Why You Need Salad Dressing Every Time You Order A Pizza

The gooey cheese pull and pillowy crust of a classic margherita is hard to beat. However, if you want to think outside of the pizza box, we've got a tip to take the experience of eating your favorite pie to new heights. Next time you place your order, select a salad dressing to serve with your slice. This simple addition will transform the taste of your pie, and, crucially, double as a scrumptious dipping sauce to dunk your crusts into.

It might sound odd to drizzle salad dressing over a pizza but you've likely plunged bits of pizza crust in a tub of creamy ranch before. And if you think about it, a classic dressing is simply a good olive oil mixed with an acid (like lemon, vinegar, or buttermilk), and aromatic seasonings: It's concentrated, liquid flavor. Moreover, in some foodie circles, pizzas are purposefully topped with an entire dressed salad to provide crunch, color, and fiber. Maybe you've even come across the recent trend where a pizza crust is made from chicken and the topping is simply a complete Caesar salad?

The beauty of serving salad dressing with pizza is that you can order a stack of cheaper plain pies and customize them with your own flavorings. This is an awesome move if your household is full of picky eaters who can't make a unanimous decision on the perfect topping. They can pair their slice with their best-loved dressing and boost its flavor in an instant. You may need to invest in a set of dipping bowls to make this multi-dressing magic happen; these 4.5-ounce dipping bowls from Amazon would do the job.

A garlicky, tart vinaigrette with a lemony twang will cut through the richness of a loaded cheese pizza, lending it heaps of fruity balance. If it says Italian dressing on the label, it's likely a safe bet. Plus, you can use Italian dressing to make the best garlic bread, too. While you could drizzle a touch of tangy ranch over your pie, the mayo in the dressing will make a heavy slice taste even more decadent, which could trigger a post-pizza nap.

A sweeter salad dressing that features honey or maple syrup is ideal for counterbalancing the briny spiciness of a pizza loaded with jalapenos and meaty pepperoni. It offsets the intense heat from the chili while lending its own complexity via mustard or horseradish. Having said that, switch the pepperoni for sweet barbecue chicken and you might be better placed to drizzle on some blue cheese dressing, which is a classic flavor pairing with sticky chicken wings. 

Love Caesar dressing? This is an awesome choice because the garlic and Parmesan in the recipe mirror the basic flavors in several traditional pizzas, which will double down on their garlicky personality and inviting aroma. Finally, aways have enough on standby to dip any leftover crusts into your dressing, whether it be thousand island or green goddess, and you'll soon turn those doughy scraps scattered around the box into moreish flavor-packed morsels.

If this has got your taste buds tingling, maybe you should also check out our article on the absolute best sauces for dipping your pizza crust. And try this one for more unexpected ways to use salad dressing, too.