Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza Recipe
This Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza is a delicious homemade pizza made with a simple roasted tomato sauce, fresh herbs, and a blend of mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan cheeses topped with pepperoni. The pizza dough is rested and stretched directly onto a sheet pan, then baked at a high temperature for a perfectly crisp crust and melty, flavorful cheese. Ideal for a quick yet gourmet-style meal that serves six.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1/2 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
Tomato Sauce
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes (or one 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fig preserves or use honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Herb Seasoning
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Toppings
- 1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese
- 3 ounces pepperoni, sliced
- Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Position the oven rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) at least 30 minutes before baking, preferably 1-2 hours ahead for best results. If using a baking stone, preheat it as well.
- Prepare Dough: Place the pizza dough ball on a lightly oiled quarter sheet pan and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-5 hours, to relax and rise.
- Make Roasted Tomato Sauce: In a roasting pan, combine cherry tomatoes, 2 smashed garlic cloves, olive oil, fig preserves, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven at 500°F for 10-15 minutes until tomatoes burst. Use a fork to gently smash them into a chunky sauce. If using canned tomatoes, simmer on the stove until thickened. Alternatively, marinara sauce can be substituted.
- Prepare Herb Seasoning: In a bowl, mix together chopped basil, oregano, grated garlic, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to create a flavorful herb blend.
- Assemble Pizza: Remove plastic wrap from dough and gently press it so it covers the entire sheet pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Spread on the roasted tomato sauce (use as much or as little as you like). Top with the shredded mozzarella, fontina, parmesan cheeses, and then scatter pepperoni slices uniformly. Sprinkle the prepared herb seasoning evenly over the pizza.
- Bake Pizza: Slide the sheet pan into the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Slice and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Resting the dough longer (up to 5 hours) improves flavor and texture.
- Using a baking stone helps achieve a crispier crust.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried herbs can be used but adjust quantities accordingly.
- Fig preserves can be replaced with honey for a touch of sweetness in the sauce.
- Adjust fennel seed quantity based on your taste preference, as it has a strong flavor.
- You can substitute pepperoni with other favorite toppings as desired.
