The Complete List of Words to Describe Pizza that Will Make You a Food Critic

By: the PROs

The Complete List of Words to Describe Pizza that Will Make You a Food Critic

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Words to Describe Pizza

Are you in search of words to describe pizza? 

Creating a pizza description seems like a relatively simple thing to do. You’re good to go by listing all the ingredients and toppings.  

Well, not quite!

Writing the perfect pizza description is an art; it takes a lot of effort to write those descriptions right. 

So to help you out, here’s a list of all words to describe pizza that we could think of to help you write a perfect pizza description.

Let’s check them out!

How to Write a Pizza Description

Create a pizza description so that it leaves them salivating and wanting more. An ideal pizza description is a short one that explains the pizza dish and, ultimately, makes the reader want to ask for it.

Avoid long, incomprehensible food descriptions that confuse the reader about the dish. 

Use terms to describe the color of toppings, pizza crust, pizza texture, sauces, cheese, the smell of cheese, especially when using blue-veined cheese, and the dough structure, and if you want to upscale your pizza description, we’ll show you how to describe pizza in a fancy way. 

Whether you’re a pizza connoisseur or just someone who loves a good slice, this video will satisfy your craving for all things pizza.

So grab a slice and join us as we explore the tasty world of pizza vocabulary.

When choosing words to describe pizza, you must include descriptive terms for:

  • Pizza Dough 
  • General Appearance
  • Smell
  • Crust
  • Sauce
  • Cheese
  • Texture
  • Garnishes and Finishes

For details on correctly writing a pizza description, check our article 7 Steps on How to Describe Pizza.

Let us explore words to use when addressing the above pizza aspects.

Words to Describe Pizza

Describing pizza and the general appearance of a pizza, write the color of the toppings used, the size of the pizza, the state of the pizza as it comes off the grill, the size of the pizza, and the cooking method. For example:

  • Stone-oven fresh-baked pizza describes the appearance as fresh and the cooking method. 
  • Mini pizza shows that it has a small general appearance. 
  • Hot pizza tells you that it is sizzling hot. 
  • Colorful pizza often describes the toppings used. 

For instance, a Sicilian pizza is described as bright since its toppings include tomatoes, purple onions, anchovies, and herbs, which are colorful. 

Soggy pizza represents one with too many toppings or a pizza whose toppings may not have been pre-cooked, resulting in excess moisture. 

Ingredients contribute to the general appearance, such as the Hawaiian pizza, which is easily identified due to the pineapple toppings. 

The Sicilian pizza, for instance, is described as a square cut since it appears in square cuttings and not the traditional triangle ones. 

Similarly, the St.Louis pizza slices are called ‘party’ or ‘tavern’ cuts since they are sliced in 3 or 4 inc rectangular shapes.

Here’s a comprehensive word list and a list of adjectives commonly used to use to describe pizza.

Pizza Adjectives

List of Words to Describe Pizza - Infographic
Words to Describe Pizza

Words to Describe Pizza Dough

The description of pizza dough ranges from its consistency to its texture. The smooth dough is used when a lumpy mass gradually smoothness to form a slightly tacky surface to touch. 

Pizza dough is soft textured and foldable when made using flour with about 13 to 14% protein content and roughly 2 % oil in the dough mixture. 

Well-kneaded pizza does not stick on the fingers during kneading but has a velvety smoothness and is impossibly stretchy. 

Stiff pizza dough is incredibly silky since the gluten content strengthens, making it hard and hard to stretch. 

Other forms of pizza dough include sourdough and gluten-free pizza dough.

Types of pizza dough for a freshly baked cooked pizza include:

  •  New York Style Dough

It is made with all-purpose bread flour and brown sugar to caramelize the base, thus giving it a distinct texture.

  • Neapolitan Style Dough

Pizza made using this style has its dough subjected to scorching temperatures for an easy stretch out and a nice charred bottom. Its texture allows it to absorb more water than other crusts without getting soggy.

Here’s a list of words to describe pizza dough.

List of Words to Describe Pizza Dough

  • Baked
  • Big
  • Bready
  • Chilled
  • Elastic
  • Enough
  • Excess
  • Extra
  • Fermented
  • Firm
  • Form
  • Fresh
  • Fried
  • Frozen
  • Good
  • Leavened
  • Leftover
  • Little
  • More
  • Much
  • Out
  • Own
  • Raw
  • Roll
  • Rolled
  • Same
  • Shape
  • Smooth
  • Soft
  • Sour
  • Sticky
  • Stiff
  • Sweet
  • Thick
  • Thin
  • Turn
  • Unbaked
  • Uncooked
  • Unleavened
  • Wet

Words to Describe Pizza Crust

The pizza crust is the hardened exterior surface that is the foundation of the pizza. 

A pizza crust can be cheese-stuffed, wheat-thin crust, especially on light, healthier pizza options. 

Or it can also be raised-edge thick-crusted pizza like the one on a Chicago pizza, crispy out crust as seen in the New York Style, a crunchy crust characteristic of the Sicilian pizza. 

Other words to describe the crust are homemade, thick, and chewy, such as a Greek-style pizza, thick extra crispy crust featured on the Detroit Pizza, and cracker-like thin crust as seen on the St.Louis pizza. 

Pizza crusts can also be a thin medium crust, charred crust as seen on the New Haven pizza, and a sweet thin crust where ingredients such as malt and molasses are used in the dough.

The vegan-friendly pizza crust is featured on specific variations of the Neapolitan pizza since it contains no animal by-products. 

Here’s a list of words to describe pizza crust.

List of Words to Describe Pizza Crust

  • Aromatic
  • Awesome
  • Baked
  • Bitter
  • Bland
  • Blended
  • Brown
  • Browned
  • Bubbly
  • Burning
  • Burnt
  • Bursting
  • Buttered
  • Charred
  • Cheesy
  • Chewy
  • Chilled
  • Classic
  • Classical
  • Classy
  • Cold
  • Crafted
  • Crispy
  • Crumbly
  • Crunchy
  • Crust
  • Crusty
  • Delectable
  • Delicious
  • Delight
  • Delightful
  • Dense
  • Distinctive
  • Doughy
  • Dredged
  • Drenched
  • Dressed
  • Dripping
  • Drizzled
  • Dry
  • Dull
  • Dusted
  • Earthy
  • Eatable
  • Edible
  • Elastic
  • Enjoyable
  • Excellent
  • Fermented
  • Flakey
  • Flaky
  • Flavored
  • Flavorful
  • Flavorless
  • Flavorsome
  • Fluffy
  • Folded
  • Foul
  • Fresh
  • Freshly
  • Garlicky
  • Gourmet
  • Hearty
  • Heavenly
  • Heavy
  • Impressive
  • Indigestible
  • Jumbo
  • Kick
  • Kneaded
  • Kosher
  • Laced
  • Laden
  • Laiche
  • Large
  • Layered
  • Lean
  • Least
  • Leathery
  • Lumpy
  • Lusty
  • Malted
  • Mediocre
  • Moist
  • Moldy
  • Mouth-Watering
  • Mushy
  • Neapolitan
  • Organic
  • Peppery
  • Perfection
  • Perfumed
  • Perishable
  • Refrigerated
  • Rich
  • Robust
  • Rolled
  • Rotten
  • Rubbery
  • Salted
  • Salty
  • Savory
  • Slippery
  • Slivered
  • Sticky
  • Stiff
  • Sweetened
  • Syrupy
  • Tasteful
  • Tasteless
  • Tasty
  • Texture
  • Thick
  • Thin
  • Tough
  • Traditional
  • Unflavored
  • Unsavory
  • Unseasoned
  • Vegetarian
  • Warm
  • Watery
  • Well Done
  • Wet
  • Whole
  • Yummy

Words to Describe Pizza Smell

The aroma of a fresh slice of pizza is appealing and results in nose drools! 

It derives its smell from the combination of ingredients used; some are more prominent than others. 

A spicy pizza has an appetizing, aromatic, distinctive smell, primarily when oregano is used, and a fiery smell where the toppings are lots of chili flakes. 

A fragrant, cheesy aroma is achieved after immediately removing the pizza from the grill. 

Warm sensuous, and exotic, sultry smells are present where ingredients are exotic and tantalizing to taste. 

Pizza cooked in a traditional oven tends to have a smoky scent, while pizza topped with fruits and herbs such as sultanas, thyme leaves, rosemary, basil, and the like tends to adopt a minty or fruity smell.

Pizzas adopt most of their smell from the type of cheese used to make them. Blue veined cheeses such as English Stilton, French Roquefort, and Italian Gorgonzola provide a distinct smell to your pizza. 

They are soft, creamy, and crumbly and give the pizza a sweet, pungent smell derived from the mold and bacteria that promote their growth.

Here’s a list of words to describe the pizza smell.

List of Words to Describe Pizza Smell

  • Acrid
  • Ambrosial
  • Antiseptic
  • Aroma 
  • Aromatic
  • Bouquet
  • Citrusy
  • Comforting
  • Coppery
  • Damp
  • Delicate
  • Delicious
  • Earthy
  • Evocative
  • Faint
  • Fishy
  • Floral
  • Floral
  • Flowery
  • Fragrant
  • Fresh
  • Fruity
  • Funky
  • Fusty
  • Gamy
  • Garlicky
  • Heady
  • Heavy
  • High
  • Intoxicating
  • Laden
  • Leathery
  • Lemony
  • Malodorous
  • Medicinal
  • Minty
  • Musty
  • Nasty
  • Nauseating
  • Odor
  • Odorous
  • Odorless
  • Overpowering 
  • Peachy
  • Perfumed
  • Piquant
  • Piquant
  • Powerful
  • Pungent
  • Putrid
  • Putrid
  • Rancid
  • Rank
  • Redolent
  • Reek
  • Rich
  • Ripe
  • Savory
  • Scent
  • Scented
  • Sickly
  • Skunky
  • Smelly
  • Smoky
  • Sour
  • Stale
  • Stench 
  • Stinking
  • Stuffy
  • Sweet 
  • Sweet-Smelling
  • Tangy
  • Whiff
  • Woodsy

Words to Describe Pizza Sauce

Pizza sauces are described in terms of color and taste. Describe a tomato garlic sauce with bright red color with a tangy taste. 

Other words include barely scalded tomato sauce in lightly browned garlic, slow-cooked tomato garlic sauce, and a ‘dark, complex’ garlic-flavored tomato sauce for thoroughly cooked sauce variations. 

The New York Style pizza sauce is easily described as an uncooked, unprocessed, fresh, bright, fat-free herby sauce. Any terms used to describe the sauce can be added or removed depending on your taste.

A good puree sauce is described as a dark deep red sauce or a blended, sweet, hearty sauce. 

Peppery red sauces represent ingredients such as red pepper, cayenne, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. 

These spicy sauces work best with savory-tasting pizzas with chicken steak, bacon, or mushrooms

Sweet pizza sauces are those with tomatoes and added brown sugar. However, they are not meant for salty and savory pizzas unless combined with other sauces. 

Ranch sauces are easily described as tangy and creamy buttery tasting. Alfredo sauce goes well with a creamy, cheesy, flavorful description, as it has lots of heavy cream and cheese in its white sauce.

Depending on taste, it may be tricky to describe sauces since people’s taste definitions vary. Using ingredient descriptions is a safer way to navigate it as it is logical and ideal.

Here’s a list of words to describe pizza sauce.

List of Words to Describe Pizza Sauce

  • Acidic   
  • Bitter
  • Bland   
  • Buttery
  • Citrusy 
  • Comforting
  • Decadent       
  • Delectable
  • Delicious        
  • Delightful
  • Eggy    
  • Fishy
  • Flavorful          
  • Fresh
  • Fruity    
  • Honeyed
  • Mouthwatering
  • Nutty
  • Peppery         
  • Piquant
  • Refreshing      
  • Rich
  • Salty     
  • Savory
  • Scrumptious 
  • Sharp
  • Sinful   
  • Smoky
  • Sour     
  • Spicy
  • Sumptuous   
  • Sweet
  • Tangy  
  • Tart
  • Yummy          
  • Zesty

Words to Describe Cheese

Everyone adores stringy cheese on pizza, right?

Cheese is the one thing that can elevate your pizza’s taste and presentation, but describing cheese might not be an easy task.

The two most essential aspects you can describe cheese besides its flavor are meltability and stretchiness. meltability is the ability of the cheese to melt over the pizza, while stretchiness is the ability of the cheese to stretch when pulled. Also known as the “cheese pull.”

When describing cheese, consider its appearance, smell, and, most importantly, flavor.

Here’s a list to describe pizza cheese.

List of Words to Describe Cheese

  • Acid
  • Astringent
  • Bitter
  • Bleached
  • Bold
  • Buttery
  • Calico 
  • Chalky
  • Chewy
  • Clean
  • Coarse
  • Compact
  • Creamy
  • Crumbly 
  • Danish 
  • Dull
  • Earthy
  • Elastic
  • Faded
  • Famous 
  • Fermented
  • Fibrous
  • Flaky
  • Flat
  • Floral
  • Fragrant
  • Fruity
  • Gamey
  • Goaty
  • Grainy
  • Hard
  • Hay
  • Herbaceous
  • Intense
  • Mealy
  • Melting
  • Mild
  • Milky
  • Mottled  
  • Mushroomy
  • Nutty
  • Oversalty
  • Pale
  • Pasture
  • Peppery
  • Persistent
  • Provencal
  • Pungent
  • Ripe 
  • Rubbery
  • Salty
  • Savory
  • Sharp
  • Sheepy
  • Shredded 
  • Silky
  • Smooth
  • Soft 
  • Sour
  • Spoiled
  • Sticky  
  • Straw
  • Sweet
  • Swiss Gassy
  • Tart
  • Typical
  • Well Balanced   
  • White

Words to Describe Pizza Texture

Textural variations in pizzas are first perceived on touch and later in the mouth. 

Elasticity is measured by applying vertical pressure on the pizza by hand. A hard, firm, rigid, supple, rubbery textured pizza is resistant to deformation and does not spring back. 

A stiff/brittle textured pizza is difficult to tear into two. Delicate, soft, and moist textured pizzas are resistant to tear along the middle upon folding a slice with toppings. 

Easy-to-chew pizzas are melt-in-the-mouth, creamy soft, rubbery, airy, brioche-like, and firm. Pizzas with a crumble feel upon chewing are best termed gritty, crumbly, friable, and have an over-filling texture. 

Sticky pizza is best described as dry, doughy, spongy, or soupy. A very greasy slice is called fatty, greasy, or oily, while not enough butter is termed dry or with a cardboard texture.

Here’s a list of words to describe pizza texture:

List of Words to Describe Pizza Texture

  • Airy             
  • Chewy
  • Chunky
  • Creamy
  • Crisp     
  • Crispy
  • Crunchy
  • Delicate
  • Doughy
  • Dry
  • Dried Out
  • Firm
  • Flaky
  • Fluffy   
  • Gummy
  • Chewy
  • Chunky
  • Creamy
  • Crisp     
  • Crispy
  • Crunchy
  • Delicate
  • DoughyDry
  • Dried Out
  • Firm
  • Flaky
  • Fluffy   
  • Gummy
  • Juicy     
  • Light
  • Melty   
  • Moist
  • Runny  
  • Smooth
  • Soft       
  • Spongy
  • Sticky   
  • Tender
  • Tough  
  • Velvety

Words to Describe Pizza in A Fancy Way

Fancy pizza slang is commonly used by pizza lovers, where whimsical terms describe toppings and pizza styles. Here is a sample of how to describe your pizza in a fancy way:

  • Party/Tavern cut- as shown earliest, the terms describe a circular pizza sliced into square portions. Common at parties such as the Super Bowl.
  • All-dressed pizza– Common in Montreal and came in a deluxe pie topped with mushrooms, pepperoni, and green peppers. It is commonly known as the pizza tout garnie in Quebec.
  • Guppies-alternative description for the fish toppings such as anchovies. They are also called carp or anchovies.
  • Screamers– a fancy term to describe mushroom toppings since the canned variety produces a squeal while releasing moisture on a hot surface.
  • Coastline– the term used to describe the exposed sauce between the crust and filler sauce.
  • Mutz– the term is used to describe fresh mozzarella.
  • Grandma pie – A pizza style that adopts a thick Sicilian-like pie but has a denser, thinner crust.

The Last Slice

We hope you have learned new words to describe pizza and what terms and descriptions to use while describing the texture, smell, sauces, crusts, and pizza dough. 

Now here’s what we want you to do. Make a pizza or buy it, for that matter. Taste it. Or, maybe think about the last thing you ate.

Now take fifteen minutes to describe it to a reader using the abovementioned words.

How does it look?

How does it smell? What does the texture feel like?

Use the words according to the result you get after tasting and judging the pizza. Share your comments below or post them on social media. Share your descriptions with friends and family.

Let us know the results; we would love to know.

You may also like our pizza glossary to find the definition of the most popular pizza words.

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