How to Bake Pizza in Oven without Pizza Stone? Easy Guide

Do you find it unfeasible to bake a pizza without a pizza stone in the oven?

Making pizza looks like a tough job to pull off. And I couldn't think of making it on my own at my home without having a pizza stone.

If you are a pizza lover and love to bake as I do, then let's learn how to bake pizza in the oven without a pizza stone.

Once you start making them on your own, there is no turning back; I can assure you that. Let's break down the steps of making a pizza in different ways.

Why Is Pizza Stone Important?

The pizza stone acts as a heating element for the pizza. While making a classic Italian pizza, you must heat your pizza stone to develop the perfect crust.

(Note: Pizza stone should be smoking hot for the best result.)

Prepare your pizza dough and spread it on your pizza peel. Then arrange the pizza according to taste and slide it on your preheated pizza stone. Insert the pizza stone inside the oven and wait for eight to ten minutes. And that's how you make a pizza with a pizza stone.

Things You Need for Baking a Pizza

You don't need to have all those heavy tools and equipment when it comes to baking a pizza at home. Few basic things that are available at your home are good enough for a homemade pizza.

Here is the list of a few things you need to have:

• Pizza dough
• Pizza sauce
• Pizza toppings (cheese, basil, tomato, chicken/beef/mushroom/shrimp, oregano, extra virgin olive oil, etc.)
• Baking tray/skillet/piece of wood
• Baking oven

How to Bake Pizza in Oven without Pizza Stone? Definitive Guide

Prepare Your Pizza Dough

• For making a pizza, you will need a batch of pizza dough. It doesn't matter if you make your dough from scratch or use a store-bought one; both will work well.
• Whether you are an amateur cook or a professional one, keeping your toppings ready before you start making it will always save you from leaving any elements behind that might slip off your mind.
• Put your baking sheet on your baking tray. You can choose from different sizes of trays as per your requirement.
• Take your baking sheet and sprinkle some flour or cornmeal; either will do. Try to keep your baking tray and baking sheet dry. Even a small drop of sauce, water, or oil can make your pizza stick to the tray.
• Now, prepare your pizza dough by laying it down on the parchment paper. You can roll it with any rolling pin and give it a shape. Or you can be playful and spread the pizza dough with the help of your fingertip.
• Some people like thin crust; some prefer thick crust. Make the thickness according to your taste. Take a fork and make uniform holes into the spread dough. This step is necessary to circulate the heat all over the pizza and accelerate the baking process.
• Tip: Don't make big holes in your dough that your sauce drips through the dough. This will make your pizza soggy.

Let's Make the Pizza Sauce

Different types of pizza sauce are available both online and at the stores. Everybody has their favorite pizza sauce, so get creative and spell the magic on the sauce to make it unique.

You can make the sauce from scratch or use the ready one. For safe play, the marinara sauce cannot go wrong with any flavored pizza. Take a large amount of sauce and spread it into your pizza evenly. Try not to spill it outside the pizza dough.

If you want to learn to cook pizza sauce from scratch, this video will guide you.

Choose Your Toppings

While making pizza at home, I enjoy this step the most. Choose your favorite toppings and put as much as you want. Match the toppings according to your sauce.

Some people like classic Italian-style pizza, only with tomato, mozzarella, and basil with the drizzle of olive oil. Some like their favorite protein on it. (You can use sautéed chicken or beef or mushroom or anchovies etc.)

If you love experimenting, I would suggest you try pineapple on your pizza. Explore the options and try new flavors each time you make a new one. For authentic flavor, a few drops of extra virgin olive oil will work like magic on your pizza.

Baking Time

After all the hard work you have done, one last step of your making process is left.

Yes! It's baking time.

Tip: When you don't have a pizza stone, you must preheat your oven before baking it.

Perfect temperature plays a vital role while baking a pizza. Preheat your oven to at least 270 degrees Celsius, depending on the size of your pizza. Open the oven put the tray inside, and bake for at least 10 minutes or further.

For beginners, try to look for a dark brownish color on the crust and bubbly cheese on top for the perfect one. You can leave it a little longer in the oven if you want to get a harder crust on your pizza.

What Are the Alternatives?

As we have discussed making pizza with a baking tray, let's explore other options.

Bake with Heavy Cast Iron Skillet/Baking Pan

This sounds pretty unusual, right? Why don't you give it a try?

You might have a heavy cast-iron skillet in your kitchen. Heavy tools absorb more heat, and for the best crust on your pizza, this skillet can work incredibly.

Choose your skillet, and then you can use it almost the same way you did with your baking tray.

Best Way to Use the Skillet/Baking Pan

Always spray oil on the skillet/pan before putting the pizza dough. Use at least 2 tablespoons of oil for a 14-inch pizza, and you are good to go.

One more important thing you need to pay attention to is that cheese always goes before toppings. You need to put your cheese first and then add your toppings.

Try not to overflow the pan with extra toppings and cheese. Look for the bubbles and color on your pizza crust and pull it off when it reaches your expected point.

Reminder: The temperature of the skillet can be unmanageable sometimes. Try to be extra careful before touching the skillet. Use heavy gloves for safety measures.

Enjoy the Pizza

Now, after all these steps, you deserve to have the mouth-watering pizza that you just made by yourself. Don't worry if anything goes wrong or if you have missed any of our points; give it another try and enjoy your perfect bite.

You don't have to have all tools or equipment for a homemade pizza. Any available ingredient will make your pizza stand out if you follow these steps.

Conclusion

So, now you know how to bake pizza in the oven without a pizza stone. Now, all that is left to do is satisfy your soul whenever you crave pizza. Don't forget to plan a surprise for your loved ones and bake a pizza for them. Happiness increases when shared with others.

So, what are you waiting for?