What makes a good cheese pizza?
Some may call it basic, or even boring, but we call it a classic! In fact, cheese pizza is one of the most common takeout pizza orders on the Tasty Find website, enjoyed by thousands of people around the country each month. In honor of this year’s National Cheese Pizza Day on September 5th, we’d like to celebrate the simplicity of this often-underappreciated pizza. While you’d think it would be easy to combine bread, sauce and cheese, not every pizza restaurant has mastered this quintessential pie. So what is it that defines a truly tasty cheese pizza? We’re glad you asked.
The quality control
When it comes to cheese pizza, quality of ingredients is key. After all, there are only a handful of ingredients that make up a cheese pizza, so every single one counts. We recommend steering clear from larger chain pizza restaurants that use frozen, processed ingredients and instead choosing a local takeout pizza restaurant that makes their dough and sauce from scratch and uses freshly grated cheese.
The meltiness measure
There are few things more disappointing than biting into a cheese pizza and having the cheese slide right off the crust in one unappetising, semi-melted blob. Meltiness is key to any cheese pizza, and fortunately, our team of cheese pizza researchers have come up with a simple test to measure whether your cheese pizza is melty enough. When you take a bite of your pizza, do never-ending strings of freshly melted cheese run between your mouth and the slice? If so, you’ve found a winner.
The cheese-to-sauce ratio
The perfect cheese pizza has a very delicate balance between cheese and sauce. Too much sauce, you’re in for a soggy, tomato-ey mess. Too little, and your pizza will be dry. Cheese pizza should have just enough tomato sauce to add flavor and moisture without overpowering the taste of the cheese.
The art of the crust
Whether it’s deep dish, thin crust, or a classic pan-style crust, there’s an art to a truly perfect pizza crust. While you might be able to get away with a lackluster crust by burying it under a mountain of flavorful toppings, a cheese pizza relies almost as much on a delicious crust as it does on the cheese itself. The perfect crust should have the perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness, and should have a slight stretch if you pull it apart. There’s nothing worse than overly dry crust or soggy bottoms! The crust should also be flavorful enough to enjoy on its own – if you can’t eat your crust without dipping it in barbecue sauce or ranch dressing, it’s time to find another pizza restaurant.
The fresh test
Freshness really is key when it comes to cheese pizza, so for best results, enjoy it as quickly as possible after it comes from the oven. Even the best cheese pizza in the world is unappealing when it’s been sitting out too long. When ordering takeout cheese pizza, make sure you pick a restaurant known for their speedy delivery (and if at all possible, try to avoid peak times when delivery might take longer).
