Burnt on Top, Raw Underneath? Three Reasons and How to Fix Them

Updated November 1, 2026

Danielle wrote to us after her second night with a new Ooni:

"I've made pizza twice and the base isn't cooking. I preheated for 30 minutes, but the bottom stays raw and the top burns. What am I doing wrong?"

Nothing unusual, Danielle. This is the question we get most, and we've been there ourselves. Here are the three reasons it happens, and how to fix each one.

1. The stone isn't hot enough

The air in the oven heats up fast. The stone takes longer. So the flame looks ready, you launch, and the top cooks while the base never catches up.

Preheat for the time your oven's manufacturer recommends (15 to 45 minutes depending on the model), longer if it's cold, and go by the stone, not the clock. You want it at 400 to 450°C (750 to 850°F) for a Neapolitan. An infrared thermometer tells you exactly where you are.

2. Too many toppings

A Neapolitan bakes in 60 to 90 seconds, so it has to be light: a thin centre, a modest layer of sauce, not much on top. Pile it high and the centre stays raw while the toppings burn.

That said, we're not here to judge. Alex's dad, Réal, likes his pizza fully loaded, and getting his and Alex's classic Neapolitan right on the same night takes a different approach. Preheat to full, then turn the flame down just before the loaded pizza goes in. It bakes a little longer at a lower heat, and the toppings survive.

3. The pizza isn't turning enough

Once the pizza is in, don't walk away. Those 90 seconds go fast, and the side facing the flame cooks much quicker than the other.

Here's how Alex does it. Launch into the middle of the stone and leave it 20 to 30 seconds to set the base. Then lift it slightly with a turning peel and rotate it every 10 to 15 seconds, shifting it a little on the stone each time. Near the end, move it toward the mouth of the oven, away from the hottest heat at the back.

What our customers swear by

• Lydia preheats on full, then drops the flame to low for the bake.
• Sacha keeps sugar out of the dough, since it browns and burns faster. Our dough calculator keeps you honest.
• France never launches without checking the stone with her infrared thermometer.
• Michel never puts raw vegetables on. He sautés onions and peppers in a little olive oil first.
• Carl goes easy on the sauce. A thin layer is plenty.
• Benoit uses less mozzarella, which holds a lot of water, and makes up the difference with Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Erik's advice: when in doubt, full send.

Now it's your turn. Try it, get it wrong, get it right. And if you've got a tip we should add, send it our way.