Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza

The toppings for this pizza are a tantalizing mix of tart, smoky and tangy, the main focus here being marinated sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkled with shredded mozarella and fresh basil and a few dashes of red pepper flakes, the flavors here are basic, but at the same time combining for a complexity of flavors that qualifies this as a gourmet pizza with little fuss.

I've included a recipe for homemade pizza dough here, and I recommend you go all out and invest the bit of extra time it takes, but if you wish to skip this step, by all means purchase a premade pizza dough to cut down on the amount of time it takes to make this.

Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on March 9, 2026

Pizza topped with mozzarella and a tart, smoky and tangy sun-dried tomato marinade

Preparation: 45 minutes + 1 1/2 hours resting time
Cooking time: 25 minutes

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Pizza dough:

1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1/4 oz (8 g) package of yeast
3 1/4 cups unbleached white flour or spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil + more for brushing
yellow cornmeal for dusting

Toppings:

2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and chopped
2 teaspoons tamari (soy) sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2/3 cup mushroom marinara sauce or other tomato sauce
1 1/2 to 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, trimmed and chopped
dried red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions:

Start by making the pizza dough. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Make sure it's not too hot but not too cold either. Sprinkle in the yeast and stir gently for 1 minute until it dissolves. If the yeast clumps, start over again. Let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and beige colored and bubbles form on the surface.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt and make a well in the center of the flour. Pour in the yeast mixture and the olive oil. Mix the ingredients together beginning in the center of the bowl and incorporating the flour from the sides of the bowl. Continue until a soft dough is formed.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and dust your hands with flour. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes, adding more flour as needed so the dough is not sticky but is smooth and elastic.
Grease a bowl with oil. Transfer the kneaded dough to the bowl and brush with more olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
While the dough is resting, whisk together the tamari, olive oil, oregano, maple syrup or honey, liquid smoke, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the soaked and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and marinate for 1 hour.
Brush a 12-inch vented pizza pan with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Preheat an oven to 425°F.
Punch down the pizza dough and divide it into two portions. Wrap one of the halves with plastic wrap and freeze for future use. Lightly flour a large cutting board and roll out the other half into a round about 1/4 inch thick, leaving the edges slightly thicker. Add flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Pick up the dough and turn it several times to stretch. Transfer to the prepared pan, forming a ridge around the edges of the pan. Prick the dough lightly with a fork.
Spread the marinara or tomato sauce evenly over the pizza dough. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella over the sauce. Bake for 15 minutes, then scatter the marinated sun-dried tomatoes over the mozzarella and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil and red pepper flakes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve hot.