When making homemade pizza, it isn’t that uncommon for some of the toppings to fall off, but is this something you just have to accept, or can it be avoided?
To stop pizza toppings from sliding off keep the pizza level on the baking tray, let the pizza cool for 2-3 minutes before breaking it apart, add a little extra cheese to your pizza to act like a glue and add a splash of olive oil to the base.
This article will explore 7 easy tips to keep pizza toppings from sliding off that you can try at home.
Here are some easy tips to keep pizza topping from sliding off:
1. Keep the Pizza Level
If you use an older baking sheet, it might not be very level or even, and this can cause the pizza toppings to fall off while it’s in the oven cooking.
The more level the baking pan and the pizza are, the less likely the toppings are to fall off at some point.
2. Let Your Pizza Cool Before Eating It
Once the pizza is removed from the oven, you can let it sit for a while in order for the soft cheese (usually mozzarella) to “set.”
There is no hard-and-fast rule for how long this will take but aim for around 10 minutes to start with. The more the cheese sets, the better the pizza holds the toppings in place until you’re ready to eat it.
3. Add a Little Extra Cheese to Your Pizza
If you place your cheese below your toppings, they will cause those toppings to stay in place a lot better.
When the pizza is in the oven cooking, the toppings will sink into the cheese and “stick” a little better, causing them to do a much better job of staying in place.
4. Add a Bit of Extra Sauce
Another tip for keeping your toppings from falling off the pizza is to put a very thin layer of sauce on top of the pizza before placing it in the oven to bake.
This gives the toppings a little extra “glue” so the odds of falling off the pizza are lessened.
5. Make Sure the Toppings Are Small
You can get into the habit of cutting up your toppings into much smaller pieces, and for even better results, put the chopped-up toppings into the pizza sauce.
Small topping pieces, especially meat and vegetables are less likely to slide off of your pizza.
6. Add Olive Oil to the Pizza Dough
Before you place the sauce on your dough, spread a little olive oil on it first. Once you put the pizza in the oven, the heat causes the olive oil to create a vapor, which can actually protect your toppings and keep them on the pizza.
You can also use avocado oil if you’ll be setting the oven higher than 425-450 degrees Fahrenheit. Olive oil’s smoke point isn’t that high, so use avocado oil for extra-high temperatures.
7. Avoid Adding Too Much Cheese
We all agree that the cheese is the best part of the pizza, but if you load too much cheese, everything could start to fall off – including the toppings.
If the cheese starts to fall off, everything else is certain to follow, so be careful when you’re putting soft cheeses on your pizza.
Should You Cook Veggies Before Putting Them on Pizza?
You do not have to cook veggies before placing them on the pizza. If you cut vegetables thin enough they will cook through while the base is cooking and the cheese is melting.
It is beneficial to precook hard vegetables before putting them on the pizza. This will make sure that they are soft by the time your pizza comes out of the oven.
Vegetables such as broccoli, squash, pumpkin, and even potatoes need to be pre-cooked or cooked nearly all the way before you put them on your pizza.
Most pizza bases and cheese will take anywhere from 2 minutes in a hot, wood fired oven to 15 minutes in a fan-forced indoor oven.
If these tough-to-cook veggies are raw when you put them on your pizza, they simply won’t be done once you take it out of the oven. With these veggies at least, you should pre-cook them before cooking them on your pizza.
Should Cheese Be on the Top or Bottom of Pizza?
According to most experts, the cheese on your pizza should go on the pizza after the sauce and before the toppings.
If you put all of the pizza ingredients in a different order, the taste and texture of the pizza could all mix together and you will lose the flavor of the ingredients.
The order of topping is so important – you don’t want some cooking faster than others and messing up the taste or texture of the pie.
For more on the best order for pizza toppings, check out my previous article here: What Order Do You Put Toppings on Pizza? | 7 Easy Steps to the Perfect Pizza
Should You Cut Pizza Right Away?
You shouldn’t cut the pizza right away because the cheese is simply too gooey.
Wait two to three minutes and then start cutting the pizza. The cheese will be partially set and it will be easier to cut.
Use a sharp pizza cutter to do the job right. After two to three minutes the pizza will be perfect to cut, which means it won’t be too hot or too cool. After this time it should cut perfectly and evenly.
How to Keep Pizza Toppings from Sliding Off | Summary
Pizza with tons of meat and veggies is absolutely delicious, but if you’re making homemade pizza you might notice the toppings start to slide off of the pie, which is no fun.
There are several suggestions for making sure this doesn’t happen, and at least one of them is bound to work for you. Keep in mind that there are good reasons for each of these suggestions, so giving these tips a try is a smart thing to do.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.