Ever wonder if the pizza you are about to bite into has eggs in the dough? Whether you are allergic or just counting your calories, you are not alone in wondering this.
Pizza is no more a dish that is relished in Italy, but it has become a go-to favorite food all over the world.
There are thousands of renowned and local brands selling a variety of pizzas worldwide.
Even today you can also purchase ready-made pizza dough mix or ready-made pizza crust from departmental stores.
You just need to knead the ready-made mix and add toppings and sauce as per your liking and bake it fresh at home.
The availability of pizza in every corner of the country has made it a universal favorite comfort food worldwide.
But before buying a pizza have you ever wondered what’s there inside the dough? Well, pizza dough is not like regular dough.
It contains active yeast as a key ingredient. Also in many places, the dough you buy might not be 100% vegan.
Here’s more information about pizza dough
People who are lactose intolerant and have some existing food-allergic issues often have the question in mind, “does pizza dough contain eggs?”
Well as far as most reputed and expensive pizza shops are concerned, they do not put eggs in their pizza.
Because pizza is also a vegan dish, in most reputed pizza joints, no eggs are added to the dough.
Traditionally eggs are not a part of an authentic pizza recipe. However these days several cheaper pizza joints do add eggs to their pizza dough for a softer texture.
Also if you buy regular frozen readymade pizza bread, it will contain eggs.
So if you are vegan or have any allergic reaction to eggs make sure you check the packaging and ingredients of a pizza before purchasing it.
Always have a look at the allergen information before eating any store-bought or frozen pizza.
Does pizza dough contain eggs or not?
As told earlier pizza doughs do not require any added eggs for texture or flavor.
One who has mastered the art of making pizza typically adds good quality flour, yeast, water, and some salt and sugar to make authentic pizza dough.
However, some restaurants do add milk and eggs to their pizza but it’s typically not required.
Anyone who is suffering from dairy allergies and egg allergies can eat pizza since most pizzas do not contain milk, butter, or any animal products in them.
Therefore vegans and vegetarians can relish pizza without any second thoughts.
Many pizza makers brush some olive oil on the pizza dough before the pizza is placed into the oven for baking.
However, some pizza makers also do an egg wash on the dough before placing the pizza inside the pre-heated oven.
This step is not an authentic or traditional process. As the main objective of doing this is to help the crust rise a little bit.
But as told earlier this is typically not required. So next time when you visit a pizza outlet or restaurant, you can request the chef to skin this step.
When you eat out at a renowned or good pizza outlet, you will see there is a different section for vegan or gluten-free pizzas.
Important Note: Some restaurants use dips and sauces in their pizzas which might have eggs or any other animal product.
Make sure to check the ingredients of the pizza sauces and dips as well before eating it.
TRADITIONAL INGREDIENTS OF PIZZA
Typically a pizza dough mostly consists of flour, yeast, and water. Yes, that’s all that is required for good pizza dough.
The below-mentioned pizza dough is not only super authentic but it’s also very easy to make.
There is no need to add eggs or any other expensive INGREDIENTS to enhance the flavor. Steps to make good egg-free pizza dough:
- Step 1: In a bowl add water and sugar and sprinkle some yeast on the top. Mix them well and let the mixture sit for about five to ten minutes.
- Step 2: Add flour, olive oil, and salt to the water mixture bowl and combine them all together to ensure the ingredients are all mixed well.
After mixing all the ingredients together you need to knead the dough for approximately five to seven minutes until you achieve a smooth elastic-like dough.
Skillful kneading is the key to achieving perfect pizza dough. - Step 3: Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel or large plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
- Step 4: Now punch the dough and knead for five more minutes and divide it into small balls and shape your pizza dough using flour.
Top with your favorite toppings and homemade sauce, bake for fifteen to twenty minutes and your perfect eggless pizza is all ready to be relished!
Therefore, as you can see, the basic ingredients for good pizza dough are water (you can also use chickpea water), yeast, and sugar (for little sweetness and crispiness).
The basic ingredients also include olive oil (as a tenderizer), flour, and salt. Check out this sweet (and tasty) Vegan Pizza Dough Recipe
What are the drawbacks of adding eggs to pizza dough?
While a traditional authentic pizza dough typically contains flour, yeast, water, and some seasoning, many restaurants and pizza owners do add eggs to their pizza dough.
Either they add egg whites or whole eggs to their pizza bread.
The reason to add whole eggs is to provide better browning of the pizza crust and to achieve a richer and creamier flavor.
Eggs contribute to the flavor, structure, texture, and consistency of the pizza dough. Whereas egg whites are added to make the crust crispier.
Typically most pizza owners add egg whites for their thin crust pizza to make it thin and crisp.
Now here is the catch. Though adding eggs to your pizza dough will make it richer and crisper, the ultimate outcome is not that convenient.
For instance, if you add 6 whole large eggs to forty to fifty pounds of pizza flour, your pizza crust color will definitely improve.
You will achieve a richer taste, but it will ultimately be lost during baking because of other pizza ingredients that will overpower the eggs.
Yes, you might get a little brownish crust due to the eggs, but your overall cost of making pizza will go high.
Adding eggs to your pizza won’t be justified as the same results can be achieved with sugar & whey which are much less expensive than eggs.
Though egg whites will make your pizza crust crisper, adding only egg whites to the pizza will increase the overall making charge to a great extent.
As a matter of fact, only 2% of egg white is added to pizza dough for crispness when compared to other ingredients.
This means one pound of egg white in fifty pounds of flour. But the question is whether this extra expense is really required?
The answer is no! You can make your crust crisper without egg whites just by giving a few more minutes to the baking process. And Hola! Your crispy pizza crust is ready!
And last but not least there is always a major concern about salmonella poisoning which can happen from fresh eggs as well.
Even clean and uncracked eggs can have bacteria in them which can lead to illness.
Therefore it’s better not to use eggs in pizza dough as the same results can be achieved from cheaper alternatives as well.
What can you use as alternatives to eggs in pizza dough?
Pizzas are the all-time favorite comfort food for many people worldwide.
But often vegans and egg-allergic people hesitate to eat a pizza because store-bought pizzas often have eggs in them.
But do you know your favorite pizza crust can also be made egg-free and gluten-free?
Aquafaba (chickpea water), whey, and sugar are some easy and cheap egg alternatives in pizza dough.
Some people also use baking soda or baking powder, which is actually not required since the active yeast does the job.
Here is the list of alternatives to eggs that can are added to pizza dough:
- Aquafaba- It is a liquid left over after cooking chickpeas or beans. You can get this liquid in canned beans or chickpeas as well.
This particular liquid has quite a similar consistency to raw eggs and works as a great substitute for eggs while making pizza dough. It provides perfect crispiness to the pizza crust.
- Buttermilk or yogurt- Both of these ingredients are great substitutes for an egg. In most Asian countries, yogurt is added to make pizza dough for richness.
- Grounded flax seeds and Chia seeds- Well, if you are looking for a low carb super healthy pizza, you can and grounded flax seeds or chia seeds as an egg alternative.
You need to dissolve the grounded flax or chia seeds in water and then add it to the flour mixture. This might result in a nuttier texture of the dough.
- Commercial egg replacer- Some pizza brands also add commercial egg replacers into their pizza dough as an alternative.
These egg replacers mostly have potato and tapioca starch.
- Apple cider vinegar- A mixture of 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of baking soda can be an alternative to one egg.
If you want to make a thick crust with light, fluffy and spongy pizza dough you can add this mixture as an alternative to the egg.
What are the signs of an egg-allergic reaction?
There are millions of people on earth who are allergic to eating eggs. Allergic reactions to eggs might vary from person to person.
In some, the reactions are mild while in some the reactions can be severe.
Skin inflammations/ hives are one of the most common allergic reactions caused by consuming eggs.
Nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, digestive symptoms like vomiting, and stomach ache adds to the list.
Moreover, some people also get asthma issues like coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, etc.
Does frozen pizza contain eggs?
Frozen pizzas are store-bought ready-made pizzas that are not freshly baked. They do contain some preservatives for longer shelf life.
About 8 out of 10 frozen pizzas contain eggs and other dairy products in them.
Since frozen pizzas are not freshly baked ones, often eggs are added to add extra texture to the crust.
Though other common ingredients like yeast, flour, water, sugar, salt, and oil are there in the ingredients list, eggs are still added to frozen pizzas.
Frozen pizzas also might contain milk for adding some creaminess and fat to the dough.
Therefore lactose tolerant people should be very careful before purchasing frozen pizzas.
Final Thoughts
No matter what food product you are buying it is very important to know the ingredients of the food item and pizzas are no exception.
Even if you are buying a veg pizza, there are still chances of an egg present in the dough.
Therefore, whether you are buying a ready-made pizza dough mixture or a pre-made pizza dough, it is very important to check the ingredients list.
It’s often hard for people who are vegan or allergic to eggs to find a perfect pizza dough that is 100% vegan.
But if you buy pizza doughs of reputed brands, they might not contain eggs or milk.
The best way out is to make your own pizza dough at home, as the INGREDIENTS for good pizza dough are super easy to find and affordable.
If you have mastered the kneading procedure and use the right quality of each ingredient, your pizza dough will anyway rise and will be perfectly crisp and tasty.
No need for any egg alternatives for the job.
When you are eating out, you always have the opportunity to ask the chef to add eggs or milk to the dough.
Though most reputed and traditional pizza restaurants do not add any egg or milk to their dough.
It is your right to know what’s there in your pizza dough & you should make it a habit to check the ingredients in your pizza dough every time you purchase.
