5 Different Types of Pizza in the United States
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Pizza is always a way to indulge in a simple yet delicious meal or snack. It can be eaten on many occasions with the perfect amount of stringy cheese, crispy golden crust, and a flavorful and rich tomato sauce.
Toppings are undeniably the best customization to your preferences; the change from crust thickness to sauce type can cater to any individual.
Starting in Italy, this popular food can taste different down to each individual type of pizza and restaurant.
Even a simple cheese pizza can change both flavor and texture depending on the restaurant it is made at.
Pizza is essential for most American households because not only has it been made popular and found at an affordable price, it is also an easy and warm meal for busy people.
Below are some examples of different types of pizza in the United States and how they differ from each other.
Get ready to crave some pizza!
California Style Pizza
Adapted from the thin crust from the traditional Italian pizza, this pizza is topped with a red tomato sauce and toppings from the California cuisine cooking style.
This single-serve pizza has a crispy thin crust, slightly sweet and herb-flavored red sauce, and classic mozzarella cheese.
Some varieties in California may vary based on the sauce and toppings.
This pizza is named after the state it was made in by Chef Ed LaDou and Chez Panisse, both own restaurants in California.
Grandma Pizza
Grandma pizza originates from the classic City of New York. This style of pizza usually has a traditional thin crust shaped into a square instead of the average circle.
This pizza is slightly similar to an Italian, Sicilian pizza, which also has a square shape.
The square-shaped pizza is topped with fresh tomato slices and mozzarella cheese.
The history behind this pizza dates all the way back to the 20th century in Long Island, New York when Italian immigrants attempted to replicate pizza from Italy with household ingredients.
Grandma pizza was not well known until the late 2000s when pizzeria owners had opened up the option to some of their food from the culture of Long Island.
Pan Pizza
Normally found in fast food pizza chains, the pan pizzas have a thick fluffy crust baked in a deeper dishpan.
Instead of a hand-tossed pizza, the pan pizza is flattened or rolled out into a pan for a slightly denser, chewier texture to the crust.
The olive oil coated on the bottom and sides of the pan creates a crisp exterior for the crust to infuse flavor and hold a great texture.
In pizza chains like Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, and Little Caesars, the customer has the ability to choose any sauce, toppings, or type of cheese they enjoy.
Sheet Pizza
These pizzas are baked in a large sheet pan coated with oil. The crusts are thin, but the pizza itself is a long rectangular shape.
Birthday parties or large food gatherings tend to purchase sheet pizzas because they are more affordable for many servings and the rectangular shape creates easier, more even square slices for each person.
Since toppings are customizable, the pizza can easily be split into thirds for Different Toppings on each third.
It is convenient and efficient due to the many portions in one pizza.
Chicago Style Pizza
Developed in Chicago, the popular pizza is an incredibly deep dished pizza that looks almost like a pie.
Many styles of pizza are made in Chicago, although by far the most popular is the deep-dish pizza.
It is distinguished easily by the deep crust (more space for), chunky tomato sauce, lots of cheese, and various types of meat (sausage, beef, or pork).
There is no exact person who invented this creative style of pizza, but the most common example was seen in Chicago by the restaurant Pizzeria Uno in 1943.
The dough has a few key differences that others do not have such as cornmeal, wheat flour, and sometimes yellow food coloring.
These ingredients in the dough make it incredibly different from others.
The cornmeal has a sweet flavor and enhances the crunchy bite, wheat flour adds more gluten which provides a chewy texture, and finally, the yellow food coloring ensures that the color of the crust is presentable and more appetizing.
