Popular Seasons And Herbs To Add To Pizza
Pizza is the perfect canvas for you to get creative. It lets you add various herbs and seasonings, along with your favorite toppings, to transform your pie into something truly flavorful.
While sauce and cheese serve as the foundation for building flavors, it’s the aromatic finishing touches, such as fresh basil or red pepper flakes, that give your pizza its signature flavor.
Understanding how herbs and seasons work together can level up your pizza creativity.
Why Seasons And Herbs Make A Difference On Pizza
When creating a pizza, many people rely on toppings to build flavor. They don’t consider the explosion they could achieve by tapping into a variety of seasonings and herbs.
Italian pizza makers have used these flavor enhancements for generations. They build upon the foundation and add new aromatic layers that you smell long before you sink your teeth into the first bite.
Most Popular Pizza Herbs
Choosing which herbs to add to your pizza comes down to personal preferences. Each one adds something different. While you are free to experiment with any herb, classic ones have stood the test of time, including:
- Basil: Fresh basil adds a slightly peppery, sweet flavor to your pizza. It’s best to add fresh basil after baking the pizza.
- Oregano: Dried oregano is one of the top pizza seasonings. It adds a slightly bitter, robust, and earthy flavor that pairs well with tomato-based sauces. It also withstands heat, so it is perfect to sprinkle on before baking.
- Thyme: You can use fresh or dried thyme on your pizza. It pairs well with cheese and veggies, enhancing their flavors. It has a faint lemony and gentle earthiness.
- Rosemary: To enhance the flavor of flatbreads, white pizzas, or focaccia-style crusts, add some fresh or dry rosemary. The pine-like, woodsy flavor enhances the taste of the dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings. It should be added before baking.
Best Seasonings To Enhance Flavor
Herbs enhance the aroma and add a layer of freshness to your pizza. However, the best pizza seasonings are what you need to add depth and enhance your pie’s flavor.
There are endless options of seasonings to choose from, with these being among the most popular:
- Garlic: Fresh, roasted, rubbed on, or dry powder; garlic is one of the top flavor enhancers, hands down. It complements the sauce and every topping you could imagine. You can even level up the flavor of your crust by brushing it with garlic-infused olive oil before baking.
- Garlic butter: A perfect finishing option to brush on the crust or serve on the side as a crust dunker. It also pairs well with stuffed crust and breadsticks.
- Red pepper flakes: When you want to add gradual heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes. You can sprinkle them onto the sauce before baking or add them to the top of your pie afterward.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan is an essential seasoning to add a nutty, sharp, salty flavor to enhance your pizza. It works with any toppings.
- Smoked paprika: Add some smokiness to BBQ-style pizzas by sprinkling on some smoked paprika before or after baking.
How To Pair Herbs And Seasonings With Different Toppings
The right pairings of herbs and seasonings for pizza depend on what you like and don’t like.
Some different options to try to get you started include:
- Meats: Dried oregano, parmesan, red pepper flakes
- Cheese and Margherita pizzas: Fresh basil
- White sauce or chicken pizzas: Garlic, oregano, basil, thyme
- Veggies: Thyme, rosemary, parmesan
- Any pizza: Garlic butter, garlic-infused olive oil
Tips For Customizing Your Pizza At Napoli Pizza
At Napoli Pizza, we are here to help you customize your pizza and enhance its flavors with various herbs and seasonings, using these great tips:
- Consider the sauce and which herbs and seasonings work well.
- Balance toppings with the seasoning and herbs you select.
- Try a garlic butter crust.
- Finish with Parmesan.
- Ask for suggestions.
The best pizza is the one with the right balance of flavors, toppings, herbs, and seasonings. Our staff is always happy to help you explore new combinations. Order the best pizza in Vegas today. We also offer catering and party packages for celebrations and events of all sizes.
