The best cheeses for homemade pizza — the top cheeses and blends for making great pizza at home, and how to use each for the perfect pie.
Making pizza at home means choosing your own cheese — and the right choice makes all the difference. Here's a guide to the best cheeses for homemade pizza and how to use them.
Choosing Cheese for Your Home Pizza
When you make pizza at home, you control the cheese, so choosing well is key to a great pie. The best pizza cheese melts and stretches beautifully, browns nicely, and tastes good without overpowering toppings. While mozzarella is the classic, the best home pizzas often use a blend or specific cheeses for different styles. Here's a guide to the best cheeses for homemade pizza, covering the essential mozzarella and the additions that take your homemade pizza to the next level.
Mozzarella: The Essential Base
Mozzarella is the essential pizza cheese for home cooks. For most homemade pizzas, low-moisture mozzarella is best — it melts into the classic stretchy, gooey layer and browns well without releasing too much water (which would make the pizza soggy). Grate it yourself from a block for the best melt. For Neapolitan-style home pizza, fresh mozzarella gives creamy pools, but drain and slice it (and use sparingly) to avoid sogginess. So mozzarella — low-moisture for most pizzas, fresh for Neapolitan-style (drained) — is the base of great homemade pizza. Start with good mozzarella for the classic melt and stretch.
Adding Provolone for Flavor
A great home-pizza tip is to blend in provolone with the mozzarella. Provolone melts well and adds a sharper, more savory, tangier flavor that mozzarella lacks, giving your pizza more depth. A blend of mostly low-moisture mozzarella with some provolone is a common pizzeria technique you can use at home for a more flavorful pie. So add provolone to your mozzarella for extra flavor — an easy upgrade for homemade pizza. This blend gives both the classic melt (mozzarella) and more savory flavor (provolone), elevating your home pizza.
Hard Cheeses for Savory Depth
For savory depth, add a hard grating cheese. A sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano — in the cheese blend or over the top before or after baking — adds salty, savory, umami flavor that elevates a homemade pizza. These don't provide melt, but they boost flavor. A dusting of Parmesan over a finished pizza is a simple, effective upgrade. So include a little hard grating cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino) for savory depth on your home pizza. This finishing touch adds complexity and a professional flavor boost to your homemade pie.
Cheeses for Special Pizzas
For special homemade pizzas, other cheeses shine. Smoked scamorza adds smoky flavor. Fontina and Gruyère melt luxuriously on gourmet pizzas. Gorgonzola or other blues bring bold flavor (great on a four-cheese pizza). Ricotta dolloped on top adds creamy pockets. Goat cheese pairs beautifully with vegetables. A quattro formaggi (four-cheese) home pizza might combine mozzarella with gorgonzola, fontina, and Parmesan. So for special pizzas, add cheeses like scamorza, fontina, blue, ricotta, or goat cheese for variety. These let you make gourmet and specialty pizzas at home beyond the classic.
Building the Best Home Pizza Cheese
For the best homemade pizza: base it on low-moisture mozzarella (grated fresh) for melt and stretch; add provolone for flavor; sprinkle a little Parmesan for savory depth; and use special cheeses (scamorza, fontina, blue, ricotta, goat) for particular pizzas. Don't overload the cheese (too much makes it greasy and soggy) — aim for an even, moderate layer. Grate your own (not pre-shredded) for the best melt. So build your home pizza cheese on mozzarella, blended with provolone and a little Parmesan, with special cheeses as desired. With the right cheese, your homemade pizza will rival the pizzeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best cheese for homemade pizza?
Low-moisture mozzarella (grated fresh) is the essential base for melt and stretch, often blended with provolone for flavor and a little Parmesan for savory depth. Fresh mozzarella (drained) suits Neapolitan-style.
Should I use fresh or low-moisture mozzarella for home pizza?
Low-moisture mozzarella for most home pizzas (melts and browns well without sogginess); fresh mozzarella for Neapolitan-style, but drain, slice, and use it sparingly to avoid a watery pizza.
How do I add more flavor to homemade pizza cheese?
Blend provolone with the mozzarella for savory flavor, sprinkle a little Parmesan or Pecorino for umami depth, and use special cheeses (scamorza, fontina, blue, ricotta) for particular pizzas.