Does Pizza Dough Have Eggs?

Does Pizza Dough Have Eggs?

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Does pizza dough contain eggs

Does Pizza Dough have eggs? The answer might surprise you. While some pizzas do contain eggs, most pizza dough does not. In fact, the traditional ingredients for neapolitan pizza dough are simply flour, water, yeast, and salt.

So why do some pizzas contain eggs? It turns out that eggs can provide a richer flavor and a smoother texture. However, they are not essential for making delicious pizza dough.

So whether you’re in the mood for a classic cheese pizza or something a little more indulgent, you can rest assured that your favorite food is egg-free. Bon appetit!

What Are The Main Ingredients In Most Pizza Dough Recipes?

As mentioned above, most pizza dough recipes don’t contain egg or milk. One of my go to recipes is the Ooni pizza dough and like most it only contains 4 ingredients;

  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Yeast
  • Water

This is why pizza makes for a great meal for all, anyone can enjoy it. Its a great meal for those with a dairy allergy, egg allergy or even those that follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

It’s even good for those that have a gluten allergy, as you can make gluten free dough.

Some will also add in sugar for that little extra sweetness, although I don’t think it’s needed. Personally I find it better to add that extra sweetness in the pizza sauce or the toppings that you decide to use.

One common ingredient that you’ll find in many recipes is olive oil. Olive oil is used to help give the pizza dough more flavor and a better color, although its certainly not essential.

When making your own pizza dough, it is often also used to line a proofing tray to prevent it sticking to the tray or onto your hands.

If you do use a pizza oven to bake your pizza, brushing olive oil on the dough can actually cause it to burn quicker.

Remember, even though normally pizza dough doesn’t contain egg or milk, some store bought or restaurants might use them in their recipes. Its worth asking them first if you do have any doubts.

This is one reason why I love to make my own dough, I know exactly what’s in it.

Image showing my Neapolitan pizza Dough Ball ready to be stretched

Can You Add Egg To Your Pizza Dough?

If you want to, you can add egg to your pizza dough. But why would you?

Adding eggs or putting in egg white can help to give your a crisper crust or give the crust a really nice color, in a shorter space of time.

You can see the same or better results by cooking the pizza for longer or by using a pizza oven, as these cook the pizza quicker as they’re much hotter than a standard oven.

Some people do like to add eggs for the extra flavor they can provide. In my experience you tend to need to add a lot of eggs in order for the flavour to come through, as the flavor should be coming from the sauce, cheese and toppings.

So even though you can add egg to your pizza dough, doesn’t mean you should.

What Gives Pizza Dough Its Flavour?

If you’re wanting to give your pizza dough a little extra flavor, without adding eggs it all comes down to the fermentation.

You can do a quick pizza dough in just a few hours and it does taste nice. But, doing a cold fermentation pizza dough will enhance the flavor of the dough and take it to a whole new level.

Its the fermentation process that gives the pizza dough its flavor and helps it taste richer.

Can You Eat Pizza With an Egg Allergy?

Adding eggs to the pizza dough really reduces the amount of people that can enjoy that pizza. Whether your just allergic to the egg whites or the yolk, I would avoid pizza dough that contains egg.

The baking of the pizza should reduce the chance of having an allergic reaction, but it doesn’t guarantee it.

If your making it yourself its not an issue, however if your ordering from a restaurant then I would double check with them that it doesn’t contain egg.

Pizza dough does not contain egg normally, but its not worth the risk.

Does Frozen Pizza Contain Eggs?

No, most frozen pizza doesn’t contain eggs. There is a chance, so you should check the packaging first to be 100% sure.

The reason why most wont contain egg is because the risk of salmonella. However, some companies might include egg or just egg whites as a way to give their crusts better texture.

Its worth noting that some frozen pizzas may contain milk. So again worth checking the label in case you’re lactose intolerant.

Does Papa John’s Dough Have Eggs?

Most of Papa John’s pizza dough does not have eggs in it. Although their gluten free pizza dough does contain egg as well as milk. This is to help create the texture you would typically find from gluten.

All of the pizzas at Papa John’s are cooked fresh, they don’t use any frozen. This is why they’re typically more expensive than some of the alternative pizza takeaways.

Does Dominos Pizza Dough Have Eggs?

No, Dominos do not use eggs in their pizza dough. In fact all of the doughs also dont contain milk, except those that contain cheese. You can find full break down of whats inside their pizza dough here

Does Pizza Hut Pizza Dough Have Eggs?

No, pizza hut pizza dough doesn’t contain eggs. However all of their dough does include milk. Not a single pizza at pizza hut from what I can see is vegan friendly. (source)

Pizza Dough Recipe

There are many different pizza dough recipes and it does vary depending on what type of pizza your making. Most of them will all contain the same 4 key ingredients, salt, yeast, water and flour.

The biggest difference in the different recipes will be fermentation temperature and time. I’ve added a handy pizza dough calculator, in case you wanted to workout the amount of ingredients you might need.

Check out this complete guide on Pizza dough, this does also include links to many different pizza dough recipes.

FAQ

What Are The Downsides To Adding Egg To Pizza Dough?

The main downside to adding egg to your pizza dough is that it limits who can eat the pizza. If you have friends or family with an egg allergy then they won’t be able to enjoy the pizza.

Another thing to consider is that eggs can change the flavor of your pizza dough. This might not be a bad thing, but it will taste different to a traditional pizza dough.

Adding egg also increases the fat content and the amount of calories in each slice. So if you’re watching your weight then you might want to avoid pizza dough that contains egg.

Is There an Alternative To Adding Egg?

If you’re looking for a way to create a similar texture to pizza dough that contains egg then you could try using oil. This won’t give you the same flavor, but it will help to create a similar texture.

You could also try using milk or water instead of eggs, but this won’t give you the same results either.

If you want to make a traditional pizza dough without eggs then I would recommend using a cold fermentation method. This takes longer, but it will enhance the flavor of your pizza dough and make it much more authentic.

Does Adding Egg To Pizza Dough Make It Tastier?

There is no right or wrong answer to this, as it comes down to personal preference. Some do prefer it with egg or milk. Some people might prefer the traditional flavor of a pizza dough without eggs.

Does vegetarian pizza or vegan pizza have eggs?

Most pizza dough is vegetarian and vegan, as they do not contain eggs, milk or any other animal products. It is of course, important to double check if you do have any doubts or concerns.

Final Thoughts

So, does pizza dough have eggs?

No, in most cases pizza dough doesn’t contain egg. Frozen pizza and takeaway pizza usually contains no egg as well, although its always worth double checking if your not following a specific pizza dough recipe.

Adding eggs to pizza dough is a personal preference for some, while others find that it changes the flavor of the pizza.

People add egg because it can enhance the texture and flavor. Egg can also help the pizza crust look a darker brown.

One of the major drawbacks is that it does limit who can eat it but it also increases the fat content of each slice.

There are alternatives to adding eggs, such as using oil or milk, but they will not produce the same results. Vegetarian and vegan pizzas do not typically contain eggs, so those who follow those diets can enjoy pizza without any worries.

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