The most popular pizza styles in the U.S.—and what you need to make them
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Pizza is one of our nation's favorite foods, so we don't need much of an excuse to eat slice after slice of the delicious dish. If you were looking for a reason to chow down, however, then today being National Pizza Day is a great one.
If you don’t feel like heading to your favorite pizzeria, don’t worry—you can make a perfect pie right at home. The beauty of pizza is making it just the way you like it, with your preferred style and toppings. We’re here to teach you about some of the most popular pizza styles in the U.S. and how to make a tasty pizza from the comfort of your home.
When is National Pizza Day 2023?
National Pizza Day comes around annually on February 9 and is simply a day to celebrate the cheesy dish and its origins. Plus, there are often sweet deals to score on a slice.
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What is the most popular pizza style in the U.S.?
In America, the most popular pizza style hails from the Big Apple. This is because many pizzas enjoyed nationwide owe their basic shape to the New York style. While not as large or thin as traditional New York pizza, pizza from chains such as Little Caesars, Pizza Hut and Domino's are all based on New York slices.
New York-style pizza
A slice of New York pizza is traditionally thin and wide, so much so that sometimes you fold it before eating. Not to mention, it’s deliciously greasy. It's worth noting that part of its popular status is most likely because New York got a head start over other pizza styles, as it was the first type of pizza to be made in the United States all the way back in 1905.
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Neapolitan pizza
If New York Pizza is the father of all pizza, then Neopolitan is the grandfather. "Neapolitan" is the demonym for Naples, the coastal Italian city where this pizza originates. Naples' working class would garnish flatbreads with oil, tomatoes, cheese, fish and garlic. Today, Neapolitan pizza is typically topped with a very thin layer of tomato sauce, sliced white cheese such as mozzarella and basil leaves. Like New York pizza, Neapolitan has a circular shape and thin crust.
New Haven-style pizza
Maybe it’s because of its proximity to New York, but another popular pizza style comes from none other than New Haven, Connecticut. New Haven-style pizza, or “apizza," is similar to both New York and Neopolitan pizzas in certain ways, but what sets it apart is that it requires a wood-fired oven. Apizza is thin and cooked at high heat, giving it a nice charred taste. It can come with standard mozzarella, Pecorino Romano or no cheese at all. The fresh tomato sauce and crispy crust are really the stars of the show when it comes to New Haven pizza.
Chicago deep-dish pizza
Love it or hate it, you can't deny that the Windy City's deep-dish pizza is one of the most unique pies around. With its thick crust baked in a deep pan, and thicker layers of cheese and sauce, Chicago has a pizza like no other. What makes the Chicago deep-dish so unique is its layering. Unlike most other types of pizza, the cheese and toppings go under the thick sauce.
Detroit-style pizza
The Motor City has a pizza of its own. Originally made in the steel pans used for automotive parts, Detroit's pizza is distinguished by its rectangular shape and thick crust with deliciously crispy edges. While the deep-dish shape is usually the only thing needed to be considered Detroit style, it’s traditionally made with brick cheese and sauce on top of the cheese, similar to the Chicago style.
Sicilian pizza
Sicilian pizza is where Detriot-style got its origins as it is also thick and rectangular, but it has more sauce and less cheese than Detroit-style. It's pressed and cooked in a baking pan with thick, spongy dough. It's traditionally topped with fresh herbs and vegetables like tomatoes, oregano, onion and more.
Greek pizza
Although Greek pizza is prepared in a pan instead of a flat sheet, it can't quite be called a "deep-dish" pizza. This is because unlike Detroit and Chicago styles, Greek pizza is made in a shallow pan, resulting in a medium-thick crust that's airy, spongy and light. Greek pizza can be either rectangular or round. It is sauceless and is often made with feta cheese and vegetable toppings such as olives, spinach, and tomatoes.
Tools to make the most popular pizza styles
Pizza pans
While many pizzas are flat, deep-dish pizzas, such as the ones from Chicago and Detroit, are a delicious alternative. For pies on the thicker side, you'll need to use metal baking pans. If you have a 12-inch cake pan at home, it can double as a pan for making pizzas. If you're in the market for a new pan, these pre-seasoned ones from Lloydpans will work great whether you're making a round or rectangular pizza.
Pizza cutter
It's certainly possible to cut pizza using a standard knife, but anyone who’s tried it can tell you that it results in uneven slices at best, and a mess of sliding cheese and sauce at worst. That's why it's recommended to use a pizza cutter when it comes time to divide your homemade pie. The best pizza cutter around is the Progressive PL8 Artisan Pizza Wheel. Its stainless-steel blade and comfortable grip make cutting your pizza a breeze. It also cleans easily and comes with a guard for safer cutting.
Pizza stones
Pizza stones are slabs of ceramic, steel or cast iron that you place a pizza on while it's cooking to bake it more efficiently and evenly. The best pizza stone you can buy is the circular Lodge Cast Iron Baking Pan 14", a perfect option for the most popular styles of pizza, including New York pizza, which is one of the most ubiquitous types of pizza. The Lodge Cast Iron Baking Pan earns its title as the best pizza stone thanks to its handles which make for easy carrying, its heat retention and its durability.
Pizza steel
Pizza steels are lighter alternatives to pizza stones, so if you find the act of maneuvering a pizza stone in and out of your oven to be a bit daunting, consider using pizza steel instead. As pizza steels are completely flat, they're best suited to make thin-crust pizza, so keep this in mind when using one. One pizza steel that we've tried and loved is the Made In Pizza Steel, which is perforated, resulting in it being incredibly lightweight. These holes also help to get pizza crust deliciously crispy. It's perfect for New Haven pizza, which sports a thin crust that's charred at the bottom.
Pizza oven
For the ultimate homemade pizza, you'll want a pizza oven. Your kitchen oven just can't compete with the heat that a pizza oven brings to the table. Heat is vital for pizzas such as Neapolitan (which is traditionally cooked quickly at 800-1000ºF) or New Haven (which is charred at the bottom). The Solo Stove Pi is one of the best in class, as it heats up quickly, maintains heat well, is lightweight and can be fueled with both wood and gas. As mentioned, you'll need to fuel it with wood specifically if you have a hankering for a New Haven-style pizza.
Pizza peels
Cooking your pizza on a peel makes using a pizza oven a lot easier. You can think of a pizza peel like a giant spatula or a movable pizza stone/steel. A pizza peel allows you to put your pizza directly on the cooking surface and take it out of the oven without the risk of burning yourself. Pizza peels come in both wood and metal. Each has its advantages with a wood one being able to double as a beautiful serving tray, while a metal peel can scoop up your pizza more easily thanks to its thin, sharp edges.
Cheese grater
Most pizza calls for some type of cheese, often in grated form as opposed to being cooked whole or sliced. To get your cheese prepared for your pie, we recommend picking up the Microplane Four Blade Four Sided Box Grater, which we found to be the best grater. The edges of this box grater are super sharp on all sides, making grating cheese a cinch. When you're done, rest assured that clean-up will be easy thanks to this grater's removable blades and dishwasher-safe design.
Knife set
A quality knife will make chopping toppings like onions, peppers and olives a breeze. Some pizzas, such as Neapolitan, even call for the cheese to be sliced. Mercer Culinary's Genesis 6-Piece Forged Knife Block Set is our favorite value knife set as it performs just as well as more expensive sets, at a fraction of the price. Plus, it comes with a minimalist glass storage block.
Stand mixer and rolling pin
What's a pizza without the dough? Not a pizza, that's what. Whether you like your crust thin or thick, it all starts with quality dough. To get the dough to the perfect consistency, we recommend using a dough hook, such as the one that comes with our favorite stand mixer, the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Stand Mixer. The KitchenAid is durable, reliable and quiet. Plus, the attachments, like the dough hook, are easy to use.
Unless you plan on tossing the dough in the air repeatedly to get it the perfect shape (which, admittedly, looks fun), you'll also want a rolling pin to flatten it out. The J.K. Adams Plain Maple Rolling Dowel is the best we've tested. Its flour retention, length and ease of control make for great dough every time.
Food processor
If you're making your dough from scratch, you might as well make your pizza sauce from scratch, too. You'll be able to ensure that every ingredient is fresh and can make your sauce just the way you like it whether that means using chunks of garlic and onions, or adding copious amounts of Italian herbs to the mixture. Food processors offer the best way to blend vegetables for sauces and the best one we've tested is the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY. It's our favorite thanks to its small size, excellent performance and quietness that sets it apart from others.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: National Pizza Day 2023: Favorite pizza styles and how to make them
