Can Vinegar Become a Game-Changing Ingredient for Pizzas?

Food is always up for experimentation. Even with the recipe for an authentic Italian pizza, you might want to try something new: sometimes change is good.

What about adding vinegar to pizza?

Something out of the blue, but vinegar brings a lot of interesting additions to the pizza. The sour taste might bother you, but vinegar on pizza is worth it.

Vinegar in your pizza offers goodness of taste and texture. Whether used for the dough mixture or drizzled on top of the crust, you will experience a unique flavor. But mostly, vinegar helps to leaven the dough further, making a soft texture with a little crunch on the edges. It’s also beneficial.

Care to learn more about vinegar uses on pizza, the benefits, and the types available? Read on for the details. 

Why Do We Use Vinegar on Pizzas?

Firstly, vinegar is used to boost flavor. Whether you use it with the dough mixture or as a topping, your pizza will become delicious. It can be any type of vinegar in the house and only a small portion.

It strengthens the gluten in your dough flour to raise more volume, making the yeast work faster. But you should use both vinegar and yeast in small amounts together. Use a teaspoon or tablespoon, depending on the size of the pizza.

A little vinegar drizzles on the warm crust before serving can offer an exquisite, tangy taste.

1. Vinegar on Pizza Crust

There are many reasons to use vinegar on the crust or dough.

• Firstly, it breaks down protein, allowing the gluten to work faster and raise the dough.
• It also decreases the oxidation of flour to offer a moist crumb. So you will have a soft and airy pizza texture.
• Besides, it offers the same flavor as top-notch sourdough bread.
• Lastly, the pizza can last longer than those made without vinegar.

Add only a teaspoon to make all these changes.

2. Vinegar as Pizza Toppings

You can also use malt vinegar as a pizza topping. After your pizza is ready, add a few drops on top for more flavor before serving. Otherwise, you can also add a little vinegar to the pizza sauce mixture. It makes your sauce taste even better.

Similar to olive oil, you can also use vinegar to brush on the crust before baking.

3. Whey Pizza Dough

To make a crispy and delicious pizza, use whey instead of warm water, and a little vinegar of your choice.

• Take all the regular ingredients for a pizza, like all-purpose flour, salt, yeast, and also a bit of olive oil.
• Combine all of them and make your dough.
• Knead for some minutes and leave it to rest for about an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
• Prepare the crust and add the sauce, your favorite toppings, and cheese.
• Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese melts. 

4. Tangy Pizza Dough

Adding vinegar to your pizza dough will make sourdough bread for the crust. It is super tangy and soft to melt in your mouth. As a bonus, you get a traditional Italian pizza feel. 

• Simply use the basic pizza ingredients, including a sourdough starter and a teaspoon of vinegar for the tangy taste. A little vinegar boosts the function of the starter.
• After the dough is ready, bake it for 10 minutes at 450 F. 
• Take out the crust for the toppings. You can add regular pizza sauce and mozzarella.
• Bake for some minutes till the cheese melts, and the bread is cooked evenly. 

How to Use Balsamic Vinegar on Pizza?

Balsamic vinegar ages like fine wine for a traditional and rich flavor. In contrast to regular vinegar, it is darker and more concentrated after aging. So, adding this to your pizza means something gourmet fresh from the oven.

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 packet brewer’s yeast

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.

Recipe

Follow my steps – it’s easy.

1. Mix the ingredients with warm water to make a dough.
2. Knead several times and leave it to rest for a few hours.
3. Then prepare your crust, and add toppings like cheese and marinara sauce.
4. Bake the pizza in a preheated oven from 480 F to 520 F.
5. After it’s done, add a few drops of balsamic vinegar on top for more flavor. 

Preparation of a Balsamic Drizzle for Pizza

If you want to use balsamic vinegar as a topping similar to olive oil, then make a drizzle. Store-bought ones can be overpowering but cheap. So, better to drizzle some than mix it with the dough.

1. Take some balsamic vinegar and bring it to a boil.
2. Let it simmer to reduce consistency. So, the vinegar becomes tangy and saucy for glazing on the crust.
3. Make a homemade pizza sauce and use it on the crust.
4. Then, you can use the balsamic drizzle to glaze over the sauce. 

Now the pizza is ready for the toppings and finally baked. If you want to add a little twist to the pizza, add a little bit to the freshly baked pizza as a topping with others. But don’t use too much as it can become too acidic.

Can You Use Apple Cider Vinegar on Pizzas?

We can also add apple cider vinegar to pizza dough. It will add some acidity so that the dough can leaven up better. So, you will have a super soft dough with a fantastic taste.

Use the same recipe for making pizzas and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. It can also be used as a drizzle for topping. Besides a fantastic taste, apple cider vinegar is filled with vitamins that are beneficial for health.

Different Pizza Recipes with Vinegar

Still confused about using something as acidic as vinegar on pizzas? Here are some popular recipes that can change your mind.

1. Salt and Vinegar Potato Pizza

Turn your salt and vinegar potato snack into a whole new meal as a pizza.

Ingredients

• 3 cups pizza flour
• Dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 4 sliced potatoes
• 2 tablespoons Italian herbs
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves

Recipe 

1. Cook potatoes and onion using a little butter.
2. Caramelize the onions and add the garlic and vinegar.
3. Finally, sprinkle all the seasonings on the cooked potatoes.
4. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees.
5. Lightly flour and grease the pan before placing the crust.
6. Add the pizza sauce and top it off with cooked potatoes and mozzarella.
7. Drizzle olive oil or vinegar on top, along with some seasonings.
8. Now bake the pizza for around 15-20 mins till the crust becomes golden brown.

2. Caprese Pizza

This can offer a great taste similar to a Margherita pizza.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Yeast 
• Salt 
• Pizza sauce
• Balsamic vinegar
• Cherry tomatoes
• Basil
• Mozzarella.

Recipe 

1. First, cook the cherry tomatoes with olive oil and add some seasonings.
2. Add some vinegar to the tomatoes.
3. Prepare your dough and add the toppings with tomatoes and mozzarella.
4. Lastly, add some basil on top.
5. Now, bake the pizza for around 20 minutes.
6. When it’s done, you can drizzle more balsamic vinegar for flavor.

3. Tomato and Corn Pizza

This is another exquisite pizza with vinegar.

Ingredients 

• Pizza flour
• Yeast
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Mozzarella cheese
• Tomatoes
• Corn
• Garlic
• Onion
• Seasonings.

Recipe

1. Cook the tomatoes with olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, and seasonings. The salt will dry up the tomatoes.
2. Add a little vinegar to the tomato mixture.
3. Preheat your oven for baking.
4. Prepare the crust with a little vinegar as well.
5. Later, add all the toppings to the crust. Top it off with all the seasonings.
6. Now, bake the pizza for 10 to 20 minutes until the cheese melts. 

4. Homemade Vinegar for Pizzas

Vinegar is simple to make at home with only a few ingredients.

All you need is some cane sugar or regular white sugar, the fruit of your choice, and water.

If you have all the ingredients, follow my steps.

1. Take a jar and add sugar to it.
2. Place the fruit cut into small pieces and fill the container with water.
3. Shake a bit to let everything mix.
4. Now, place a piece of cloth on the mouth of the jar.
5. Seal the jar and keep it in a corner for a month or two.
6. Ensure that no air reaches inside.
7. Let your vinegar ferment well before you strain out the ingredients and extract the liquid.

FAQ’s:

• How much vinegar should we use in pizzas?

You can measure the vinegar for your pizza from a single teaspoon to one tablespoon. The accurate amount depends on the size of the pizza dough. Ensure it isn’t too much; otherwise, the pizza will become highly acidic.

• Does vinegar substitute for olive oil?

Vinegar and olive oil have different purposes for the pizza recipe. Both of them are mostly added for flavor and texture. So, you can either use olive oil or vinegar or add a small amount of both together.

• Is olive oil important for pizzas?

Olive oil is an important ingredient for pizzas for the dough or the topping. It adds flavor and a soft texture. You will also find a nice aroma from pizzas on adding olive oil.

Conclusion

To sum it up, vinegar on pizzas works magically. It provides a whole new taste to your regular pizza. Not only does it melt in your mouth, but it also offers your taste buds something new. Besides, vinegar can be a great way to fix your dough if it’s ruined.

A little on top also works as an amazing ingredient. As a cherry on top, it is a cheap ingredient, readily available, and healthy. So, try a new recipe using vinegar and enjoy the goodness on a plate.