Pizza started in Italy but America put its own spin on it too. All over the US, different places made it their own.
New York pizza is famous for being thin and foldable. Then Chicago does it big with deep, filling pan pies.
Today I’ll tell you about some of the most well-known kinds. New York, Chicago, California – they’ve all got their own special taste that people love.
1. New York-Style Pizza
New York pizza is one of the most well-known styles. It came from Italians who moved there long ago.
It’s known for huge slices that are thin on the edges but soft in the middle. This lets you easily fold each slice in half to eat.
The dough is tossed by hand into a perfect blend of chewy and crispy. It usually has tomato sauce and shredded cheese on top.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| High-gluten bread flour | 4 cups |
| Warm water | 1 1/2 cups |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Tomato sauce | As needed |
| Shredded mozzarella cheese | As needed |
2. Chicago-Style Pizza
Chicago is famous for its deep-dish pizza – what a thick, filling pie that is!
Instead of a flatbread crust, it’s got more of a pie crust that’s 1 to 2 inches tall. They load it up with layers of cheese, meats, veggies – whatever you like.
The sauce goes on top of all that too, with more cheese keeping it all together. No way you’ll leave still feeling hungry!
Some places do a “stuffed” version too. It’s got a second thin dough layer over the toppings before more sauce.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 4 cups |
| Cornmeal | 1/3 cup |
| Warm water | 1 1/2 cups |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 1/4 cup |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Shredded mozzarella cheese | 4 cups |
| Tomato sauce | 3 cups |
| Toppings (sausage, pepperoni, vegetables) | As needed |
3. New Haven-Style Pizza
New Haven pizza, also called “apizza,” is like NYC pizza but with its own special flair.
The crust is thinner and crispier than New York, getting perfectly charred in coal ovens. It’s often shaped differently too – more long than round.
The dough is chewy but that edge is super crispy. Toppings sometimes go all the way out to the very end.
One famous kind is the white clam pie. Instead of tomato sauce, it has fresh clams, garlic, and olive oil. Talk about unique and savory!
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Fresh clams | 1 cup |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves |
| Mozzarella cheese | 2 cups |
| Grated Romano cheese | 1/2 cup |
4. Detroit-Style Pizza
What sets it apart is its square shape and thick crust that’s crispy on the bottom but soft inside.
They bake it special in a rectangular pan, sometimes twice, so that the dough gets just right. The end result is airy, chewy perfection.
Also, the cheese goes all the way out to the very edge of the pan and gets all caramelized and delicious. No wonder people go nuts for Detroit style!
Another cool thing – the sauce goes on top of the cheese, not under it like most pizzas.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Shredded mozzarella cheese | 3 cups |
| Tomato sauce | 2 cups |
| Pepperoni slices | As needed |
5. Quad Cities-Style Pizza
Quad Cities pizza from Iowa and Illinois has its own taste all thanks to the special dough. It’s got a nutty flavor from adding malt and molasses.
The sauce packs more heat too, with chili flakes and cayenne giving it a kick. And instead of normal wedge slices, they cut it longways into strips.
The secret is perfecting that malt and molasses crust – once you nail that down, you’ll be ready to try this one.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp |
| Malt powder | 1 tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Spicy tomato sauce | 2 cups |
| Shredded mozzarella cheese | 3 cups |
| Sausage, fennel | As needed |
6. Sicilian-Style Pizza
Sicilian pizza is another unique style you gotta try. Like they do in Sicily, it’s got a thick, square crust that’s crispy on the bottom.
The dough has a real spongy texture that soaks up flavors from whatever you put on top. In America, they usually do the sauce over the cheese instead of under for extra richness.
It reminds me of how they do it back in Sicily, showing where the roots of this pizza come from.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 4 cups |
| Warm water | 1 1/2 cups |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 3 tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Tomato sauce | 3 cups |
| Shredded mozzarella cheese | 4 cups |
| Onions, anchovies, herbs | As needed |
7. Neapolitan-Style Pizza
The toppings are simple but top-notch – San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. That’s how you get those flavors bright and clear.
The dough is made by hand, stretched thin, and cooked fast in a very hot hot oven. Faster cooking is what gives it that signature charred taste.
When you want the gold standard of pizza, Neapolitan is it.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| “00” flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Dry yeast | 1/2 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| San Marzano tomatoes | 2 cups |
| Fresh mozzarella cheese | 8 oz |
| Fresh basil leaves | As needed |
| Olive oil | Drizzle |
8. Grandma-Style Pizza
Grandma Pizza comes from Long Island, New York. It’s got a shape all its own – a rectangle like Sicilian but a crust thickness.
The dough goes into the pan not quite as thick as Sicilian but thicker than your standard New York slice. And it doesn’t rise as long either, which gives it a texture all its own.
That crust is both crispy and chewy – the perfect base for any toppings you love. And people go crazy for its homemade, down-home style.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Tomato sauce | 2 cups |
| Shredded mozzarella cheese | 3 cups |
| Optional toppings (peppers, onions, sausage) | As needed |
9. St. Louis-Style Pizza
Instead of regular ol’ mozzarella, they use a special Provel cheese made from provolone, Swiss, and cheddar. No wonder it tastes so darn good!
The sauce has just a touch of sweetness too. And instead of wedge slices, it gets cut into squares which is super fun.
I’ll bet that crunchy-cheesy combo gets your attention. It’s probably healthier than most of the other options.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups |
| Baking powder | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Water | 3/4 cup |
| Provel cheese blend | 2 cups |
| Tomato sauce | 1 1/2 cups |
| Toppings (bacon strips, vegetables) | As needed |
10. California-Style Pizza
The chefs out there like to experiment with all kinds of unique ingredients, showing off the diverse foods in their state.
The crust is tossed by hand till it’s chewy – the perfect base to showcase whatever cool toppings they dream up. I’m talking smoked salmon, Peking duck, goat cheese, arugula – things you’d never see on a normal pie!
It shows how California loves using fresh, local foods and putting its own spin on dishes.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Dry yeast | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
| Unique toppings (smoked salmon, goat cheese) | As needed |
The Bottom Line
America sure does pizza right with all the awesome regional styles we’ve got coast to coast. From thin foldable New York slices to deep dish Chicago pans and California’s creative toppings – each one shows where it came from.
So don’t just stick to one kind – go out and explore all the tasty textures and flavors across America. You never know when you’ll find a new favorite.
