Deliciously different, this pizza tops a no-knead pizza dough with a rich homemade vodka sauce and then is topped with basil, fresh mozzarella and shaved Parmesan. The vodka sauce pizza sauce can be made several days ahead and the dough can be made a day ahead. Simply assemble, bake and enjoy!
If you are looking for something a little different for pizza night, this vodka sauce pizza is just the thing! The no-knead pizza dough is the perfect base for the homemade vodka sauce, which is thick and rich with a ton of tomato flavour. The pizza is topped with torn fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and Parmesan shavings.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Canned tomatoes – If possible, start with a good quality canned tomato, such as San Marzano, for best flavour. Any whole canned tomato will work though.
Heavy cream – This is the 35% b.f. whipping cream. Adjust the amount of cream added to your taste.
Fresh mozzarella – Fresh mozzarella works beautifully with the richer vodka sauce base. Look for fresh mozzarella in tubs, packed in water. You will need 250g if making the 2 pizzas.
Fresh basil – Fresh basil always elevates pizza! If possible, seek some out to add to these pies.
Shaved Parmesan – Finish the pizza with some shaved Parmesan or Pecorino for a nice sharp cheese flavour.
How to make vodka sauce pizza
This is a summary of the steps to make this pizza. Always refer to the complete instructions in the Recipe Card below.
Make the vodka sauce: (can be done up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated).
- Start by softening some onion in a bit of olive oil in a skillet, then add the garlic.
- Empty the can of whole tomatoes (including the juice) into the skillet, then cover and pop into the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove from the oven.
- Use a potato masher to break up the tomatoes. (This will make a slightly chunky sauce. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can puree it with an immersion blender or blender).
- Add the cream to the sauce, to taste.
- Finish the sauce with some fresh or dried basil and salt and pepper, as needed.
Make the no-knead pizza dough the day before: (You can also use store-bought pizza dough or see the Recipe Card notes for a variation that only needs 6-8 hours of same-day rising time.)
- Mix the pizza dough ingredients in a large bowl just until the flour is moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 18 hours.
- After rising, the dough will look sticky and bubbly. Remove to a floured work surface and add just a bit of flour to remove any stickiness.
- Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
- Form the dough into balls and let rest covered with a tea towel for 1 hour. Preheat the oven while the dough rests.
- Press the dough out into an 8-inch circle, then stretch the circle out some more to about 12-14 inches in diameter. The dough is ready for topping! (I shape, top and bake one pizza first. While the first pizza is baking, shape and top the second pizza, then pop it in the oven when the first one comes out.)
Assemble the pizza:
- Spread the vodka sauce onto the pizza, leaving the outer 1/2-1 inch uncovered.
- Scatter the fresh basil leaves and fresh mozzarella overtop.
- Grate some Parmesan cheese overtop, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil before baking.
Recipe tips!
- You can add as much cream to the vodka sauce as you like. I prefer it a little less but if your preference is creamier, you can certainly add more.
- As noted above, I find fresh mozzarella works best with a richer vodka sauce base. You may find regular low-moisture pizza mozzarella a bit heavy.
- I have a trick for making this pizza dough the same day you want to eat it. You still need to start it early in the day, but it only needs 6-8 hours instead of the original 18 hours. I’ve included the details in the Recipe Card below!
- If you can get your hands on some 00 pizza flour, you can use it in place of the all-purpose flour cup-for-cup. I like PC Brand 00 pizza flour.
- You can skip making your own pizza dough and use a ready-made pizza dough if you like.
- I love to use parchment under my pizza. It makes transferring it to and from the oven a breeze. Be sure to trim the parchment close to the pizza so it doesn’t scorch in the hot oven.
- This recipe will make two 12-14-inch pizzas. If you only want to make one pizza, you can freeze the extra pizza dough and the extra vodka sauce.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
Making ahead is a big part of this recipe! It requires a little advance planning, but when it comes time to enjoy the pizza, most of the work is already done.
The pizza dough needs to be started 16-18 hours ahead. The pizza sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. I like to make the sauce the day before and then I’ll mix up the pizza dough. The sauce goes into the fridge and the pizza dough just sits away on the counter until later then next day.
As noted above, this recipe makes two 12-14 inch pizzas. If you only want one, freeze the extra dough and vodka sauce for another pizza at another time.
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Get the Recipe: Vodka Sauce Pizza
Ingredients
For the no-knead pizza dough: (Can also use store-bought pizza dough)
- 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) water, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast, instant yeast recommended *see Note 1 below
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 1/2-2 teaspoons fine salt
For the vodka sauce (can be made 2 days ahead):
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (250 ml) onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 28 oz (796 ml) can whole tomatoes, with juice
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) vodka
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream, 35% b.f.
- 3-4 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried basil leaves
- salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed
For the pizza:
- 8 1/2 oz (250 g) fresh mozzarella
- 10-12 fresh basil leaves
- freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino
- olive oil, for drizzling
For garnish before serving:
- shaved Parmesan or Pecorino
- additional fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced
Instructions
For the vodka sauce (can be made up to 2 days ahead):
- Preheat the oven to 375F (non-convection/not fan-assisted).
- Tip! Be careful adding the vodka if you have a gas stove, as it can flame up if it splashes or there is a lot of alcohol vapour created. Pour slowly close to the pan. Always have a lid handy, just in case!
- Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet with a lid. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is well softened but not browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with the juices. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes. Carefully add the vodka to the pan and allow the mixture to cook together until reduced by about 1/2, about 5 minutes more. Add the salt and stir in.
- Place the lid on the skillet and transfer to the oven to cook covered for 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove from the oven and remove the lid. Use oven mitts to place the skillet back onto a stovetop burner over medium heat (careful, the handle is HOT too!). Use a potato masher to break up the tomato mixture. Add the heavy cream to the tomato mixture, to taste. Stir in the basil then remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl if using immediately or refrigerate if making ahead.
For the no-knead pizza dough (start 18 hours ahead):
- Tip! See the Recipe Notes for a quicker, same-day pizza dough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon) add the water and yeast. If using Active Dry yeast, let stand 5 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix or stir together just until all the flour is evenly moistened. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set on the counter for 18 hours.
- After the dough has sat for 18 hours, use a bowl scraper to scrape the dough onto a floured work surface. The dough will be sticky. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a bit of flour and then knead the dough gently, adding a bit more flour only if the dough is sticking to your hands or the work surface.
- Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form each piece into a ball. Dust the top of the dough balls with a bit of flour, then cover with a clean tea towel to rest for 1 hour.
- If using, place a pizza stone or baking steel into the oven, then preheat the oven to 550F (or as hot as your oven will go).
- Starting with one ball of dough, place the ball onto a sheet of parchment paper. Using your fingertips, press and stretch in the centre of the dough (avoiding the outer edge) into a roughly 8-inch circle. Let rest a couple of minutes, then continue pressing and stretching the centre of the dough until it is 12-14 inches in diameter.
To assemble the pizza:
- Spread 1/2 of the vodka sauce onto the pizza dough, leaving the outer 1" or so uncovered. Scatter the fresh basil leaves over the pizza, then tear 1/2 of the fresh mozzarella (125g) and scatter over the pizza. Grate some Parmesan over the top of the pizza then drizzle a little olive oil over the pizza. Trim the parchment paper close to the pizza, leaving about 1" extending past the pizza.
- Transfer the pizza on the parchment paper onto the baking stone. Bake in a 550F oven for about 15 minutes, or until the underside of the pizza is crispy and golden.
- While the first pizza is cooking, shape and top the 2nd pizza dough in the same way and pop it into the oven when the first one comes out.
Notes
-
- You can add as much cream to the vodka sauce as you like. I prefer it a little less but if your preference is creamier, you can certainly add more.
-
- As noted above, I find fresh mozzarella works best with a richer vodka sauce base. While you can use regular low-moisture pizza mozzarella if you prefer, you may find it a bit heavy.
- You can replace the all-purpose flour with 00 pizza flour cup-for-cup if you like. It makes a lovely crust!
-
- You can skip making your own pizza dough and use a ready-made pizza dough if you like.
-
- I love to use parchment under my pizza. It makes transferring it to and from the oven a breeze. Be sure to trim the parchment close to the pizza so it doesn’t scorch in the hot oven.
No-knead dough recipe adapted from Jim Lahey. Vodka sauce recipe adapted from Ina Garten.
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
