Modern Pizza Builds Start With Sauce

Pizza is a culinary chameleon. It can be humble and comforting or take diners on an exotic flavor journey, full of surprises. Operators are constantly testing new ingredient combinations in pursuit of a signature pizza that inspires repeat visits and buzzy word of mouth, with guests frequently willing to give new creations a try.

Pizza toppings are often the subject of experimentation—and sometimes debate (we’re looking at you, pineapple!)—but other components are also fair game for flavor play. Sauce is the perfect medium for pizza innovation, whether it’s switching up the base layer or using it as a drizzle or a dip. Sauce and toppings together can be paired to tap into distinctive and popular flavor systems, from barbecue to Mexican-inspired. Sauce also can be the key element in fresh takes on format, such as when pizza is transformed to a bowl, a bread-based pull-apart or breadsticks to dip. The bottom line: Sauce provides a long runway for inspired menu moves.

Innovating around pizza sauce can be a fairly easy lift by the kitchen team. Sometimes, a popular LTO results from adoption of a new-to-you product. Create a signature version with a simple plus-up, adding one or two ingredients to tweak the flavor profile, perhaps dialing up the heat or adding herbaceous notes. Combine sauces—one for the base and another for a finishing drizzle.

MORE CHEESE, PLEASE

Operators can start by exploring options from AFP advanced food products llc, which offers nearly two dozen flavor varieties of cheese and other sauces. AFP’s Muy Fresco^® line includes several spicy cheese sauce flavors, including Jalapeño, Chipotle, Nacho and Cheesy Black Bean. Incorporating these sauces into a pizza build can give chefs the flexibility to push boundaries, offering familiar comfort with an innovative edge, says Greg Gable, AFP corporate chef.

“Cheese and tomatoes are the core to any pizza recipe, so our cheese sauces can amp up the creaminess element in that classic combo,” says Gable. “Think tomato bisque or any al la vodka combination—tomatoes and cheese sauce are the comforting and zesty partners you didn’t know you needed.” Gable suggests additional ideas for flavor-forward, easy-to-execute pizza builds.

1. Chipotle Pulled Pork Pizza

Pork is one of the fastest-growing proteins on pizza.

• Base: Muy Fresco^® Chipotle Cheese Sauce
• Toppings: Pulled pork, red onions, cilantro and mozzarella
• Finish: Drizzle with additional Muy Fresco^® Chipotle Cheese Sauce and serve with a side of ranch or cilantro lime dipping sauce for extra flavor.

2. Jalapeño Popper Pizza

Twist up the popular popper starter.

• Base: Creamy Muy Fresco^® Jalapeño Cheese Sauce
• Toppings: Bacon, cream cheese, jalapeños, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese
• Finish: A drizzle of ranch or sour cream to balance out the heat.

3. Pizza Taco Calzones

Be expansive in your definition of “pizza” by playing with different forms.

• Filling: Fill pizza dough with ground beef, red onion, corn, diced tomatoes, jalapeños and Muy Fresco^® Cheesy Black Bean Sauce. Bake.
• Finish: Serve with an extra side of Muy Fresco^® Cheesy Black Bean Sauce.

4. Spicy Cheese Sauce Dipping Cups

Customers want to dunk everything into sauce these days, including pizza bites.

• Prepare a flight of spicy cheese sauces to serve alongside pizza. Options like Muy Fresco^® Jalapeño Cheese, Nacho Cheese or Chipotle Cheese Sauce create a fun, customizable experience for guests.

Vodka sauce is another option in the Muy Fresco^® lineup. “It offers a rich and creamy texture with a perfect balance of tangy tomato flavor, a touch of sweetness, and a smooth, silky finish,” explains Gable. While it’s tailor made for pasta dishes, strombolis and hot sandwiches, it’s also effective on pizza, like Vodka Sauce Mac & Cheese Pizza, pictured below.

For pizza applications, Muy Fresco^® Alfredo Sauce is easy to elevate, courtesy of a few simple pantry inclusions. “We combined spicy pesto with our Alfredo sauce for a Mediterranean-inspired pizza—another trending flavor profile on pizza today!” says Gable. “Something more unexpected would be adding Cajun or chipotle seasonings to lean into that spicy trend, while providing the perfect base for a shrimp-centric pizza.”

AFP also offers a custom program, providing operators with the opportunity to partner with the company’s culinary and R&D teams in the formulation of a unique signature sauce. Ideation, testing and refinement stages lead to confirmation that the sauce can be produced at scale and is operationally viable.

“The great benefit to all sauces created by AFP is that they are ready to use, delivering consistent quality and taste every time,” says Gable. “In an environment where back-of-house labor is at a premium and culinary expertise levels can vary drastically, operators are always balancing complexity reduction and quality.”

HOT SAUCES

Another good place to start is by heading in the direction of recent trends. According to Technomic, the top three fastest-growing pizza ingredients are found in the sauces/condiments category: chile sauce, honey barbecue sauce and hot honey. Gable offers three suggestions of how to leverage these ingredients in modern pizza builds.

Produce a Flavor Fusion: “By incorporating chile sauce or hot honey, chefs can create bold, spicy pizzas that stand out. For example, a pizza with hot honey drizzled over pepperoni or sausage adds an unexpected sweetness that pairs beautifully with the savory toppings,” says Gable.

Create LTO Traffic Drivers: “Offering pizzas with signature sauce combinations can make a restaurant’s menu stand out and create a buzz to break through the noise,” he notes. “A chef could develop a specialty pizza that uses a spicy chile sauce base, topped with a balance of cooling ingredients like creamy ricotta or mozzarella to offset the heat, attracting customers who enjoy adventurous flavors.”

Make the Most of Seasonal Ingredients: As these and other sauce flavors continue to gain popularity, chefs can use them to complement seasonal LTOs focused on seasonal ingredients. Gable suggests using grilled vegetables in the summer or incorporating seasonal fruits into sauces. The goal here is a fresh, timely menu that aligns with current trends.

Looking beyond current trends to those just catching fire, Gable is intrigued by what he sees on the horizon. “One emerging trend we see is sauce outside the pizza. By incorporating dipping sauces as a side, it adds a whole new layer of excitement,” he says. “Think about pairing a classic pizza with a side of creamy garlic parmesan dipping sauce, or even something more adventurous like a tangy, zesty Sriracha crema. It gives diners a customizable experience and introduces a fun, interactive element to the meal. The ability to dip crusts or bites into unique sauces elevates the overall flavor profile.”

Another avenue that Gable finds exciting is the inclusion of bold, spicy toppings and sauces. “Infusing a pizza with chile-based sauces like chipotle or a fiery harissa paste can add depth and complexity. One fun application we have recently tested is a Pizza Volcano, where we use dough to create a holding vessel in the middle of the pie and fill it with Calabrian-spiced chili cheese sauce,” says Gable. It’s two trends—dipping and spicy—in one application. “The rise of spicy elements—especially when balanced with a creamy or cooling topping like white cheddar—creates a dynamic flavor experience that can appeal to adventurous eaters,” he notes.

A subset of the spicy trend is the sweet and spicy combination, which continues to be a game-changer, especially when paired with pizza, says Gable. For example, hot honey may be giving way to heat-infused maple syrup. “Fruity habanero combinations are making an appearance as well.”

Finally, pizza purveyors who want to set the trends should look at how Asian flavor profiles can work in a pizza format, says Gable. As Asian food in general continues to gain substantial traction in the foodservice landscape, it makes sense to pull this inspiration into all types of menu offerings.

Your next signature pizza starts here. Discover custom sauce possibilities and tap into top trends.

Source:

https://www.getflavor.com/modern-pizza-builds-start-with-sauce/