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Pepperoni pizza is a classic. It seems to be the most universally loved pizza flavor. And although there isn’t much science to making a pepperoni pizza, there are ways you can elevate this simple super pizza pie at home. Top your favorite store-bought pizza dough with a homemade herby tomato sauce, mozzarella and asiago cheese and topped with a generous amount of thick pepperoni slices and herbs.
We recommend two things to level up your at-home pepperoni pizza. One, make a homemade pizza sauce!! It is so easy to do and the flavors are so fresh. We’ll show you how in this recipe. Secondly, use mozzarella AND asiago cheese! We have found this is the best cheese combo (in our opinion) for pepperoni pizza. You’ve got to give it a try!
Looking for more dinner recipes? Check out these easy weeknight dinners:
Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Homemade Thyme Butter Biscuits
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The Best Pepperoni Pizza with Homemade Pizza Sauce
Recipe Snapshot
- Make homemade tomato sauce.
- Prep and roll out your dough on a floured surface.
- Assemble pizza with homemade tomato sauce, cheese and a generous topping of pepperoni slices.
- Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes.
- Slice and enjoy.
How to make homemade pizza sauce….
Making homemade pizza sauce is SUPER SIMPLE!! All you need is tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs to make a delicious homemade pizza sauce. A lot of the flavor comes from the fresh herbs and it adds so much flavor to the pizza.
Start by sautéing onions, garlic an herbs in a skillet over medium heat. You want to heat them until it is fragrant.
Next, you’ll add in the chopped tomatoes until the start to soften. Once they are heated and blistering, remove the skillet from the heat and pour everything into a high powered blender.
Lastly, blend the sauce to the consistency you want. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, pulse the blender or mix on a lower speed until you reach the thickness you like. If you like a smoother sauce, blend on a higher speed for about 10-20 seconds.
What temperature do you cook pizza in the oven?
Pizza should be cooked at a very high temperature. We recommend cooking pizza anywhere from 425-450ºF.
If you are using a store-bought mix, pay attention to the packaging instructions as cook time and temperature may vary.
Can you freeze leftover pizza?
Yes you can! If you have left over pizza slices, let them cool and store in a freezer-safe bag or container. Make sure that the container you are storing in is airtight.
When you have a craving for pizza and are ready to reheat a slice, remove from the foil and follow the directions below. We recommend reheating pizza in the oven to give the pizza a similar texture to freshly baked. Reheating in the microwave takes less time, but you risk unevenly heating the pizza or overcooking the pizza.
Tip: Wrap each piece in foil before storing in a container to make sure the slices don’t stick together.
REHEATING FROZEN PIZZA IN THE OVEN OR TOASTER OVEN:
- Heat to 375ºF or 400ºF.
- Place slice(s) on baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and melty.
REHEATING FROZEN PIZZA IN THE MICROWAVE:
- Place pizza on microwavable plate.
- Fill a small glass with water and place next to the plate. This will help warm the pizza more evenly and add moisture to the microwave while heating so you don’t end up with a stiff piece of pizza.
- Heat for 30-45 increments until reheated through.
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The Best Pepperoni Pizza with Homemade Pizza Sauce
Description
Top your favorite store-bought pizza dough with a homemade herby tomato sauce, mozzarella and asiago cheese and topped with a generous amount of thick pepperoni slices and herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 dough ball
- 4 oz pepperoni
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella
- 1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Fresh basil for topping
Homemade Pizza Sauce
- 6 large tomatoes
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup basil leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450ºF.
- Make homage pizza sauce. In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onions, garlic, and herbs in olive oil until soft and fragrant. Careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add in tomatoes and sauté for 5-8 more minutes until tomatoes are softer.
- Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. If you like a thicker sauce, blend until just smooth. If you like thinner, blend longer until you reach the consistency you prefer.
- If pizza crust mix, prepare according to package instructions. Roll out fresh dough on floured surface until it reaches about 12-15 inches in diameter.
- Spread an even layer of homemade tomato sauce, sprinkle Italian seasoning, top with fresh mozzarella, grated asiago cheese and a pepperoni.
- Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. Or cook according to your package instructions.
- Remove from oven when baked through. Crust and pepperonis should be browned. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Slice and enjoy while warm!
