New York-Style White Pizza Recipe

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Calling all cheese lovers — we've got a recipe for you! Pizza with tomato sauce is good that we'd even go so far as to say that it's one of our dietary food groups with how frequently it makes it onto our table. However, have you tried white pizza? This style of pie is typically devoid of red sauce and is loaded with a variety of cheeses. Think of it as an elevated cheesy bread (yes, that thought has us drooling as well.

Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this recipe for a New York-style white pizza. The crust is nice and thin but not too thin. You'll be glad to know it can easily be folded in half when eaten, as that's a typical N.Y. practice! This version is loaded with three types of cheese — ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan — and has a bit of heat from a sprinkling of red chili flakes. For your next pizza night, learn how to make white pizza for a bit of variety. We have a feeling you'll love it.

To make this New York-style white pizza, start by gathering the ingredients. You will need refrigerated pizza dough (or whip up this quick no-knead pizza dough recipe if you've got extra time), olive oil, whole milk ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, shaved Parmesan cheese, and red chili flakes.

Start by preheating the oven to 500 F and spraying a pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Since the dough has been refrigerated, give it some time to come to room temperature. This can take between 30 minutes and 1 hour on the kitchen countertop. Once it reaches ambient temperature, you will find that it's much easier to stretch. Place the dough on your pizza pan and stretch it out to fit the dimensions.

Once you've stretched the dough, you can start adding the toppings. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top, then dollop the ricotta cheese over the surface of the pizza. Using the back of a spoon, spread it evenly. Then, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and shaved Parmesan over the pizza. This pizza has loads of cheese, which makes it super decadent — you're welcome.

Next, drizzle the remaining olive oil on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the red chili flakes over the pizza for a bit of heat. 

Bake the pie for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Once the time is up and the cheese is nice and golden, remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

• Garlic Bread Recipe
• Refreshing Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
• Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings
• Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe

Pizza is endlessly customizable — that's a large part of its appeal. This recipe is about as simple and classic as it gets, and your easiest upgrades come via topping additions. The heap of cheese and bread would love some brightness, and fresh parsley, wilted spinach, or a splash of lemon juice could bring this without overwhelming the delicate sauce. For a touch of savoriness, sprinkle on some sauteed mushrooms or garlic before baking.

Once you've mastered the thin, raised-edge New York–style crust that we use in this recipe, you can move on from the white pizza and make a red sauce variation. Atop the herby sauce, you only need a healthy portion of shredded mozzarella. The typical pizza meats — pepperoni and sausage, especially — are acceptable additions here. A hallmark of both the white and red styles, though, is their simplicity, so avoid overloading your pie if you want to keep the New York pizza police off your tail.

• Roasted Garlic White Pizza Sauce Recipe
• Quick Thin-Crust Pizza Dough Recipe
• Easy Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
• Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe
• Andouille Po-Boy French Bread Pizza Recipe