Give Pizza A Tangy Twist With A Creamy Cheese Swap

If you're a fan of pizza, chances are you are also quite fond of cheese. A layer of gooey, melty cheese that pulls when you lift a slice from the rest of the pie is one of the most satisfying things about pizza. While mozzarella is the most popular type used on pizzas and is the star of the margherita pizza (which is different from a regular cheese pie), many successful pizza-making experiments that use different cheeses have emerged as successful over the years. Parmesan, provolone, and even cheddar have all ended up on pizzas, but if you're looking for something unique yet equally delicious as the other varieties, try adding goat cheese as a topping.

Mozzarella has reigned supreme over the pizza world due to its meltability, a feature it owes to its high water content. Goat cheese, on the other hand, is not considered a good melting cheese. It softens when exposed to high heat, but still tends to retain its shape instead of melting into a smooth and gooey consistency. Like feta added to a sheet pan meal, tangy goat cheese baked on a pizza develops a creamy interior and a slightly caramelized exterior that pairs beautifully with a variety of other toppings. And if you can't bear the thought of pizza without perfectly melted mozzarella, you can still add a layer of it as your primary cheese, then simply sprinkle on goat cheese crumbles as a tasty addition.

If you're bored with a plain pepperoni pizza, get creative and try to make a pie with unexpected toppings that are actually delicious. Goat cheese gives you the opportunity to do just that. It has a creamy texture, tastes tangy, and can really shine with both sweet and savory toppings, so you can build a unique but balanced pie. The tartness of the cheese and sweetness from ingredients like caramelized onions, honey, or fig jam amplify each other's flavor profiles. You could even use hot honey or add some red pepper flakes for a kick of heat. Adding a salty ingredient like prosciutto, plus something fresh and herbal, such as arugula or basil, will result in a balanced and sophisticated pizza.

If you're not a fan of sweet flavors on pizza (we know pineapple on pizza is very controversial), you're in luck, because goat cheese mingles well with many savory topping options, too. For a vegetarian option that still feels filling, pair it with some chanterelle or shiitake mushrooms. The umami flavor and meaty texture of the mushrooms will nicely complement the tanginess and creaminess of the goat cheese. Adding some red peppers will introduce a subtle sweetness that isn't overpowering. Some fresh chopped thyme will bring herbal notes to really round everything out. 

The options for goat cheese on pizza don't end there though. There are a variety of ingredients ranging from sweet to savory to spicy worth adding to a goat cheese pizza for a meal that will make your taste buds sing.