5 Different Types of Pizza Crust to Delight your Diners

Pizza is one of those timeless menu options that will never go out of fashion, along with other eternal favorites like lasagna, steak and ice cream.

One of the most attractive features of pizza - for cooks and diners alike - is its huge versatility. Once you have the base ready, you can experiment with putting pretty much any combination of ingredients on there to create something new and exciting every time.

What's more, this versatility extends beyond pizza toppings, with a wide range of crusts to choose from, too.

Here are five of the most popular crusts that can make a big contribution to the overall experience of tucking into a delicious pizza:

Thin crust

This is probably the most popular option for people who want minimum crust and maximum flavor from the pizza topping.

Thin-crust pizzas come in various guises, one of the best-known and most popular of which is the New York-style pizza. With its large, wide slices, covered in rich tomato sauce and dripping with cheese, this has become an iconic representation of how pizza is enjoyed in the north-east United States.

In America's Midwest, the city of St Louis has popularized another type of pizza defined by a very thin, cracker-like crust made without yeast. St Louis-style pizza is also distinguished by the fact that it's usually cut into squares or rectangles, rather than wedges.

Stuffed crust

Created and brought to popular attention by Pizza Hut, the stuffed crust is a good way of adding a dash of excitement to what some people might consider the least appealing part of a pizza.

Unsurprisingly, cheese is the most common filling for stuffed crusts, but if you are feeling imaginative there are all sorts of ingredients you could try for some memorable taste experiences.

In New Zealand, Pizza Hut has sold pizzas with Marmite-filled crusts, while diners in places like Japan, Germany, South Korea and Hong Kong have been given the opportunity to try pizza crusts with Camembert cheese, shrimp and mayonnaise, sausage, bacon and abalone sauce.

Flatbread

If you are looking to appeal to a young, health-conscious audience who want to enjoy pizza with a difference, flatbread crusts could be the way to do it.

Flatbread pizzas tend to be lighter and airier than traditional varieties, meaning they can work well as sharing starters or on a lunch menu.

The trendy appeal of the flatbread crust means it goes well with non-traditional toppings that are likely to interest modern diners, such as spinach, avocado, goat's cheese, pickles or eggs.

Thick crust

Thick-crust pizzas are a good option if you want to give your diners something they can really get their teeth into. 

Ideal for the family audience, a thick crust is the perfect base for some of the most traditionally popular pizza toppings, like pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, olives, onions and thick layers of cheese.

One of the best examples of a thick crust used well is in a traditional Sicilian pizza, which is often rectangular and topped with onions, anchovies, tomatoes, herbs and a strong cheese.

Wood-fired

If you're going for the authentic look, a wood-fired crust is arguably the best way to achieve it.

There are many different types of wood-fired crusts, but the characteristic that unites them all is the distinctive smoky taste that comes from using wood to heat the oven, as well as the charring effect created by the high baking temperatures.

Combined with some delicious and visually impressive toppings, wood-fired crusts can be a great way to give diners a special culinary experience.
 
Skip to main content