The Topping Mistake You're Making With Thin Pizza

As fun and delicious as it is to order in pizza or sit down to a loaded pie at your favorite 'za joint, there's just something irresistible about making pizza at home. Sure, there are a few common pizza making mistakes that any home baker has to learn to overcome, from sliding the pie into a too-cool oven to using too-sweet jarred tomato sauce to overworking the dough, which can lead to a tough crust. 

But once you've got the technique down pat, there's just nothing like stretching out fragrant, yeasty dough, piling on all your favorite toppings, and then chowing down on your hot, bubbling creation — preferably in the company of family or friends. 

When it comes to pizza mistakes, though, there's one more you'll have to watch out for, especially if your homemade pizza of choice has a thin dough. And you'll want to file it away for your next pizza night at home.

Making pizza at home tends to be a blast, because even when the result is subpar, less-than-optimal pizza is still pretty darn tasty. But if you want to maximize your chances of success the next time you make a thin crust pizza at home, make sure not to overload your delicate pie with too many toppings, which can weigh the pizza down and cause a soggy crust instead of a crispy one.

As noted by Kitchn, each topping you layer onto a pizza adds cook time to the total, so if you really go to town on your thin crust, you're extending the pie's bake time and most likely causing the pizza to cook unevenly. All that time spent in the oven can cause the crust to dry out, the outlet notes, or, in the likelier case described by myfoodbook, cause a soggy, undercooked crust that just can't crisp up under layers of likely-moist toppings such as sliced veggies, sauces, and cheeses. 

For a thin crust pizza, Kitchn advises using a moderate amount of cheese and no more than three types of toppings. If it's a heartier, more loaded pizza you're after, the site recommends making a sheet pan pizza with a thicker crust that can stand up to all your favorite toppings — and then some.