Thin, foldable crust with tangy sauce and bubbly mozzarella
New York Style Pizza
Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
1 hr 42 min
Servings
8
2 large pizzas
Difficulty
Medium
Cost
Budget
$
New York Style Pizza
Thin, foldable crust with tangy sauce and bubbly mozzarella
★4.6(7)
A large, thin-crust pizza with a crispy yet foldable crust, tangy tomato sauce, and perfectly bubbly mozzarella. The pizza that defines a city.
90m
Prep Time
12m
Cook Time
102m
Total Time
8
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
Budget $
Cost
Sarah Chen
(Updated )
New York pizza is all about the fold—a thin, wide slice with a crisp bottom that's sturdy enough to fold in half. High-gluten bread flour and a hot oven are the keys.
This is the kind of recipe that defines American home cooking at its best — straightforward, satisfying, and built on flavors that everyone loves.
This recipe represents the best of American home cooking — unpretentious, generous, and built to satisfy. New York Style Pizza is the kind of dish that brings people to the table and keeps them coming back for seconds. It draws on the diverse culinary traditions that have shaped American food culture, combining familiar flavors with techniques that produce consistently excellent results.
The key to nailing this dish is proper heat management and timing. Start with your protein at room temperature, season generously at every stage, and resist the urge to rush. Let each component develop its flavor fully before moving to the next step — patience here pays off enormously in the final result.
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups bread flour
- 1.25 cups warm water
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 1 cup pizza sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Combine bread flour, yeast, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, olive oil, and warm water. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 2
Divide dough in half, form into tight balls, and let rise covered for 1 hour (or cold-ferment in the fridge 24-72 hours).
- 3
Preheat oven to 500°F with a baking steel or inverted sheet pan on the lowest rack.
- 4
Stretch each dough ball into a 16-inch round. Spread thin sauce and top with mozzarella.
- 5
Slide onto the hot steel/pan and bake 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly with brown spots.
Serving Suggestions
Ways to Serve This Dish
Serve with classic coleslaw and cornbread on the side
Pair with fresh-cut fries or roasted potato wedges
Substitutions
Bread flourAll-purpose flour (slightly less chewy result)
Add 1 tbsp vital wheat gluten to boost chewiness
Low-moisture mozzarellaFresh mozzarella (pat very dry)
Fresh mozz is wetter and gives a different texture
Tips & Storage
Pro Tips
Cold-fermenting the dough for 24-72 hours develops far more flavor than a room-temperature rise.
A baking steel produces the crispiest bottom—it conducts heat better than a stone.
Let the protein rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute for maximum tenderness.
Season each component individually rather than seasoning at the end — this builds deeper, more complex flavor throughout.
Storage
Wrap leftover slices individually and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a lid for 3-4 minutes for a perfectly crispy bottom.
Recipe Notes from Our Kitchen
Editor's Note
Editor's note: Do not skip the resting step at the end. It makes a bigger difference than any single ingredient in the recipe. Five minutes of patience pays off in juiciness and flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (30mg) · 8 servings
Calories380
LowModerateHigh
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Protein16g
Carbohydrates12g
Fat50g
Fiber580mg
Sugar2g
Sodium4g
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes it "New York style"?
- Thin, wide, foldable crust with a crispy bottom—typically sold by the huge slice.
- Do I need a pizza peel?
- A peel helps, but you can build the pizza on parchment and slide the parchment onto the hot surface.
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- Yes — prepare up to the final cooking step, refrigerate, then finish cooking when ready to serve. Most dishes actually benefit from a rest in the fridge as the flavors have time to meld.
- How do I know when it is done?
- The most reliable method is an instant-read thermometer. For chicken, look for 165°F internal. For beef, 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium. For pork, 145°F. Visual cues include clear juices and firm-to-the-touch texture.
About Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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