Recipe

Quick Pizza Base

A weeknight pizza crust with crisp edges and a chewy center, ready fast with simple ingredients.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A smooth ball of pizza dough resting on a lightly floured kitchen counter with a wooden rolling pin and a small bowl of olive oil nearby

There are two kinds of weeknight dinners: the ones you planned for, and the ones that happen because you opened the fridge, sighed, and decided pizza would fix your mood. This quick pizza base is for the second kind.

You get a crust that is crisp on the bottom, a little puffy at the rim, and chewy in the center without babysitting dough all day. I am giving you my favorite fast yeast method, plus a yogurt shortcut for the nights when even waiting for dough to rest feels personal.

Bowls of flour, instant yeast, salt, olive oil, and warm water arranged on a home kitchen counter with a measuring spoon set

Why It Works

Fast but flavorful: A short rest time lets the dough relax so you can stretch it without fighting.
Better texture at home: A hot oven plus a preheated pan, stone, or steel gives you that crisp base and browned edges.
Flexible: Make it thin-ish and chewy (NY-style) or stretch it larger for thinner and cracklier. Same dough, different vibe.
Backup plan included: The yogurt version is shockingly good when you need pizza in a hurry.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Fridge (yeast dough): Lightly oil the dough ball, seal in a container or zip bag, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temp 30 to 60 minutes before stretching. If it smells overly sour or boozy, or develops gray patches, discard.

Freezer (yeast dough): After the first rest, portion into balls, lightly oil, and freeze in freezer bags up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temp before shaping.

Par-baked crust: Bake the shaped base with no toppings at 475°F for 4 to 6 minutes until the top looks dry and set (still pale, not browned). Cool, wrap well, refrigerate 3 days or freeze 1 month. Top and finish baking straight from fridge or freezer, adding time as needed until the bottom is crisp and the edges are browned.

Yogurt crust: Best same day. If you have leftovers, wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days, then re-crisp in a hot oven or skillet.

Common Questions

Do I need a pizza stone?

No. A preheated sheet pan flipped upside down works great. Bake on the flat underside. A cast iron skillet also gives awesome browning and crisp edges.

What is the fastest yeast to use?

Instant yeast is quickest and easiest. If you only have active dry yeast, bloom it in lukewarm water until it looks foamy, usually 5 to 10 minutes, then proceed.

Why is my dough snapping back when I stretch it?

That is gluten being stubborn. Cover the dough and let it rest 10 minutes, then try again. Resting is the secret weapon.

How do I get a crisp bottom at home?

Three things: high heat (475°F to 500°F), preheated surface (stone, steel, or upside-down sheet pan), and not too much sauce. Also, stretch the dough a little thinner in the center.

Can I make this dough earlier in the day?

Yes. Make it, give it the first rest, then refrigerate. Flavor gets even better and it becomes easier to stretch. If it smells overly sour or boozy, or looks gray, toss it and start fresh.

Is the yogurt base the same as yeast dough?

Not exactly. It is more like a quick flatbread pizza base, but it still gives you a tender interior and crisp edges. Think “panic pizza,” in the best way.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon or dough whisk
Sheet pan (or pizza stone or steel)
Parchment paper (optional but helpful)
Bench scraper (optional)

I used to think homemade pizza meant a whole Saturday and a kitchen that looked like a flour bomb went off. Then I started treating pizza dough like a weeknight tool instead of a weekend project. A short rest, a hot pan, and a little confidence gets you very close to that “real pizza” feeling, even if you are topping it with whatever you found in the deli drawer. This quick base is the one I come back to when I want dinner to feel fun without turning into a saga.

A pair of hands stretching soft pizza dough into a round on a floured wooden board in a home kitchen

Quick Pizza Base

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 2 pizzas (12-inch) or 4 personal pizzas

Ingredients

Fast Yeast Pizza Base

3 1/2 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar or honey
1 1/3 cups (315 ml) lukewarm water (about 95°F to 105°F, warm but not hot)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl and pan

Small bowls of instant yeast, flour, kosher salt, and olive oil on a kitchen counter ready for making pizza dough

Ultra-Quick Yogurt Pizza Base (No Yeast)

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (245 g) plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole milk)
1 tbsp olive oil (optional but nice)

Optional for shaping: semolina or cornmeal for dusting, and a little extra olive oil for the rim.

Instructions

Before you start

Heat matters. Put a sheet pan in the oven upside down (so you bake on the flat underside) and preheat to 500°F (or as hot as your oven comfortably goes, at least 475°F). Set a rack in the lower-middle of the oven. Let the pan heat for 20 minutes. This is how you get that crisp bottom without a pizza oven.

Safety note: That pan is basically a branding iron. Use sturdy oven mitts, and pull the rack out a few inches before you slide the pizza on.

Fast Yeast Pizza Base

Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, instant yeast, salt, and sugar.
Add water and oil. Pour in lukewarm water and olive oil. Stir with a spoon until you get a shaggy dough.
Knead briefly. Turn onto a lightly floured counter and knead 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and springy. If sticky, dust with a little flour. If dry, wet your hands and keep going.
Rest. Lightly oil the bowl, return dough, cover, and let rest 30 minutes at room temp. It should look a bit puffier.
Divide. Cut into 2 pieces for 12-inch pizzas, or 4 pieces for personal pizzas. (If you like numbers: the full batch is roughly 780 g dough, so about 390 g per 12-inch.) This makes a thin-ish, chewy, NY-style vibe. For truly thin and crackly, stretch it bigger or split into 3 smaller pizzas.
Shape. On floured parchment or a floured counter, press and stretch into a round. Leave the rim slightly thicker for that cozy edge. If it keeps shrinking, rest it 10 minutes and try again.
Top and bake. Slide the dough (on parchment, if using) onto the upside-down preheated pan, baking on the flat underside. Add sauce and toppings lightly. (For a 12-inch pizza, aim for about 1/3 to 1/2 cup sauce max.) Bake 8 to 12 minutes until browned at the edges and crisp underneath. If you are loading up on watery toppings, cook or blot them first.

An uncooked pizza on a hot sheet pan being placed into a preheated oven

Ultra-Quick Yogurt Pizza Base (No Yeast)

Preheat. Preheat oven to 500°F with a sheet pan inside upside down for at least 20 minutes. Use the lower-middle rack.
Mix dry. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add yogurt. Add Greek yogurt (and olive oil if using). Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead in the bowl or on the counter for 1 to 2 minutes until mostly smooth.
Rest briefly. Cover and rest 10 minutes. It will roll and stretch easier after this.
Shape, top, bake. Shape into 2 thin rounds, top lightly, and bake 9 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden.

Quick crust tips

Go lighter on sauce than you think. Too much sauce equals soggy center.
Preheat your pan like it owes you money. The pan should be ripping hot before the dough hits it.
Finish with a little olive oil. A thin drizzle on the crust edge helps browning and flavor.

A freshly baked pizza sliced on a wooden board on a kitchen table with a simple plate and a glass of water nearby

Nutrition information is estimated.

Did you make this? Tag @Mom's Best Recipes

Quick Pizza Base

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Thin Crust Pizza Base

New York Pizza Dough

Neapolitan Pizza

Crispy Naan Pizza

Storage Tips

Common Questions

Do I need a pizza stone?

What is the fastest yeast to use?

Why is my dough snapping back when I stretch it?

How do I get a crisp bottom at home?

Can I make this dough earlier in the day?

Is the yogurt base the same as yeast dough?

Quick Pizza Base

Ingredients

Fast Yeast Pizza Base

Ultra-Quick Yogurt Pizza Base (No Yeast)

Instructions

Before you start

Fast Yeast Pizza Base

Ultra-Quick Yogurt Pizza Base (No Yeast)

Quick crust tips