Why Too Many Toppings Will Ruin Your Thin Crust Pizza

When you're craving pizza, you generally have two options: You can stop by your local pizza shop, or make one yourself at home. If you want a specific kind of pizza and can't find it — or can't bring yourself to either leave the house or pay the excessive delivery app fees — then maybe going the homemade route is your best bet. It's perfect for bonding with friends, family, or just yourself by turning the idea into a fun and wholesome way to spend the night (made even better when you have the right sauce). Whether you're staying in or ordering that pizza out, just make sure that if you're a thin-crust person, you're not loading the pizza pie with too many toppings. Otherwise, you'll be left with soggy dough.

When most people picture the perfect pizza, it's a fluffy crust with a perfectly crispy bottom. As the dough cooks, it rises and crisps, but it needs to be able to do that adequately. When there are too many toppings on the pizza, the dough gets weighed down, and it can't properly cook under the weight of so many elements. Plus, some popular vegetable toppings, like mushrooms, release plenty of water as they cook, adding to the risk of sogginess. When it comes to thin-crust pizza (even the store-bought frozen kind), being judicious about your toppings is the key to thin-crust success.

Thing crust pizza can only hold a little bit of weight, so while you can still use different delicious toppings, the best rule of thumb is to stop at three ingredients (not including herbs) when decorating your dough. You'll also want to go light on watery veggies, which create steam in the oven, soaking the crust. To avoid this, you can opt to just order one or two vegetables on your pizza, or if you're cooking at home, heat the veggies in a pan for a bit before adding them. This will help release some of that moisture ahead of time.

If you're making your own pie, keep the sauce in mind, too. Tomatoes are full of water, so while it's tempting to add generous spoonfuls of sauce to your pizza, the fruit's bright, acidic flavors will shine through with just a little bit. Only use enough sauce to spread a thin layer around the dough, otherwise, your homemade thin-crust slices will flop.

Finally, there is a quick workaround if you're at home and determined to add more toppings. Shape the dough as usual, then brush it with a little olive oil, and bake it for a few minutes just until it starts to set. Then, remove it from the oven, add the toppings, and let it finish cooking. This will stabilize the crust enough to hold more weight, though you should still be mindful of how many ingredients you're using.