This is the five cheese pizza — five cheeses, each with a specific job, layered over hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes on a blistered, crispy crust baked on a Baking Steel. Romano for salt and umami. Two mozzarellas for stretch and browning. Fontina for silky melt. Parmesan shaved on top for aroma. It's not a "throw every cheese in the fridge on a pizza" situation — it's a deliberate 5-cheese blend built for balance.
The San Marzano tomatoes do the heavy lifting on flavor. Hand-crushed (never blended), finished with sea-salt flakes. Bright, sweet, acidic — they cut through five cheeses without getting buried. This is a San Marzano pizza first, cheese pizza second. The tomatoes make it work.
Chef's Notes
- San Marzano, hand-crushed: Keeps a light, fresh texture and bright acidity. Sea-salt flakes amplify the tomatoes without adding liquid. Use whole peeled San Marzanos (we use ISOLA brand) and crush by hand — a blender turns them into paste.
- Romano under the mozz: A salty, umami base layer that helps manage moisture before the meltier cheeses go on. This is your flavor foundation.
- Two mozzarellas: Half whole-milk for stretch and chew, half part-skim for structure and browning. This is the secret to a five cheese blend that melts evenly without getting greasy.
- Fontina for silk: Low-temp, ultra-smooth melt that rounds out the blend and fills in gaps between the mozzarella. The cheese that makes the whole thing feel luxurious.
- Shaved Parmesan finish: Added off-heat for aroma and a clean, nutty snap. Don't bake it — the heat of the pizza does the work.
- Steel + broiler method: The Baking Steel crisps the bottom in minutes. Switch to broil first for char on top, then finish with convection bake. Total bake time: about 4–5 minutes.
Five Cheese Pizza Recipe
Yield: 1 pizza (10–12") | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: 4–5 minutes | Dough: 275 g of our 24-Hour Pizza Dough
The 5-Cheese Blend
- 3/4 cup low-moisture mozzarella (half whole-milk, half part-skim)
- 2 Tbsp grated Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Fontina cheese
- Fresh Parmesan, shaved (for finishing)
- Asiago — optional, shaved with the Parmesan for a sharper finish
Other Ingredients
- 275 g Baking Steel 24-hour pizza dough
- 1 cup whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (brand: ISOLA), hand-crushed
- Large sea-salt flakes, to taste
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat: Place your Baking Steel on the upper rack and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes.
- Shape: Stretch 275 g dough into a 10–12" round on a lightly floured surface.
- Sauce: Spread a light layer of hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes over the dough. Season with sea-salt flakes. Keep it light — too much sauce makes the crust soggy.
- Romano base: Sprinkle the grated Romano evenly over the tomatoes. This goes on first as the salty umami foundation.
- Cheese blend: Add the low-moisture mozzarella (half whole-milk, half part-skim), then scatter the fontina over the top.
- Finish: Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Bake: Switch oven to Broil. When the broiler coils are red hot, launch the pizza onto the Baking Steel. Broil for about 1 minute (watch it closely), then switch to convection bake at 500°F for 3–4 more minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
- Top and serve: Remove from oven, shave fresh Parmesan (and asiago if using) over the hot pizza. Drizzle with olive oil. Slice and serve immediately.
After a 24-hour ferment, the dough is soft, airy, and ready to stretch.
A light layer of crushed San Marzano tomatoes, spread edge to edge.
Five cheeses — mozzarella, fontina, Romano, Parmesan, asiago — each with its own role.
Launched on a preheated Baking Steel — broiler on first, then baked to finish.
Golden, bubbly, and refined. Five cheeses, one perfect pie.
Tips
Gear Used
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the five cheeses in a five cheese pizza?
This five cheese pizza uses mozzarella (half whole-milk, half part-skim), Romano, fontina, Parmesan, and asiago. Each cheese has a specific role: mozzarella for stretch and browning, Romano for salt and umami, fontina for silky melt, Parmesan for aroma, and asiago for a sharp finish.
What is the best 5 cheese blend for pizza?
The best 5 cheese blend for pizza balances melt, flavor, and browning. Start with low-moisture mozzarella as your base (mix whole-milk and part-skim for best results), add Romano for salt, fontina for smooth melt, and finish with shaved Parmesan and asiago off the heat. Avoid soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese — they release too much moisture and make the crust soggy.
Why use San Marzano tomatoes on pizza?
San Marzano tomatoes are sweeter, less acidic, and have fewer seeds than standard canned tomatoes. They grow in volcanic soil near Mount Vesuvius in Italy, which gives them a distinct bright, concentrated flavor. Hand-crushed (never blended), they make the best pizza sauce — light, fresh, and flavorful enough to stand up to five cheeses without getting buried.
Do you cook San Marzano tomatoes before putting them on pizza?
No. Use them raw, straight from the can, hand-crushed. They cook in the oven on the pizza. Pre-cooking concentrates them too much and turns the sauce heavy. The whole point of San Marzano tomatoes on pizza is their bright, fresh flavor — cooking them beforehand kills that.
What brand of San Marzano tomatoes is best for pizza?
We use ISOLA brand whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes. Look for DOP certification on the label, which guarantees they were actually grown in the San Marzano region of Italy. Many brands labeled "San Marzano style" are not the real thing.
What is the best cheese for pizza?
Low-moisture mozzarella is the foundation of almost every great pizza. For a basic pizza, use a mix of whole-milk and part-skim mozzarella — whole-milk melts and stretches, part-skim browns and holds its shape. For more complex flavor, layer in Romano, fontina, Parmesan, or asiago like this five cheese recipe does.
Is fontina cheese good on pizza?
Fontina is excellent on pizza. It melts at a lower temperature than mozzarella, creating a silky, smooth layer that fills in gaps and rounds out the cheese blend. It adds richness without overpowering other flavors. Use it as an accent cheese alongside mozzarella, not as the primary cheese.
Can I use fresh mozzarella instead of low-moisture?
You can, but the result will be different. Fresh mozzarella releases a lot more moisture, which can make the crust soggy — especially with five cheeses already on the pizza. If you use fresh mozz, tear it into small pieces, pat dry with paper towels, and add it in the last 2 minutes of baking. For this recipe, low-moisture mozzarella gives better results.
What order do you layer cheese on pizza?
Sauce goes first, then hard grated cheeses (Romano), then shredded melt cheeses (mozzarella, fontina), then olive oil. Finishing cheeses like shaved Parmesan and asiago go on after the pizza comes out of the oven. This layering order protects the sauce from burning and ensures even melting.
How long do you bake a five cheese pizza?
On a Baking Steel preheated at 500°F for 45 minutes: about 4–5 minutes total. Start with the broiler for about 1 minute to char the top, then switch to convection bake at 500°F for 3–4 more minutes. The steel crisps the bottom while the broiler handles the top.
What dough works best for a five cheese pizza?
A 24-hour cold-fermented dough works best. The long ferment develops flavor and creates an airy, bubbly crust with charred leopard spots. We use our 24-hour pizza dough recipe with 275g per pizza. The fermented flavor complements the cheese blend better than a quick dough.
Can I make this pizza without a Baking Steel?
You can use a pizza stone, but the results won't be the same. Steel conducts heat 20 times faster than ceramic, which means crispier crusts and faster bake times. A stone will take 8–10 minutes and the bottom won't be as crispy. For the best five cheese pizza with charred, blistered crust, a Baking Steel is the way to go.
What is the broiler method for pizza?
The broiler method is a technique for baking pizza on a Baking Steel in a home oven. You preheat the steel at 500°F for 45 minutes, switch the oven to Broil, launch the pizza when the coils are red hot, broil for about 1 minute to char the top, then switch back to convection bake to finish. This mimics the intense top-heat of a wood-fired pizza oven.
How many calories in a five cheese pizza?
A homemade 10–12 inch five cheese pizza made with this recipe is roughly 1,400–1,600 calories for the whole pie, or about 200–270 calories per slice (6 slices). The exact count depends on how much cheese and olive oil you use. Homemade pizza generally has fewer calories than delivery because you control the portions.
