James Kenji Lopez-Alt
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Recipe: Basic No-Knead Neapolitan Pizza Dough
🕑 Added 2025-05-02 07:42:26 +0000 UTCThis pizza dough uses the basic no-knead method, which allows yeast and time to take the place of traditional kneading. By combining the basic ingredients in a bowl, covering it, and letting the dough rest to rise overnight, enzymes break down flour proteins, allowing a network of gluten to form more easily. Meanwhile, yeast, digesting carbohydrates and producing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas work as an army of miniature kneaders, kneading that bread with the gassy by-products of their digestion.
Once the dough has risen overnight, it can be portioned, shaped, and allowed to proof before stretching, topping, and baking. I recommend using a very hot pizza, like the Ooni Koda 2 Pro 18”.
Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.
What I like about this recipe:
- Using the no-knead method makes dough-making an easy, hands-off affair.
- An overnight fermentation gives the dough plenty of structure and flavor.
Yield: Makes enough dough for four 10- to 12-inch pizzas
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 12-18 hours
Notes: Use a scale to make this dough (volume measurements are not accurate for measuring flour). Bread flour will create a chewier, stronger crust than all-purpose flour. For a crust that has a sharper contrast between dark and light spots, use an Italian 00 flour, such as Caputo. You can add a cold fermentation period to improve the flavor of this dough by letting it rest in the fridge for up to 3 days between steps 1 and 2. The dough can be portioned and shaped straight from the fridge.
Ingredients
600g bread or all-purpose flour (see note)
12g salt
3g instant yeast
400g lukewarm water
a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar
Steps
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, yeast, and lemon juice and stir with your hands to roughly mix. Add the water and mix until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl with a second, slightly smaller overturned bowl, or use plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 16. If desired, cold ferment in the refrigerator for up to three days (see note).
2. Dust the dough and a work surface with flour, then turn it out. Divide the dough into four even pieces. Form each one into a ball, stretching the dough over itself to form a “skin” that meets in a single point at the bottom of the dough in a sort of bellybutton. The goal is to keep the surface of the dough smooth and taught.
3. Cover and allow the dough balls to proof until roughly doubled in size, about 2 hours. The dough is now ready to stretch, top, and bake.
Comments
Conor O'Sullivan
Mine was too but I rested it for a day in the fridge and it seemed to come together more. I’ve just portioned and shaped, so I can’t promise it worked, but a day ago I didn’t think I’d be able to even cut it at all.
Asia Harrigan
Mine seems very loose. I used 00 Flour but besides that followed the recipe exactly, what other factors could cause this?
Gaye Ramsden
Ok this may sound stupid...but What time of day should I start this to have the next evening?
Donald Roeber
Given that the recipe is percentages based off of the amount of flour used, I'm assuming it's okay to half everything if you only want two pizzas?
Frances
Have been waiting for this recipe since you announced partnership with Ooni. Made the dough last night then cooked tonight in my Ooni Koda - Holy cow!! THE best! Also such an easy recipe - ironically after much anticipation I forgot to read the step to proof dough for two hours after shaping. I did proof in my toaster after preheating on lowest setting (then turned off) for like 30 minutes. Worked like magic. Thanks Kenji.
Vaughn Sterling
On this page instant yeast is listed. In the video it’s active dry yeast. Does it matter which?
