St. Louis–Style Pizza

St. Louis–Style Pizza

Makes: 1 fourteen-inch pizza
Servings: 4–6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Rest time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10–14 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

St. Louis–style pizza has an extremely thin, crisp, yeast-free crust, a sweet and herb-forward tomato sauce, and creamy Provel cheese. It is traditionally cut into small squares known as a party cut.

Crust Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, 250 grams
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water, 150 grams

Pizza Sauce

  • ¾ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Cheese and Toppings

  • 2 cups shredded Provel cheese
  • 20–25 pepperoni slices
  • Cooked Italian sausage, optional
  • Thinly sliced green bell pepper, optional
  • Thinly sliced onion, optional
  • Dried oregano, for finishing

Provel Cheese Substitute

When Provel is unavailable, combine:

  • ¾ cup shredded provolone
  • ¾ cup shredded white cheddar
  • ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese

Instructions

1. Prepare the crust

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.

Add the olive oil and warm water. Stir until a firm dough forms.

Knead for about 2 minutes, just until smooth. The dough does not contain yeast and will not need to rise.

Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the sauce

Combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

Stir until smooth and set aside.

3. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven while it heats. Alternatively, use a large metal pizza pan or an inverted baking sheet.

4. Roll the dough

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.

Roll it into a very thin 14-inch circle, approximately ⅛ inch thick or slightly thinner.

Remove the top sheet of parchment. Transfer the crust, still on the lower sheet, to a pizza peel or baking sheet.

For an even crisper crust, prick the dough several times with a fork.

5. Prebake the crust

Bake the plain crust for 4–5 minutes, until it looks dry and begins to firm.

Remove it from the oven.

6. Assemble the pizza

Spread a thin layer of sauce over the crust, leaving a narrow border.

Cover with the shredded Provel or cheese mixture.

Arrange the pepperoni and any additional toppings evenly over the cheese.

Keep the toppings relatively light so the thin crust remains crisp.

7. Bake

Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 6–9 minutes, until:

  • The crust is crisp and browned around the edges
  • The cheese is fully melted
  • The toppings are hot
  • The underside is firm and cracker-like

8. Cut and serve

Let the pizza rest for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with dried oregano and cut it into small square or rectangular pieces rather than traditional wedges.

St. Louis Pizza Tips

  • Roll the dough extremely thin for the signature cracker crust.
  • Do not add yeast; St. Louis pizza crust is traditionally unleavened.
  • Use sauce sparingly to prevent sogginess.
  • Provel melts very smoothly but does not brown like mozzarella.
  • Prebaking the crust helps it stay crisp, especially in a home oven.