Pizza chain style pizza has a soft, slightly sweet dough, a simple uncooked tomato sauce, and a cheese blend that stretches and browns in spots. You can get close to that at home with a same-day dough enriched with a little oil and sugar, a five-minute sauce, and a mozzarella-cheddar mix baked as hot as your oven will go on a preheated stone or steel.
What Makes Chain Pizza Dough Different From Neapolitan Style?
Chain-style dough is softer and a bit sweeter than thin, crackery Neapolitan crust. It usually includes a small amount of sugar and oil, which makes the crust tender rather than chewy-crisp, and gives it a light golden color even without a wood-fired oven. It's also proofed for a shorter time than artisan doughs, which keeps the crumb tighter and less airy.
You don't need a pizza oven to get close to this. A home oven set to its highest temperature, combined with a preheated baking stone or steel, gets you most of the way there.
How Long Should the Dough Rise?
A single rise of about 1.5 to 2 hours at room temperature is enough for this style, though you can also let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight for slightly more flavor. Either way, let the dough come to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping so it stretches without tearing or springing back.
What Do You Need for Dough, Sauce, and Toppings?
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose or bread flour | 3 cups |
| Warm water | 1 cup |
| Instant yeast | 2 tsp |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp, plus more for the pan |
| Salt | 1.5 tsp |
| Canned crushed tomatoes | 1 (15 oz) can |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp |
| Sugar (for sauce) | 1/2 tsp |
| Salt (for sauce) | 1/2 tsp |
| Low-moisture mozzarella, shredded | 2 cups |
| Mild cheddar, shredded | 1/2 cup |
| Toppings of choice | As desired |
How Do You Make the Sauce Without Cooking It?
Stir crushed tomatoes with oregano, garlic powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl, then let it sit for at least 15 minutes so the flavors combine. There's no need to cook chain-style pizza sauce, since it finishes cooking on the pizza itself in the oven. A raw sauce also stays brighter and slightly sweeter than a long-simmered one.