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Vegetarian, Italy

Marinara pizza with tomato and mozzarella salad

Marinara pizza is an Italian pizza with no cheese on the dough, topped with tomato sauce, garlic and oregano, served here alongside a tomato and mozzarella salad. This easy recipe serves 4, takes 55 minutes and costs about €2.20 per person. The key is good quality tomato sauce and a very hot oven from the start.

Tonight it's marinara pizza, for the pure tomato, garlic and oregano, with a tomato and mozzarella salad to round it out.

Marinara pizza with tomato and mozzarella salad
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Marinara is the simplest pizza there is, one that relies entirely on tomato. No cheese on the dough, just a sauce flavored with garlic and oregano, spread thin so the edges turn golden and the base stays crisp. The flavor is bright, a little sharp from the raw garlic, and the short bake in a hot oven keeps the crust light instead of heavy.

To make up for the bare pizza, you serve a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad on the side, which brings back the creaminess that's missing. It's a great weeknight dinner for spring or summer, simple enough for kids as long as the garlic stays mild. Mon Chou built this pairing to balance a pizza that's deliberately stripped down.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • Pizza dough sheets 2
  • Mozzarella 250 g

Pantry

  • Tomato sauceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Oreganooften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Ripe tomatoes 3
  • Basil 8 leaves

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 240°C with a baking sheet inside.

    Starting heat matters, don't put the pizzas into a lukewarm oven.

  2. Mix the tomato sauce with the salt, a tablespoon of oil and the oregano, then spread it over the rolled out dough.

    Don't overdo it, a thin layer bakes better and keeps the crust from getting soggy.

  3. Scatter thinly sliced garlic over the top and drizzle with a little oil.

    Slice the garlic into thin strips rather than chunks, it scorches less and won't burn.

  4. Bake the pizzas on the hot sheet. 12 min

    It's ready when the edges are golden and the bottom is crisp.

  5. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella, arrange them alternating with the basil, and season with oil, salt and pepper.

    Take the mozzarella out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead, its milky flavor comes through better.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the tomato sauce a bit if it looks watery, too much liquid keeps the center of the dough from cooking through.
  • Use a baking sheet that's already hot rather than a cold one, the instant contact sets the crust so it doesn't turn soggy.
  • Slice the salad tomatoes right before serving, they lose their juice if they sit seasoned for too long.

The variations

  • Swap the oregano for thyme or herbes de Provence for a different scent, still Italian in spirit.
  • For kids sensitive to raw garlic, cook it in the oil for 30 seconds before adding it, the flavor turns much milder.
  • To save time, use pre-baked pizza bases instead of rolled dough, the bake time drops to about 8 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • An extra drizzle of olive oil at the table
  • A cold sparkling water
  • Shaved parmesan for anyone who wants it

Storage

The pizza keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container and reheats well in the oven to bring back some crispness. The tomato and mozzarella salad doesn't keep, it's best made right before eating. The raw dough freezes well before baking.

Questions about this dish

Why doesn't marinara pizza have cheese?

That's its defining trait, marinara means no cheese on the dough. Here the cheese shows up on the side instead, in the mozzarella salad, not on the pizza itself.

Can you use blended fresh tomatoes instead of tomato sauce?

Yes, as long as you drain them well first, otherwise the dough gets soggy. The flavor will be fresher but less concentrated than a good sauce.

Can you prep the dough and sauce ahead of time?

You can spread the sauce on the dough and keep it in the refrigerator for an hour or two before baking. Add the garlic at the last minute so it keeps its bite.

Do kids actually like this pizza?

Usually yes, the pure tomato flavor often goes over better than expected. If raw garlic worries you, cook it briefly in the oil before adding it.

How long does it take to make a marinara pizza with a tomato and mozzarella salad?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a marinara pizza with a tomato and mozzarella salad?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a marinara pizza with a tomato and mozzarella salad cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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