Eat enough pizzas and you’ll realize there’s a lot more to a pizza than the toppings. In fact, the crust is an all-important, ever-versatile part of pizza. Crust is the very foundation of pizza and majorly influences its taste and integrity. Good crust can take pizza to a whole new level; bad crust can make otherwise great pizza taste mediocre.
What types of pizza crust are there? It might surprise you to learn that there are more than one or two out there. There are actually eight common crust types, each with unique properties that change the way you experience the pizza. Check out what makes them special:
- Bready: This type of crust is fluffier and thicker, and it’ll fill you up fast! It’s the go-to crust for pizzeria chains and pizzas with heavier toppings. The texture is chewy and extremely flavorful, since it’s usually infused with herbs and spices, like garlic and oregano.
- Stuffed: A bit of a gimmick, stuffed crust is like enjoying breadsticks and pizza at the same time. Pizza chains popularized this type of crust, which is usually filled with cheese. It’s very filling and very bready, making for a hearty meal.
- Bagel: Bagel crust is unique and gives pizza enthusiasts the best of two worlds. It’s generally a thinner, flakier crust that’s thicker around the edge. Most bagel-crusted pizzas have toppings all the way to the edge, giving people a few bites of pizza bagel at the end.
- Thin: Thin crust is self-explanatory and a major favorite across the country. Light, flaky and crispy, thin crust is usually much lighter than other types of crust and supports fewer toppings. You might find thin-crust pizzas cut into squares, for bite-sized deliciousness.
- Sicilian: Sicilian pizza is more like pizza toppings on a loaf of flatbread. The crust is thick and crunchy, and toppings go all the way to the end. Expect an audible crunch as you bite in and plenty of crumbs. Don’t worry, though—there’s usually a slathering of sauce!
- Deep dish: If you’re looking to get full fast, deep dish is the way to go. This is where the moniker “pizza pie” comes from, since the pizza itself is more reminiscent of a pie! Deep dish crust is on the top and bottom, with the toppings enclosed in the middle.
- Neapolitan: The original of all pizza crust types, Neapolitan is the flagship crust from Naples, Italy. It’s an airy flat crust that’s spread closer to an oval than a circle. It’s also tradition not to cut Neapolitan pizza into squares, but rather to eat it with a knife and fork or tear pieces away!
- NYC-style: Everyone visiting NYC wants to get a “slice.” NYC-style pizza crust is world-famous these days! It’s usually a medium-thickness crust with plenty of seasoning. The kicker? It’s huge! A classic NYC slice might measure 8” to 20” by itself! It’s flimsier than similar crusts, but that’s for the best—you might need to fold it to eat it!
Who knew there were so many different pizza crust types? If you’re a pizza lover, you owe it to yourself to try them all. The next time you go out for pizza, be sure to make a note of what kind you’re about to chow down on!