Pizza Oil: What It Is, And How It's Different From Olive Oil

There's a vast world of oils out there — and no two are created exactly alike. Should you choose a premium, robust EVOO or save your money on premium oils when cheaper ones will do? And is cooking your veggies in EVOO or vegetable oil the better route? There's a lot to consider when standing in the oil aisle. One more distinction to make is that of pizza oil versus olive oil — and more importantly, how it can level up your pizza nights.

A bottle (or two) of olive oil is a staple no kitchen is complete without. A true workhorse, EVOO is just as good glugged onto pasta as it is drizzled into a pan for sautéing, or blended into an herby, homemade dip for dunking bread. It's also great in, and on top of, pizza — as in, mixed into the dough or used to dress the finished pie. 

In the ever-evolving quest to master perfect at-home pizza making, pizza oil is the condiment you need to know to bring a whole new level of flavor to your 'za. Lest you think you need to purchase yet another type of oil, pizza oil is simply gussied up olive oil, made by spiking regular oil (this is the time to bust out the good quality stuff for the boldest flavor) with assorted herbs; anything from oregano, basil, thyme, and garlic, to cayenne pepper, truffles, honey, or chilis. The sky's the limit, so steer this flavor train wherever your taste buds lead you.

Pizza oil isn't as common a staple as other types of oil, but if you're serious about your pizza game, it's worth keeping a bottle on hand. Just a quick drizzle can radically upgrade both homemade and store-bought pizzas. Plus, it's just one of the budget-friendly hacks for elevating frozen pizza from the store.

You can find a few brands of store-bought pizza oils ready for purchase, which also make great gifts for the pizza-loving foodie in your life. But if you'd rather make your own from ingredients you already have on hand, it only takes a few minutes. 

When it's pizza night, you can quickly whip up a small batch of pizza oil (just enough for one pie) by pouring a small amount of olive oil into a saucepan, adding spices and herbs to your liking, and heating it up. You'll want to bring the mixture a boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for several minutes. Once it's cooled, it's ready to use. You can also make your own DIY bottle by repeating the same process and just using more of everything. Stash your seasoned oil in a bottle once it's cooled and keep it in the pantry so you always have it on hand. Apply a splash of the oil to a hot slice of pizza right out of the oven, and enjoy the oodles of rich, herbaceous flavor you instantly added to your pie.