By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
514 cal · 4320 min
Basic Neapolitan Pizza Dough
Recipe GLPR95f74f9a990225
A traditional Neapolitan pizza dough made with just four simple ingredients: Italian bread flour, water, salt, and instant yeast. This long-fermentation dough develops rich flavor and a light, airy crust. Perfect for making authentic thin-crust pizzas with crispy edges and a tender interior. The slow rise allows the dough to mature gradually, creating superior texture and digestibility.
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Ingredients
20 ounces bread flour (preferably Italian-style "00")
13 ounces water
⅜ ounces kosher salt
⅓ ounces instant yeast (such as SAF Instant Yeast)
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, kosher salt, and instant yeast. Whisk together until evenly distributed.
Add the water to the dry ingredients and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Continue mixing until no dry flour remains and all ingredients are incorporated.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed for 8 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
Allow the dough to rise at room temperature (around 70°F) for the first 1 hour until it begins to puff.
Fold the dough over itself 4 times (stretching it gently from the edges and folding it toward the center). Re-cover and let it rest for another hour.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and gently shape each into a ball. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and refrigerate for at least 3 days up to 5 days for full flavor development and easier handling.
When ready to use, remove dough balls from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before shaping to allow them to come to room temperature. Gently stretch and shape each portion into a pizza base approximately 10-12 inches in diameter, using your hands or a bench scraper.
Comments
This is a genuinely cheap recipe—bread flour, water, salt, and instant yeast cost under $3 total for four pizzas, all available at any Charlotte grocery. The stated 4320 minutes is honest about slow fermentation (that's three days), which is exactly right for Neapolitan dough and actually improves flavor, though a weeknight cook needs to plan ahead. The recipe is forgiving once mixed, requires minimal active time, and produces excellent leftovers that reheat well in a 500-degree oven. The only friction is that it demands advance planning and a cool place to proof—not a flaw, but a real constraint for spontaneous pizza nights.
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