leaves sprinkled on top. Optional to sprinkle mixed Italian herbs and chilli flakes.

Recipe Notes

This dough raises very slowly over 7-8 hours. Leave at the warmest spot on your kitchen counter until it doubles up in size.
You can also add mozzarella cheese grated instead of chopped pieces.
Other pizza toppings like sweet corn, capsicum, mushrooms, onions and jalapenos can also be added on the pizza. Don’t overcrowd the pizza toppings.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂

Slow Raise Margherita Pizza | No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough

How to make Slow Raise Margherita Pizza | No Knead Slow Raise Pizza Dough

📖 Recipe