This Neapolitan pizza dough recipe is a simple, no-fuss way to bring classic pizza flavor to your kitchen. Made with just a few pantry staples and a long, slow rise, it delivers a light, chewy crust with just the right amount of crispness. This no-knead pizza dough is perfect for beginners or anyone who loves homemade pizza with minimal effort.
One of the best parts of using a no-knead pizza dough method is the transformation that happens during the long fermentation. This slow process is the secret to developing deep flavor and a light, airy texture—without hours of hands-on work. Even though you won’t be kneading the dough, you’ll still get that signature Neapolitan bite that makes each slice unforgettable.
Another benefit of this no knead pizza dough is that it’s very forgiving. As long as you let the dough rest and rise properly, it’s hard to mess up. That’s one of the real secrets to perfecting pizza night at home—just trust the process and let time do the heavy lifting.
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Why We Love This No-Knead Pizza Dough
- Great for meal prep!
Its overnight rise and ability to keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours make it a great meal-prep option for an easy weekend dinner. Even better, it freezes beautifully for a month. - Feed a crowd on game day!
This Neapolitan pizza dough recipe makes two 9-inch thin crusts to be passed around or one large 11-inch thick-crusted pie for lovers of the doughy, chewy crust. - It’s super easy to make.
There’s no kneading necessary— with this no-knead pizza dough recipe, you just mix it up and let it rise overnight.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- 00 flour: is the most finely ground Italian flour out there — the best for any authentic Italian pizza crust recipe! All-purpose flour is a workable substitute, but the consistency will be less airy. I use and recommend King Arthur 00 flour.
- Semolina flour is also a must (in our opinion) to prevent sticking. See our notes below for details on how exactly to use it. I recommend and use King Arthur Semolina flour.
- Active dry yeast: this recipe uses a tiny amount—just ⅛ teaspoon! Instant yeast will work, too, if necessary. If you can’t get your hands on any yeast at all, make our sourdough starter pizza crust or bread dough pizza — you don’t need yeast for those recipes.
- Warm water: about 95 to 110°F helps activate the yeast. If the water is too cold, the yeast won’t proof. On the other hand, if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
- Optional: We recommend semolina flour to prevent sticking (see #2 below for more on this).
Authentic Topping Ideas
- If you’re going through the motions of making a traditional Neapolitan recipe, authentic toppings are worth considering! In this case, a simple spread of fresh mozzarella slices, fresh basil leaves, and olive oil on top of pizza sauce San Marzano recipe.
- Otherwise, good options are pepperoni or salami, plus a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and dried Italian seasoning to keep things classic!
- Want a veggie lover’s pie? Stick to bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms — nothing too watery that might make the crust soggy.
Recipe Variations
- Bread flour swap: For a slightly chewier crust with more bite, swap out the 00 flour for bread flour. It has a higher protein content, which gives the dough more structure and a rustic finish.
- Fresh yeast option: Instead of dry yeast, try using fresh yeast for a more traditional approach. Use about 0.3 ounces (or 8 grams) and dissolve it in the warm water before mixing with the other ingredients.
- Gluten-free adaptation: You can make a gluten-free version by using a high-quality gluten-free flour blend in place of 00 or pizza flour. Just be sure to check if it already includes a binder, like xanthan gum, to mimic the strength of gluten.
- Kosher salt upgrade: Upgrade the flavor of your dough by replacing regular table salt with kosher salt. Its coarse texture blends beautifully into the dough, enhancing the crust’s flavor without overpowering it.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Large bowl
- Dough whisk
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- Ooni pizza oven or regular oven
How to Make No Knead Pizza Dough
- Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time.
If you start by dumping all of the dry ingredients into the warm water at once, it’ll take longer — and be tougher on your forearms — to get that ball to form.
Instead, pre-mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt and gradually add the dry ingredients to the warm water about ¼ cup at a time.
Using a dough whisk or large spoon will also make this process easier. You’ll love how easy this no-knead pizza crust recipe is! - Use semolina flour on your work surface and hands.
Start with a generously floured work surface to prevent sticking. We recommend using semolina flour because it’s grainier than all-purpose and won’t burn at high heat.
Additionally, using the semolina on your hands keeps the dough from sticking to your fingers.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Don’t use cornmeal when making pizzas. It burns easily and can stain your stone or pizza oven. Instead, semolina flour prevents stickiness and doesn’t burn at high heat.
- Use your fingers to prevent overworking the dough.
Starting at the center, flatten the ball with your fingertips while working your way toward the edges. Leave about 1-inch unflattened along the perimeter for the crust.
Finally, stretch the disc into your preferred size, and you’re almost ready for toppings! - Brush the crust with sauce for better color and flavor.
You’ll be surprised at how much additional color just a tiny bit of sauce adds! Just use a pastry brush to apply it just before it goes into the oven for baking.
Serving Suggestions
This Neapolitan pizza dough recipe is the perfect base for crafting your own classic Margherita with fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil. Or, top it with San Marzano tomato sauce, thinly sliced prosciutto, and arugula for a simple yet elegant pie. Serve your freshly baked pizza with a crisp green salad or a chilled glass of sparkling water for a satisfying meal that feels straight from an Italian pizzeria.
Recipe FAQs
The crust on Neapolitan pizza is very light and stretchy, and it bakes into a deliciously chewy yet crispy crust.
Most overnight recipes require cold fermenting in a refrigerator and use more yeast. However, our recipe uses less yeast for a 12-hour rise. The result is a crust with a crisp exterior with a fluffy, moist interior.
Sicilian crust is very thick, soft, and usually rectangular. It’s all about the crust’s consistency, and you’ll usually get more crust per bite than any sauce, cheese, or other toppings!
Neapolitan pizza crusts are chewy rather than fluffy and much thinner. Another difference is that authentic Napoli pizza is made with fine-grain 00 flour.
We recommend freezing the dough after the first rise but before the second rise once it’s been shaped into two balls. It can be refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to a month.
Remember that cold doughs take longer to rise than warmer doughs do. So, remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for at least an hour. Then, follow the recipe directions for stretching or rolling.
For more tips, check out our post on how to store dough.
More Pizza Recipes to Consider…
- Bisquick Recipe For Pizza Dough
- Grill Pizza Recipe
- Frozen Dough Pizza Recipe
- Recipe For Monkey Bread Pizza
If you tried making our no knead pizza dough recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe
Equipment
- large bowl
- dough whisk
- cling plastic wrap
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups 00 flour or all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup warm water 105ºF
optional
- semolina flour see notes below
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients with a dough whisk or spoon until they come together as a shaggy dough ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature (not in the refrigerator) for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Transfer the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into two. Shape each half into a ball and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let dough rise for 45-60 minutes.
- Place dough on parchment paper. Dust the top of the dough with flour then use your finger tips to flatten dough into a circle, leaving a 1″ margin as the crust. Stretch dough until it is a 10″ – 12″ circle, depending on your preferred thickness.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500ºF (see notes below to bake at 450ºF) with pizza stone, if using. Cover the crust with sauce and your preferred toppings. Transfer it (on parchment paper) to a stone or large baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the top is bubbling.
Notes
- Bread flour swap: For a slightly chewier crust with more bite, swap out the 00 flour for bread flour. It has a higher protein content, which gives the dough more structure and a rustic finish.
- Fresh yeast option: Instead of dry yeast, try using fresh yeast for a more traditional approach. Use about 0.3 ounces (or 8 grams) and dissolve it in the warm water before mixing with the other ingredients.
- Gluten-free adaptation: You can make a gluten-free version by using a high-quality gluten-free flour blend in place of 00 or pizza flour. Just be sure to check if it already includes a binder, like xanthan gum, to mimic the strength of gluten.
- Kosher salt upgrade: Upgrade the flavor of your dough by replacing regular table salt with kosher salt. Its coarse texture blends beautifully into the dough, enhancing the crust’s flavor without overpowering it.
- Don’t use cornmeal when making pizzas. It burns easily and can stain your stone or pizza oven. Instead, semolina flour prevents stickiness and doesn’t burn at high heat.
-
Tip: Use semolina flour on your work surface and hands instead of flour.
Start with a generously floured work surface to prevent sticking. We recommend using semolina flour because it’s grainier than all-purpose and won’t burn at high heat. - To bake at 450ºF: bake for 12-17 minutes, until edges are golden and top is bubbling.
- We recommend freezing the dough after the first rise but before the second rise once it’s been shaped into two balls. It can be refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to a month.
- Remember that cold doughs take longer to rise than warmer doughs do. So, remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for at least an hour. Then, follow the recipe directions for stretching or rolling.
Nutrition
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Ieva says
Your dough recipe is the best. Our pizzas turned out better than ever before. And great tip on using semolina flour! Thanks 🙂
Mahy says
I love this pizza dough – it is easy to make, and looks absolutely stunning!
Kushi Mallya says
This pizza looks so perfect and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Harriet Young says
What a super easy dough to make for pizza night! We often cheat and buy ready made but not anymore. Thank you!
Ned says
This was awesome for family pizza night! Our whole family loved it! Thank you!