Recipes > Lunch/Dinner > Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Homemade pizza is so much better than delivered or store-bought. Don't believe us? Try out this tasty cherry tomato pizza margherita recipe!
cherry tomato pizza on parchment paper

This is a variation of our pizza base recipe. Have you noticed that most large tomatoes from the grocery store seem to lack flavor? If you don’t have access to a farmer’s market or don’t have a green thumb to grow your own tomatoes, consider buying more flavorful cherry or grape tomatoes instead! Since you now have cherry tomatoes on your shopping list, be sure to try out this cherry tomato pizza margherita recipe!

Three Must-Know Cooking Skills

For recipe success, learn how to:

Make Pizza Dough
Stretch Pizza Dough
Chiffonade Basil

Culinary Tips for the Best Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Try your hand at making homemade pizza dough! If you don’t have the time or desire to make your own, see if you can buy raw dough from your favorite pizza shop or a local grocery store. Look for a true dough ball –not the kind in a tube.

Stretch your pizza dough on a piece of parchment paper for easy transfer to the oven and quick clean-up. You can also use cornmeal underneath the dough to help it not stick to the pan or stone. Use a generous amount of cornmeal if using this method.

You have two choices for the basil – either add it before cooking the pizza or after. Adding it after leaves a prettier green color, but both ways taste delicious. 

A pizza stone is truly the best way to make a crispy crust pizza. If you are a pizza lover and enjoy making your own, it is definitely worth the investment.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Pizza Dough: substitute a cauliflower crust, gluten-free crust, pre-made crust, etc. Prepare according to manufacturer’s instructions. You can also make a tomato pizza flatbread by substituting naan, pita, or a pre-made flatbread.
  • Marinara Sauce: substitute crushed tomatoes seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh or dried basil. Pesto would also be a good substitution. 
  • Fresh Mozzarella Cheese: substitute shredded mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: substitute any variety of sliced or diced large tomatoes.
  • Basil Leaves: substitute dried basil, but note that it will not taste as flavorful. You could also add some fresh arugula after the pizza is cooked.

Cherry Tomato Pizza Variations

Roast the cherry tomatoes beforehand or saute in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and garlic for a more complex flavor.

Add more vegetables for more color, nutrition, and flavor!

Want some pizza recipe inspiration?

Use our base recipe to learn how to build your own pizza pie, or try out these other tasty variations!

Homemade Pizza Base Recipe

Prosciutto Pizza with Ricotta and Peppers

Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

Equipment Recommendations

Use these kitchen tools for recipe success!

Is Pizza Healthy?

Pizza gets a bad rap for being unhealthy, but homemade pizza is nothing like the kind that is delivered. By building your own, you control the ingredients and can create a pizza that is much lower in saturated fat and sodium than popular fast food pizza chains

This pizza features tomatoes (fresh & cooked), mozzarella cheese, and basil.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a phytochemical that helps protect against heart disease and prostate cancer. (1, 2) Canned and/or cooked tomatoes are higher in lycopene than their fresh counterparts. (3)

Mozzarella Cheese

Cheese is a good source of calcium and protein which are important for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. Cheese is high in saturated fat, and while research is currently challenging the belief that full-fat dairy products are harmful, we still suggest trying to limit them until we know more. (4) With that said, try to stick to the suggested amount in the recipe.

Basil

Green herbs, like basil, not only add a pop of freshness and flavor to a dish, but they add nutrition too! Herbs are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that promote health and help fight diseases.

A Note on Pizza Dough

We make our own homemade Italian pizza dough with 00 wheat flour. Not sure what to think about gluten? Learn all about it in this article!

Is Gluten Bad For You? Unpacking the Great Gluten-Free Debate

Serving Suggestions 

Start your meal with a large side salad, such as our watermelon tomato salad, and then serve a side of roasted vegetables with the pizza. 

How to Store Homemade Pizza

Store leftover pizza on the counter in a box – just kidding! 

If you actually have any leftovers, cool completely, then store in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Leftover pizza can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place your pizza on a pan and place in an oven while it is preheating to 350° F. Once it hits 350° F, your pizza should be warmed and ready!

Looking for a Marinara Sauce or Pizza Dough Recipe?

Look no further! Try out our tried and true recipes!

Classic Marinara Sauce

Italian Pizza Dough

cherry tomato pizza on parchment paper

Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Pizza gets a bad rap for being unhealthy, but homemade pizza is nothing like the kind that is delivered. Try this cherry tomato pizza margherita for a light and tasty dinner!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 1 12″ pizza

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pizza dough round (~8-10 ounces)
  • ¼ cup marinara sauce
  • 4 ounce fresh mozzarella cheese ball, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 5-6 large basil leaves, chiffonade

Instructions
 

Pizza Stone Instructions

  • Place pizza stone on bottom rack of oven. Preheat oven to 500° F. Heat one hour before cooking for the crispiest crust.
  • Assemble pizza. Stretch pizza dough into a 12” circle on a piece of parchment paper. Spread marinara sauce onto the crust leaving a 1” border around the rim, and cover sauce with mozzarella cheese slices. Sprinkle cherry tomato halves over the cheese. Garnish with basil leaves.
  • Using a pizza peel, slide pizza with parchment paper onto stone. If you don’t have a pizza peel, a baking sheet without a rim or an upside down one will work. Cook for 6-7 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust begins to turn golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!

If you don't have a pizza stone:

  • Preheat oven to 500ºF.
  • Assemble pizza. Stretch pizza dough into a 12” circle on a piece of parchment paper*. Spread ¼ cup marinara sauce onto the crust leaving a 1” border around the rim, and cover sauce with mozzarella cheese slices. Sprinkle cherry tomato halves over the cheese. Garnish with basil leaves.
  • Place pizza and parchment paper onto your pan. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crust begins to turn golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

*Stretch pizza to just smaller than the size of your baking sheet. If using a rectangular baking sheet, either stretch dough into a rectangle, or create 2 smaller rounds.
 
You have two choices for the basil – either add it before cooking the pizza or after. Adding it after leaves a prettier green color, but both ways taste delicious.
Keyword Cherry Tomato Pizza

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