This is such a fun way to spend time with the family on the weekends or if your kids have friends over. I show you exactly what you need to do if you want to have a Make Your Own Pizza Night at your house with my Homemade Whole-wheat Pizza recipe—it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
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I got this recipe from a friend of a friend and it turned out great! Making the dough ourselves took a little extra time, but my daughters loved helping me and once it was done everyone scarfed it down (including me).
Whole-Wheat Pizza with Pesto/Goat Cheese and Tomatoes/Mozzarella
Homemade Whole-Wheat Pizza
This is such a fun way to spend time with the family on the weekends or if your kids have friends over. I show you exactly what you need to do if you want to have a Make Your Own Pizza Night at your house with my Homemade Whole-wheat Pizza recipe—it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients
- 1 cup water (warmed)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups whole-wheat flour
- tomato sauce
- mozzarella cheese (grated)
- oil spray
Topping Ideas
- sausage
- mushrooms
- mixed veggies
- parmesan cheese
- pesto
- goat cheese
- arugula
- olives
Instructions
- Drop the yeast into the 1-cup of warm water and let it go to work for a few minutes. It should foam up a little bit. Stir the salt and olive oil into the yeast mixture.
- Pour the flour and yeast mixture into a food processor with a dough blade or into a mixer with a dough hook and turn on the machine. (You can also mix up this dough by hand.)
- You should end up with a ball chasing itself around the food processor. If the dough is too dry add warm water a teaspoon at a time and if it is too wet add flour 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Remove the ball from your food processor and knead into a smooth ball. Put the dough into a large ziplock bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap (put a touch of olive oil in and coat the inside of the bag/bowl first) then leave it in fridge for as little as 1 hour or overnight depending on how much time you have. It will rise on its own in the fridge.
- When ready to make the pizza preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into the desired shape (don’t make it too thin!). Put the flat pizza dough on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Top the dough with homemade or organic tomato sauce, cheese and other toppings of your choice. Bake in an oven for about 8 – 10 min. or until crust and cheese are golden brown.
Enjoy!
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Vegetarian if meat toppings are omitted.
Vegetarian if meat toppings are omitted.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Whole-Wheat Pizza
Amount Per Serving
Calories 368
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 1167mg51%
Potassium 118mg3%
Carbohydrates 64g21%
Fiber 10g42%
Protein 13g26%
Calcium 60mg6%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Can I freeze the dough to use later? When would be the best time to freeze it?
Hi Melissa. You can freeze it in individual balls or you can cook and freeze. ~Amy
Should I let it rise and then freeze it? Or make and freeze it immediately? (I’m guessing the latter.)
I would love to know this answer as well, as I plan to freeze dough in advance!!
Hi Leslie. I freeze it immediately. :)
I made pizza tonight. I used your Alfredo sauce recipe on this crust recipe. I topped it with broccoli, mushrooms and onions and some left over chicken. Quite tasty
We have been having trouble finding whole fat mozzarella cheese. Do you have any brand suggestions?
Hi Rachel. Trader Joe’s has full fat mozzarella that is really creamy. Whole Food’s 365 brand has a full fat mozzarella, too. I can not find one at my conventional grocery store, though. ~Amy
Thanks, Amy! We looked at Whole Foods, but did not see the 365 Brand. I will look more closely next time, or check out Trader Joe’s. :)
I just wanted to clarify freezing and baking instructions. If I freeze without baking at all, can I bake straight from the freezer or do I need to let it thaw first? If I can put it in frozen do the baking temperature or time change at all? Thanks!
Hi Amy. I always thaw overnight in the fridge. ~Amy
Just made this for dinner. Used 1 C whole wheat flour and 2 regular flour. I also added 3 T puréed cauliflower and 3T puréed carrots with diced green peppers to the pizza sauce. (I steam and purée veggies and freeze them in ice cube trays to add to sauces). It was a home run. Thanks for such an easy crust recipie with great directions.
Since there are pages and pages of comments, and I am at work and do not have time to look at them all, forgive me if this has been asked? Could you use a pizza crust yeast and bake it immediately without letting it rise in the fridge for an hour? Has anyone tried that before?
Hi Becky. We have not tried it without the rising time. If you do, let us know how it turns out for you. ~Amy
Excellent! I really love pizza and this recipe will come handy for my next party! Thanks for sharing
Could this dough be frozen? Would it need to be refrigerated first still?
Hi Becky. The dough can be frozen. You will need to let it thaw over night and then warm on the counter before stretching. You can also cook the dough and freeze the crust or freeze the whole prepared pizza. ~Amy
Hello Amy-
When you say freeze the whole prepared pizza, do you cook the pizza and then freeze it? Or freeze the dough with toppings before it is baked? Thanks!
Top and freeze before baking. :) ~Amy
This may have been asked already, but is there a particular brand of yeast that you recommend? Is there such a thing as organic yeast? Thanks!
Hi Becky. There is not a particular brand we recommend. Lisa usually uses a dry active yeast and buys it at Earth Fare. ~Amy
We had a build your own pizza night, using this crust recipe, and it was a hit. We use WW pastry flour and this time it tasted like pizza crust rather than bread. Thanks :)
I made this pizza last night and it was amazing! The crust was so easy and delicious.
Can you use this recipe in a bread machine? If so is there a certain order for the ingredients to go into the machine? and would you use the white or whole wheat dough setting? Thank you.
Hi Joy. We have not tried this in a bread machine. If you do, let us know how it goes. ~Amy
I make it in a bread machine. It works out great. I do find that the crust is a little thick for my taste. I’m not sure if this is due to the bread machine or the recipe. We usually halve the recipe for 1 large pizza with a thinner crust.
Hi, I’m sorry if this question has already been asked but I couldn’t find the answer anywhere. How much will this recipe will yield?
Will I have enough dough for 2 people, 4 people? Thanks
Hi Michelle. I can usually make four individual sized pizzas with this recipe. ~Amy
So, any options at places like Whole Foods for a mom of 2 who works full-time? Sadly, making pizza dough from scratch is just not realistic for me. What about using whole wheat pita bread instead?
Hi Kareen. You could try that. I often make individual pizzas on whole wheat tortillas. I get them crispy in the oven before adding toppings so they do not get soggy when baking. Let us know how yours turn out! If you ever find the time, try this crust. It is yummy. :) ~Amy
Hi Kareen, I am just trying this recipe now and saw your post from a few months ago. Hoping you see this – I was actually floored at how quick and easy this was. As I made it (hand kneaded the dough and it only took about 2 minutes), I was thinking, “why haven’t I always done this?” because it really was so easy and quick. I work too, so am sympathetic to the time balance, and just wanted to share my thoughts because it really was quick and easy.
Im a single mom and I work full time too. You just need a bread machine to make great homemade breaf and pizza crust. I toss the ingredients into the bread machine when I come in from work. Then let it do its thing while we pit away shoes and backpacks and all that. My 2 yr old enjoys helping measure everything. Older kidd could put the ingredients in alone. Good family teamwork!!
I’ve read through all the comments and don’t see the answer to my question so here goes. When I bake my pizza, the crust never seems to get all the way done, especially in the center of the pizza. I follow the directions exactly, all fresh ingredients. I even use a pizza stone and pre-heat it and still my cheese is golden brown and melty and the bottom crust is still a bit gooey. Any ideas? I love the taste, just want to perfect it for our weekly pizza night.
Hi Elizabeth. Hmmm. I’m not sure. I know I have had some mixed results with my stone but I think I haven’t heated it properly. I’m a bit impatient. :) You could try baking the crust a little while on its own before adding the toppings? ~Amy
I’ve had the same problem and I figured it out it was due to the toppings. If you use really juicy tomatoes and a moist fresh mozz, all that water causes the gooey dough. I solved it by blotting the mozz dry and using less of the cheese and the tomatoes. Hopefully this will help, but I also agree that baking the crust first for a few minutes might solve the problem.
I have had perfectly evenly baked crust with this recipe when using a pizza pan that has the tiny holes all over on it. My pizza pan was less than $10 and I think that the little holes help release the steam or other moisture that can get trapped under the crust. This crust is better than any store bought I’ve found and so easy to make (and I am not a good cook and I have two toddlers at my feet then I cook.) Thanks for a new go-to recipe!
I second the pizza pan with the holes. My pizzas come out perfectly now. No doughy centers. I think I bought mine at Marshalls/TJmaxx for $8. The pans also work well if you have to bake two pizzas at a time. Both pizzas cook evenly.
Pizza pans with holes for president! :)
What kind or brand of tomato sauce did you use? Most store-bought sauces have a lot of ingredients and don’t taste good.
Hi Diana. One of the sauces Lisa likes to use can be found here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/10/real-food-tips-4-super-quick-wholesome-dinners/. ~Amy
Hi Lisa, What is the reason you use white whole-wheat flour vs whole- wheat? I noticed King Aurthur makes both kinds.
Hi Alex. Lisa actually uses both types. She likes the light taste and texture of the white whole wheat for many recipes. ~Amy
I’ve read through several pages of the comments looking for information on the freezing process and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so forgive me if this is redundant…
I want to freeze the dough in balls like you suggest, but I’m unclear on whether to let the dough rise first, then freeze, or freeze first, and then let it rise in the fridge as it thaws the night before I want to make the pizza???
Also, when you freeze the pizza already assembled (rolled out with sauce and toppings) I imagine the dough is not cooked, right? Cause then you would just bake the whole shebang all at once.
And if the dough is rolled out, baked with no toppings and then frozen… once thawed and topped, how long would you recommend putting it in the oven to warm it up & melt the cheese/warm the toppings to avoid over baking the dough?
I’m just trying to figure out the best way to go about freezing that’ll work for us and our schedules and tastes.
Thank you!
Hi Danielle. You let the dough rise first before freezing and it may rise a little more during the thaw. We usually freeze the pizza whole, assembled, and uncooked. If you do cook the pizza doughs and freeze, I would thaw them and then heat just long enough to be hot through with the cheese melted. : ) Hope I answered them all. ~Amy
Trader joes has a refrigerated whole wheat.:)
Katie – The Trader Joes crust is really tasty but sadly it is not whole wheat. It is just “wheat” which is a mixture of wholewheat and white flours.
Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew of a great tasting wheat dough that you can buy?
Hi Patty. As with store-bought breads, it can be really difficult to find a pre-made dough without a very lengthy ingredient list. ~Amy
do you have a great harvest bread company or breadsmith near you? Both of mine will make upon special request – its only $2 per crust…and no EXTRA indgredients – flour, salt, yeast etc.\
Its been a lifesaver on busy weeknights. I usually buy 4 or 5 at a time and then freeze.
I buy my crust at whole foods. It has only 5 ingredients, and they use whole wheat flour! I find it in the prepared foods section.
Hi there,
I was wondering if you can bake the dough then freeze it? I have had bad luck with freezeing the dough uncooked
Hi Amanda. You can but we have had more success when we bake the finished pizza(s) and freeze. You risk overcooking the dough when you bake it twice. ~Amy
When rolled out to “normal” thickness, about how big is this crust?
Hi Ashley. I usually do individual personal pizza crusts but think it would roll out to be about a 14 inch pie. ~Amy
Hi,
This is Kim from the Netherlands. I am inspired by your website and tried to make the pizza today. The topping and pizza were great but I had a feeling the crust/bottom wasn’t ready yet (but still a little raw). Do you know what the reason might be?
I mixed the dough in my breadmachine.
Hope to hear from you,
gr. Kim
The kids and I made these tonight, but while they looked great, they didn’t come out right – they were too dense and overbearing. Neither my husband, 4 kids, nor I enjoyed the pizza. Also, how many pizzas do you make out of one batch? I divided mine up in thirds and they were still too thick. Do you have any suggestions on how to prevent them from being so dense? I would like to try this again because I’m trying to get my kids involved more in the kitchen and also trying to get them to eat healthier. Thanks!
I am sorry to hear that. You could make 4 small pizzas out of this recipe…try rolling them out thinner if they seemed to thick/dense.
I was reading through the ingredients in the personal pizzas, where do I get sausage at that is healthy? I don’t eat sausage much at all, but I figured there is a ton of different ingredients in sausage. Thanks
Hi Heather. Try to find local or organic sausage. ~Amy
How long in advance can you make the dough? I know it can be frozen, but how long can I keep it in my refrigerator before I use it? For example, can I make it on a sunday and keep it in the refrigerator until we eat dinner on Thursday?
Hi Kati. Yes, I think that will be fine. Once you are ready, take it out of the fridge and let it rest for a while before trying to shape it. ~Amy
Thank you for this recipe! Everyone loved it. I rearranged the ingredients and made the dough in my bread machine and it turned out perfectly.
We made this pizza today for lunch and it was delicious. My first time attempting a homemade pizza! Thank you for the recipie!!!
Hi Olivia. You can definitely freeze the dough balls. Wrap them well and they should be fine in your freezer for a few months. ~Amy
Can the dough ball be frozen and rolled out later? If so, what do you think the maximum amount of time is that it should be kept frozen?
I. Can’t. Stop. Making. This!! :D
I’ve been using this recipe both for pizza and for “stromboli blankets”. I keep thinking I’ll make the dough and through it in the freezer, but I just can’t stop there. I think I need to just step away from the flour…!! :D
I just wanted to note that I threw these ingredients in my bread machine to make the dough, and it came out perfect! Per my bread machine instructions, I had to order the ingredients as water, olive oil, flour, salt then yeast. The dough even did its rising in the machine and the pizzas are in the oven now. Yum!! Thank you for this recipe!
My dough did not rise at all. I looked at other recipes afterward on other sites and realized that the dough should be rising in a warm place with no draft, most likely will not rise in the refrigerator. I made the pizza again a second time, placing the dough in an unheated oven. It rose beautifully and the pizza tasted amazing!
I loved it! I agree about the saltiness. I will lessen the amount next time. We like our pizza’s crispy so I did roll mine out fairly thin an it was perfectly fine. Thank you for sharing your recipe! Wonderful!
Oh yeah…My dough didn’t rise at all and it was still very good. Not sure if it was supposed to or not and we almost ended up getting take out because it didn’t rise. I figured I would try it just in case and it was great!!
I left the dough in the fridge overnight. I didn’t knead it for very long. It didn’t rise much. How much should it actually rise? Thanks!
Hi Cheri. Were all your ingredients fresh? Also, you have to make sure your water temperature is not too warm or it can kill the yeast culture. Either of those could be the culprit. I have had trouble with my dough not rising once or twice but it did gain a bit of loft when I baked it and tasted great. :) ~Amy
I made this tonight for dinner and we honestly didnt like it. :/ The crust was too salty and took way longer than 10 mins to cook and was still a little doughy. Where did we go wrong?
Hi Hilary. Sorry that it did not turn out for you. Are you sure you followed the recipe? This is one of my favorite pizza doughs. Sometimes I add in various herbs to change the flavor a bit. Maybe try it with a bit less salt for your taste? ~Amy
I don’t have a food processor that is big enough/has a dough hook. Can I mix it manually or does anyone have any other advise on how to make it. Frozen pizza is our one holdout on our real food journey and I would like to give this a go. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth. You can absolutely mix it manually. It just takes a bit more time and elbow grease. Enjoy. ~Amy
Hi there Sarah. Sorry but we do not provide serving size or nutrition information. This post helps to explain why: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/29/mini-pledge-week-8-stop-eating-when-you-feel-full/. ~Amy
Can’t wait to try this! How many servings does this recipe make?
I was curious to see if anyone has tried assembling a pizza and then freezing it? That’s why we generally eat pizza, for convieneve. This recipes is awesome, I’m eating it right now, but it takes a couple hours. I’d live to try making mini pizzas and then freezing them for later!