Pizza marinara
Naples' oldest pizza: tomato, garlic, oregano and olive oil on a blistered crust. No cheese, and it does not need any.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Rest
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Pizza marinara is the pizza that shows whether a dough and a tomato are any good, because nothing hides them. A soft, well-risen base is stretched by hand, spread thinly with crushed San Marzano tomatoes, then scattered with slivers of garlic, dried oregano and a swirl of olive oil. There is no cheese and no basil; that is the recipe, not a vegan option. The dough needs a long, slow rise so it puffs and blisters in a very hot oven. At home, heat a steel or an upturned tray for at least 40 minutes at the oven's top temperature. Spread the tomato thin or the centre goes soggy. Done is a pizza with a puffy, charred rim and a red centre glistening with oil and perfumed with garlic.
What you'll need
8 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Dough
- Topping
Ingredients
Dough
- Wheat flour, tipo 00300 g
- Water, cool190 ml
- Yeast, fresh, or a pinch of dried1 g
- Salt8 g
Topping
- Plum tomatoes, San Marzano, crushed by hand with a pinch of salt200 g
- Garlic, thinly sliced2 clove
- Oregano, dried4.9 ml
- Olive oil, extra virgin30 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Dissolve the yeast in the water, mix in the flour, then the salt, and knead until smooth. Cover and rise 2 hours, then divide into two balls and rise 6 hours more, or 24 hours in the fridge.
15 min
Step 2
Heat the oven to its highest setting with a steel or upturned tray inside for 40 minutes.
40 min280°C
Step 3
Press each ball out from the centre with your fingers, leaving a thicker rim. Spread thinly with tomato, then scatter garlic and oregano and drizzle with oil.
5 min
Step 4
Bake until the rim is puffed and spotted dark, 6–10 minutes at home, about 90 seconds in a wood oven.
10 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 687 kcal
- Protein
- 16.9 g
- Carbs
- 120.6 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Saturated fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 5.7 g
- Sugar
- 3.4 g
- Sodium
- 1750 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Dairy-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
San Marzano tomatoes → Other tinned Italian plum tomatoes
Drain off some of the juice.
Tips
- Never use a rolling pin; it presses out the air that makes the rim puff.
- Add the garlic after the tomato so it does not burn.
History & culture
Neapolitans often order marinara to judge a pizzeria. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana recognises only marinara and margherita as the true Neapolitan pizzas, and the city's pizzaioli treat them as equals. It costs less than a margherita and is many locals' favourite.
Marinara predates the margherita, sold in Naples from the eighteenth century. The name has nothing to do with seafood: it was the pizza of the mariners' wives and fishermen, made from ingredients that kept on a boat, garlic, oregano, oil and tomato.
Traditional — Tomato, garlic, oregano, oil. No cheese, no basil.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Pizza marinara take?
8 hr 40 min all in — 30 min prep, 10 min cook, 8 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 pizzas. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Oven, Baking tray.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 8 g.
What can I use instead?
San Marzano tomatoes → Other tinned Italian plum tomatoes. Drain off some of the juice.
Any tips from this recipe?
Never use a rolling pin; it presses out the air that makes the rim puff. Add the garlic after the tomato so it does not burn.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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