How to make a high, soft sheet-pan pizza at home without a mixer and with only a few hours of rising
High, Soft Sheet-Pan Pizza No-Knead – Easy Recipe
Many people give up on making pizza at home because they fear the long rising times or the effort of vigorous kneading required to get a good texture.
The result is often a hard, rubbery pizza or one that doesn’t rise enough.
This recipe solves the problem: thanks to high hydration and the “no-knead” method, you’ll get a tall, soft, open-crumb pizza without getting your hands dirty or using a stand mixer, turning a complex process into something accessible to everyone.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Sheet-Pan Pizza Ingredients
- 2 cups 00 flour
- 2 cups Manitoba flour
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 2/3 cups water (warm (about 400 ml))
- 3 1/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (about 50 ml)
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce (seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano (about 300 ml))
- 9 oz mozzarella
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Bowl
- Baking sheet
How to make high, soft sheet-pan pizza at home without a mixer
In a large bowl, combine the 00 flour, Manitoba flour, dry yeast and sugar. Mix well with a spoon to distribute the ingredients.
In a separate bowl, pour the warm water and oil. Start incorporating the flours a handful at a time, initially stirring with a fork or wooden spoon.
When the dough has absorbed about half of the flour, add the salt. Continue mixing until all the flour is incorporated. You’ll get a dense but very sticky mixture.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, sheltered place (for example, an off oven with the light on) for about 2 hours, until the volume has doubled.
Generously oil the baking sheet. Pour the dough into the center and, with well-oiled hands, gently spread it pushing toward the edges.
Spread the tomato sauce (better if warm) over the surface. Let the dough rest on the sheet for another 10 minutes before baking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 410°F (static) or 392°F (fan) for about 25 minutes.
Remove the pizza from the oven, add diced mozzarella and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is perfectly melted and stringy.
Storage
The pizza stays fresh and crisp for 1-2 days wrapped in aluminum foil or in a closed container. To reheat without making it rubbery, pop it in a hot oven for 5 minutes or in a covered nonstick skillet. You can also freeze it already baked in slices.
Recipe Variations
Cheese Pizza: Replace the tomato with a base of only mozzarella and add gorgonzola and Parmesan at the end of baking.
Rustic Version: Use half whole wheat flour for a more intense flavor and a coarser texture.
Potato White Pizza: Top the base with very thinly sliced potatoes, rosemary and oil before baking, omitting the tomato.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Flours: The mix of 00 and Manitoba ensures the strength needed to retain air bubbles without long kneading. If you don’t have Manitoba, use a type 0 flour formulated for pizza.
Yeast: If you prefer fresh yeast, use a 25 g cube dissolved in warm water before adding the flours.
Sugar: It helps “activate” the yeast and allows the crust to brown nicely.
Mozzarella: Use block mozzarella or fior di latte that is well drained. If you use fresh mozzarella packed in water, dice it and drain it in a colander for at least an hour.
Water: The ideal temperature is between 86°F and 95°F. Do not exceed this range to avoid inactivating the yeast.
Useful Tips
Warm Sauce: Using slightly warmed tomato sauce is the real secret to give a final boost to the rise just as the pizza goes into the oven.
Oiled Hands: Since the dough is very hydrated, never use flour to stretch it; use only oil on your hands.
Oven Position: For a well-cooked, crispy bottom, place the baking sheet on the lowest rack for the first 15 minutes, then move it to the middle rack to finish.
