Sauce First Vs Cheese: How To Layer The Perfect Homemade Pizza

Pizza is an art, and as with any masterpiece, achieving proper balance is everything. For instance, you don't want your pie to become a saucy, cheesy mess nor do you want it to be dry or uninspired. There's also the longstanding debate over whether cheese or sauce should hit the dough first, sparking divided opinions among home cooks and professional pizzaiolos.

Some purists argue that the pizza sauce should go down first to help the cheese adhere. You add glue to the paper before sprinkling on the glitter, right? As it turns out, a cheese-first approach can work just as well — if not better — for a homemade pizza. Anthony Carron, CEO of JRS Hospitality, the restaurant group that operates Alexxa's, Beer Park, and Cheri Rooftop in Las Vegas, shares his game-changing perspective with Mashed.

"For home-cooked pizza, I would recommend cheese on the bottom," he advises. "This will allow you to cook the pizza longer to get the crust crispier." By layering the cheese directly on the dough, you form a protective barrier that prevents excess liquid from seeping into the crust, letting it develop a firm, chewy texture as it bakes. It's important to choose the right cheese when making pizza, especially when it comes to the melt factor. Low-moisture, whole milk mozzarella is widely accepted as the best pizza cheese, thanks to its mild, creamy profile.

So, what's the ideal cheese-to-sauce ratio?  "For a standard 12-inch pizza, I use four ounces of cheese and four ounces of sauce. Too much of either can make your pizza heavy and soggy. The key to life is balance," Anthony Carron explains. Once the cheese has been laid down, it's time for the sauce. Remember, applying excessive sauce can create a flimsy, mushy center, while too little may leave your pizza lackluster. The trick is to spread the sauce in a thin, swirling motion, ensuring an even distribution to bake seamlessly into the cheese.

This technique gives the cheese a chance to meld with the dough and allows the sauce to concentrate, intensifying the pizza's flavors. The result is a comfort meal with beautifully integrated toppings and a structured slice. In addition to the cheese-before-sauce rule, there are plenty of homemade pizza secrets you'll wish you knew sooner, including dusting your countertop with semolina flour, stretching your dough by hand, and garnishing it with fresh basil.