Gather ingredients: pizza dough, pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, optional toppings (pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives), olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder or dried oregano
Preheat oven to 475–500°F (245–260°C)
Prepare baking surface: preheat pizza stone or baking sheet, or line a sheet with parchment
Make or prep dough:
If using store-bought dough, let it sit at room temperature 10–20 minutes
Stretch dough into a round or oval shape on a lightly floured surface
Form a thicker edge (crust) by leaving a small border
Add sauce:
Spread sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a border for the crust
Use a moderate amount to avoid soggy pizza
Add cheese:
Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the sauce
Add toppings:
Distribute toppings evenly without overloading
Add tougher-cook toppings (mushrooms, peppers, onions) in thinner slices
Season:
Lightly drizzle olive oil
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and/or oregano if desired
Bake:
Bake 10–15 minutes (until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned)
If using a stone, bake directly on the stone; if using a sheet, bake on the sheet
Finish:
Rest 2–5 minutes before slicing
Optional: add fresh basil or a drizzle of olive oil after baking
Slice and serve