American
St. Louis-Style Pizza
Cracker-thin crust, Provel cheese, tavern-cut squares — the Midwest's proudly unique pizza identity.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
St. Louis-style pizza is the most uniquely regional pizza in America. First, the crust: no yeast, no rise, a cracker-like, ultra-thin, perfectly flat base that snaps when you bite it.
Second, the cheese: Provel, a processed blend of cheddar, Swiss and provolone developed for St. Louis pizza in the 1940s, melts into an extraordinarily gooey layer with a mild, buttery flavor. The pie is cut into squares — the tavern cut — because that's how it's done.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
For the St. Louis cracker crust (no yeast)
- 1¾ cups (230g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp sugar
- 6 tbsp (85ml) water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the cheese blend (Provel substitute)
- 6 oz provolone, shredded
- 4 oz white cheddar, shredded
- 2 oz American cheese, torn into pieces
Method
- 1
MAKE SAUCE: Combine all sauce ingredients. No cooking required — it will cook on the pie. (Or simmer 10 minutes for deeper flavor.)
- 2
MAKE CRUST: Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add water and olive oil and mix to a smooth, non-sticky dough that feels like Play-Doh. Rest 10 minutes.
- 3
PREHEAT oven to 450°F with a pizza stone inside for 30–60 minutes.
- 4
ROLL THE CRUST: Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 14-inch thin, even round about 1/16-inch thick. Transfer to a floured peel or the back of a sheet pan.
- 5
TOP: Spread a thin, even layer of sauce — too much makes a cracker crust soggy. Scatter the cheese blend evenly to the edges and add any toppings.
- 6
BAKE 14–18 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown and the crust edge is golden and crisp.
- 7
CUT INTO SQUARES: Use a rolling cutter to cut 2-inch squares — the tavern cut. Non-negotiable for the full St. Louis experience.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: The no-yeast dough holds up beautifully when made ahead — wrap tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days before rolling and baking.
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