This homemade four cheese pizza is everything a pizza should be: creamy, melty, cheesy and full of flavor! The combination of mozzarella, cheddar, feta and parmesan cheese creates a richness that no takeout can match. Whether you like a red sauce base or want to get creative with roasted garlic butter, this recipe will show you exactly how to get that golden, bubbly cheese and crispy crust, right in your own kitchen!
Jump to:
- The Perfect Four Cheese Pizza Blend
- Why You'll Love This Cheese Pizza Recipe
- Four Cheese Pizza Ingredients
- Optional Customizations
- What To Serve With Cheese Pizza
- How To Make Four Cheese Pizza
- Expert Tips For Restaurant Quality Pizza At Home
- How To Store & Reheat Leftover Pizza
- Make Ahead & Freeze
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Fun & Unique Pizza Flavors
- 📖 Recipe
- ⭐️ Leave a Review
Love homemade pizza as much as we do? You have to try this camembert, fig and arugula pizza for an easy, unique pizza flavor. This nacho pizza with queso sauce, when you're craving something different, and this creative cheeseburger pizza with pickles is always a hit!
To take your pizzas to the next level, make this homemade pizza dough (with step-by-step instructions) and this simple pizza marinara sauce, too!
The Perfect Four Cheese Pizza Blend
Why four cheeses? Well, we've discovered that using these 4 cheeses gives the cheese pizza a perfect balance of melt, flavor, and texture.
We use shredded cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, and feta cheese in our four cheese blend for this pizza. Cheddar for the creaminess and bite, mozzarella for the melty, stretchy texture, feta for the tang, and parmesan for sharpness and a good finish.
Below we have some cheese substitutions that will work if you need them. (LINK)
Why You'll Love This Cheese Pizza Recipe
- It is the classic of all classics! Cheese pizza is the one pizza everyone ignores, but it's gone first, every time!
- The four cheeses blend perfectly, like they were meant to be.
- It is easy to make at home, even if you want to attempt an easy homemade pizza crust and simple marinara sauce!
- We know it works! We've made this recipe a ton of times! It was first published in 2019, and we were making it long before that!
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Four Cheese Pizza Ingredients
- Pizza Crust - Make a mouth-watering homemade pizza crust to make this pizza truly incredible. If you don't have time for that, store-bought will work too!
- Pizza Sauce - This pizza features a tomato-based marinara sauce, which can be homemade or store-bought.
- Cheddar Cheese - Can be substituted for sharp cheddar, gouda, or harvarti.
- Feta Cheese - Can be substituted for goat cheese, gorgonzola, or cotija cheese.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Optional Customizations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes, drizzle it with homemade buffalo wing sauce, or chili oil on top of the pizza after baking for a wonderful, spicy zang.
- Honey Butter - add a honey butter drizzle to the top of the pizza after baking. To make honey butter, combine equal parts melted butter and honey, stirring until fully combined. We use honey butter on our sausage and apple pizza, and it is so good!
- Garlic Butter Base - to elevate this pizza to a new level, use our roasted garlic butter recipe as the base instead of marinara sauce! You only need a thin layer of garlic butter, and additional roasted garlic is always a good addition too!
- Spices - add some spices like Italian seasoning, paprika, basil or oregano to the pizza before or after baking for a flavor boost!
- Smoky Flavor - use smoked cheeses for a bold, smoky flavor.
- Kid Friendly - divide the pizza dough into smaller circles and let your kids make their own pizza, with whatever toppings they like!
What To Serve With Cheese Pizza
Pair four cheese pizza with homemade garlic bread, kale caesar salad, or a simple soup for a full meal. Cheese pizza also pairs really well with the couch and your favorite bottle of wine!
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How To Make Four Cheese Pizza
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 500°F. When it has reached the temperature, reduce it to 475°F.
Grease the bottom of a pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll out the pizza dough into a 14" circle, and press it into the prepared pan.
Top with marinara sauce, cheddar, mozzarella, feta, and parmesan cheeses.
Step 2
Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Expert Tips For Restaurant Quality Pizza At Home
- Before crumbling the feta, wrap the square of cheese in a towel and squeeze all of the water out.
- At the end of the baking time, you can place the pizza under the broiler for a couple of minutes to get super bubbly, browned cheese. Just be sure to keep an eye on it, it can burn quickly!
- Drizzle with honey butter or chili oil after baking for an instant flavor boost!
- The high oven temperature helps the crust puff up quickly to get that pizza restaurant quality pizza, at home! Which is why we preheat the oben to 500°F first, and then reduce it right before you bake. You can use a pizza stone or baking steel to ensure perfect results, too (although they are not necessary).
- Avoid using pre-shredded cheeses on your pizza. Pre-shredded cheese often has anti-caking additives added to it, and it could affect how the cheese melts.
- To prevent the pizza from sticking to the pan, spray the pan with a cooking spray (my favorite is avocado oil spray) and sprinkle it with a little bit of cornmeal. This is how the restaurants do it!
How To Store & Reheat Leftover Pizza
Store leftover pizza in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
There are a few options for reheating pizza.
- Stove Top Method: Place a couple of pieces of pizza into a non-stick skillet, place it over medium-low heat and place ½ teaspoon of water in the corner of the skillet (not touching the pizza), cover with a lid and heat for 5-6 minutes until the water is evaporated and the pizza is warm.
- Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the pieces of pizza onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melty.
- Microwave: This is the quick and dirty option, place slices of pizza on a plate and heat for 1-2 minutes until pizza is hot, easy peasy!
Make Ahead & Freeze
Making and freezing this four cheese pizza works exceptionally well; in fact, I have a frozen, unbaked pizza in the freezer right now! I like to make a big batch of pizza dough and prep 5-6 pizzas for the freezer. They are perfect for busy weeknights and bake up super fast!
To freeze unbaked pizza, prepare the pizza fully, and instead of baking it, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze. Once the pizza is frozen solid, slip it off the pan, wrap it fully with plastic wrap (a few layers is best) and then wrap it with a layer of aluminum foil. Label the pizza and freeze for up to 3 months!
To bake from frozen: Preheat the oven to 475°F, unwrap the pizza, and place it (still frozen) on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is hot and melty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you follow this recipe, use my marinara sauce recipe and pizza dough recipe, this cheese pizza is vegetarian.
Yes, you can technically skip mozzarella cheese, but I would not recommend it. Mozzarella is responsible for that "cheese pull moment," and it is the base of all cheese blends for pizzas. Do not use all cheddar cheese; your pizza will be too oily.
Great question! You can use an air fryer as an alternative to an oven! To use an air fryer to make pizza, remove the inner basket, and preheat the air fryer to 450°F. Assemble the pizza inside the basket, spray the bottom with cooking spray and start with the pizza dough, layering it in the bottom of the basket. Top it with sauce and toppings. Air fry for 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Checking for doneness intermittently is important, as all air fryers are different and pizzas will cook at different speeds.
Quattro formaggi pizza is simply an Italian pizza with four different cheeses. This classic pizza combination dates back to the 18th century and is thought to have originated in the Lazio region in Italy.
The best way to reheat pizza without losing crispiness is in a frying pan on the stovetop. See my notes on reheating leftover pizza.
When cheese melts, the fats separate from the milk solids and rise to the surface. It is important to use "fatty or oily" cheeses in moderation. Hard-aged cheeses release the most oil when heated, so use those sparingly.
Other factors can include using pre-shredded cheese, adding too much sauce or an improper oven temperature.
More Fun & Unique Pizza Flavors
Looking for more fun and unique pizza flavors? Try these:
If you made this Four Cheese Pizza Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
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Four Cheese Pizza Recipe
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 Pizza Crust 14"
- Cooking Spray
- Pinch of Cornmeal (optional)
- 1 cup Pizza Marinara Sauce
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- ½ cup Feta Cheese dried and crumbled (see note)
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Fresh Mozzarella Cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500°F. When the oven has reached 500°F, reduce the temperature to 475°F. Prepare a pizza pan with cooking spray and a light sprinkle of cornmeal (optional, but it helps the pizza dough not stick).
- On a 14" pizza crust, evenly spread out the pizza marinara sauce. Top with parmesan, feta, cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses (in this order, for best results). Bake for 14-16 minutes until the pizza is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Notes
- (note) Before crumbling the feta, place the block of feta into a towel and squeeze out as much of the brine as possible.
- Avoid using pre-shredded cheeses. Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents and can cause your pizza to come out oily, and the cheese not to melt.
- For extra bubbly and browned cheese, place the pizza under the broiler for a few minutes after baking. Keep an eye on it; it can burn quickly!
- Store leftover pizza in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. There are a few options to reheat the pizza, the best option being the stovetop.
- Pizza can be fully prepared and frozen, unbaked, for up to 3 months.
- Some additional extra toppings include chili flakes (if you like it spicy), honey butter drizzle, hot honey, spices such as Italian seasoning, paprika, or oregano, and using garlic butter for a base instead of red sauce!
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Allison says
Yummy cranberries have try this tonight. Great content keep up the great work. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Jessica says
Thank you! Let me know what you think!
Jessica says
Cheese pizza is a classic pizza flavor and one that we love to make regularly! We hope that you will love this four cheese pizza recipe as much as we do!