How to Cut a Pizza?[All You Need to Know!]

Cutting a pizza sounds like a simple layman’s thing to do. Although simple it has its own enigma and charm. After all, human beings have had a fascination with circular objects and found numerous mathematical calculations to decipher the same.

A round pie, in a square box sliced into triangles this sphere-shaped dough has a history, popularity, charm, and mystery of its own. Never ceases to fascinate us and is loved by all generations. Today let’s deep dive into the puzzle of cutting this round pie.

A pizza can be easily cut into any number of slices using a chef’s knife or various pizza-cutting tools such as a pizza wheel, pizza scissors, or pizza knife. You may also use a pizza board or a pizza cutter guide as a reference to help you to cut the number of slices you want.

In this article, we shall look into all the essentials needed to cut a pizza, the tools needed and when is the best time to cut this pie. Also, some common questions that arise in your mind regarding the process of cutting.

How Do You Cut A Pizza Into Slices?

There are two most essential things that are required before cutting a pizza:

A good pizza-cutting tool.

Clarity on how many slices you want to cut the pizza in.

Steps to cut a pizza:

The very first step is the line in the center of the pie dividing the into half getting two equal portions. To get the pizza into an even number of 4 0r 8 slices go on cutting it into halves till you get the desired slices.
If you have decided to cut it into 6 or 12 slices. Then first cut the pizza at a 60-degree angle to get 6 slices, and further, divide each slice into halves to get 12 slices.

If you would like to get 3 or 5 slices. The angle of each slice needs to be 120 degrees and 72 degrees respectively. Mark the angles using a protractor and start cutting from one side of the pie and reach the center. Make the angles respectively.

You may also decide to invest in a pizza protractor as it helps you in getting a good indication and guide on how the slices need to be cut. Also, a pizza cutting board helps you to slice the pizza easily using various tools.

What are the Best Tools To Cut A Pizza?

You have your favorite pie baked and piping hot fresh out of the oven. All you wait for is to slice it and enjoy it. There are various pizza-cutting tools available to help you slice the pie in the easiest and most convenient way for you!

Here are some of the useful pizza-cutting tools that will help you easily slice a pizza.

1. Chef’s knife

A Chef’s knife is the most common and widely available tool in the kitchen. It is sharp and also we are generally the most familiar with it as it is used very often. It cuts the pizza into slices easily as you can conveniently keep the knife over the pie in a horizontal position and with a little amount of pressure slices can be cut.

2. Pizza Wheel

Pizza Cutters have a round rotating wheel with sharp edges, it cuts the bread while the knife is being rotated. They are getting popular today, and are used widely in many homes. It is easy to use but the biggest disadvantage is controlling the wheel as with even a little more amount of pressure the wheel moves in a different direction, which can mess up the slices.

3. Pizza Knife Cutter

It is a sharp curved knife with handles at both ends. It is very similar to a chef’s knife and offers better control over cutting the pie. It is also a rocking pizza knife as it is placed where you would like to cut slices and rocked gently alternating on both ends.

4. Pizza Cutting Scissors

They are a special set of scissors that are meant to cut pizza. They are sharp and offer far much better control than any other pizza-cutting tool.

However, the biggest disadvantage is when the pizza is super hot and straight out of the oven it is difficult to cut with them. You would need to wait for some time till the pizza has cooled and you can handle it.

How to cut a pizza using a pizza cutter Wheel?

The pizza cutter wheel is the most commonly used pizza-cutting tool. It is popular as it is easy and looks super simple – a handle with a rotating blade shaped like a wheel. However, using the wheel isn’t as easy as it seems if your grip isn’t proper. Also, the amount of pressure you exert will influence the wheel.

Here are a few steps which will act as a guide to using a pizza wheel:

Determine the center of the pizza as well as the number of pieces that you want to cut.

Mark the angles if you want equal slices or get an estimate of how the slices would be cut.
With this start by cutting the pizza from one side until the center of the pie. Hold or have a good grip without exerting too much pressure on the pizza wheel while you make the first slice. As exerting more pressure might make the wheel run away or slip and ruin the center of your pizza.
Then make slices accordingly while moving the wheel in a back-and-forth motion so that the cheese doesn’t stick to the wheel.

How to cut pizza with a scissor?

Pizza Scissors are really easy to use. They work well for most pizzas especially the thin crust pizzas. Scissors work well by allowing you to hold the crust and work towards the slicing of the pie. Another great advantage of using scissors is you can cut the crust in one single movement also the cheese dsnt easily get stuck to the blade which happens in a pizza wheel.

You can use simple scissors or the ones that are specially designed for cutting pizzas called pizza scissors.

Steps to cut a pizza using scissors

Hold the pie in front of you and estimate the cuts you would like to make.
Hold the pizza scissors in one hand and in the opposite hand hold the crust lifting it from the base so as to allow the scissors to work through the base.
For making other slices you can cut from the center or turn the pizza around and start from outside working your way inside.

How do you cut a Pizza Perfectly?

There are several ways to cut a pizza perfectly. However, the best way is to determine the numbers the slices that you would like to cut and the calculate the angles that you need to measure and cut each slice into.

Here are a few tools that will help you achieve the perfect angles and slices of the pizza:

1. Pizza Protractor Cutter

Pizza Protractors are semi circle shaped metal instruments that have markings just like a normal protractor. They allow you to cut a pizza into 6 or 8 slices. On one side you have the markings and the angles which allow you to cute 6 number of slices. On the reverse you have angles marked that allow you to divide the pizza easily into 8 slices.

2. Pizza Cutting Board

They are made from various types of wood such as maple, teak, or oak. Most boards are circular in shape and some have handles and some do not. Also, many pizza cutting boards have slices marked on them to as a guide that allow you to cut the pie according to the slices.

Most common markings are for 6 slices. This can also be easily used to cut a pizza into 3, 4, 8, or 12 slices.

3. Pizza Cutter Guide

Pizza Cutter Guide is a circular steel ring with sharp blades which can be easily placed on a pizza and then the slices can be cut easily by rocking the pizza cutter guide gently. It is a one-step process to cut the pizza into slices.

However, the biggest disadvantage of this tool is that it comes with a preset number of slices, which can not be changed. A 10-slice pizza cutter guide cannot be used to get 8 or 12 slices.

Do you need a pizza cutting board?

You can cut a pizza without a pizza cutting board with a pair of quality sharp scissors. They give you better control while cutting pizza into a different number of slices. However, it is better to invest in a good quality pizza cutting board as it is not always possible to cut pizza with scissors especially when it is hot.

A quality wooden board made from woods such as maple, teak, and oak is a good option. Pizza cutting boards allow better control while you are using a chef’s knife, a pizza knife, or a pizza cutter. Also, it prevents your knives and cutters from getting damaged.

What is the right time to cut a pizza?

Most chefs recommend that the right time to cut a pizza is once it is out of the oven. Since the bread and the other ingredients are soft thus it is easier to make cuts on the pizza. However, I have experienced that the right to cut a pizza is to wait for about 2 to 3 minutes after the pizza is out of the oven.

The cheese and the sauce aren’t melting and are runny, as they settle down. Also, the bread is warm. Overall the pizza has cooled a bit which makes it easier to handle the pie.

The total number of minutes will also depend on the size of the pizza and the number of toppings. If the pizza is large and is loaded with toppings it will take longer to cool compared to a smaller pizza with lesser toppings.

Best way to cut a pizza for a party?

The best way to cut a pizza for a party would be to decide the number of pieces that would like to cut the pie in. Also, another deciding factor would be if you are serving pizza as a main dish or a side dish. You will need fewer slices if pizza is not the highlight of your party spread.

PapaJohns on their Twitter feed has found the perfect formula to calculate the number of pizzas that you will need to order.

The formula goes as follows:

X(number of guests) * 3/8 equals the number of pizzas you should order.

You can choose to follow the above formula if pizza is the main dish. Alternatively, you can also estimate the same if you are aware of the appetite of your guests.

How do you cut a pizza in 3 ways?

Given below is the best way to cut a pizza into 3 slices.

Start by cutting a pie like you would cut it into halves and stop when are at the center of the pie. However, continue an imaginary line till the end like you would have while dividing the pie into half and making a mark or a cut.
Then measure the distance between the center and the circumference of the pie. This is called the radius of a circle in this case a pie.
On the opposite side of the pie where you have put the mark. Make marks on both sides that are of the same length as the radius.

From the marks at both ends cut the pizza till it meets the center. Thus, you have three equal slices of pizza with all of them having an angle of 120 degrees which when multiplied by the 3 pieces you have cut comes to 360 degrees, which is a whole pizza pie.

To know more ways how to cut a pizza into 3 slices read this detailed article that delves into the nuances of cutting a pie into thirds as well as the different approaches that can be used for the same with estimated calories.

How to cut a pizza in 6 ways?

Given below are a few steps that allow us to slice a pizza into 6 slices easily.

Using a Pizza cutter start cutting the pizza into two halves.
On one half of the pie start cutting diagonally in such a way that it will divide the half into thirds. Extend the line to the second half of the pie.
Create another diagonal line starting from the second half of the pie to the first one.

Alternatively, you could also read the following article which is a detailed guide on How to Cut a Pizza into 6 Slices! [Easy Tips and Tricks!].

How do you cut a pizza in 7 ways?

The easiest way is to roughly eyeball every slice. Although this method takes a little understanding.

Following are the steps to roughly get 7 equal slices.

Prepare to divide the pizza in Half.
Mark the top and bottom of the pizza that will divide it into halves.
On any one of the halves make two points above and below the center line, that is at a distance from the center of the pizza. Roughly at a 30 degrees angle from the center.

Start cutting the pizza to the center then cut at an angle above and below the central line which cuts the pizza into halves.
Cut the remaining two portions into 3 slices on each side.

The method helps you in getting a slice and then dividing the remaining two portions of the pizza into roughly 3 equal slices to get 6 more slices.

Alternatively, you could also read a detailed guide on How to cut a Pizza into 7 Slices? [ 7 Easy Ways you need To Know!]. This article will provide in-depth knowledge on the cutting techniques as well as various ways to achieve 7 slices proportionately.

How to cut a pizza into 8 slices?

Steps to cut a pizza into 8 equal slices:

Divide the pie into two equal halves horizontally and vertically resulting in 4 equal slices.

Further, divide each slice into halves.
You have divided the pizza pie into 8 equal slices.

There is more than one way to cut a pizza into 8. To know the other interesting ways on getting 8 slices go through a detailed article on How to cut a Pizza into 8 slices! [And Why?] which also describes a pizza theorem regarding a unique way of getting equal slices cut into 8 for 2 people.

How to cut a Pizza into 9 slices?

If you do not mind that the shape of your pizza has to be in triangles, then you can cut it into squares and triangles. This is a common method that is used to get slices when you want to cut the pizza into many slices. Also, this method is easy as well as the slices that are obtained are not very big. Thus, it works well if your pizza is a side dish.

Steps to get 9 slices using parallel lines

Estimate the center of the pizza and the central line that will divide the pizza into halves vertically.

Cut by making two lines that run parallel above and below the central line.
Now estimate the central line of the pizza that divides the pizza horizontally.
Cut by making two lines that run parallel above and below the central line.

You have 9 slices of pizza, 4 triangles, and 5 squares.

This is a non-traditional way of cutting a pizza however, to cut slices equally into 9 triangles and some other methods, you could also read a detailed guide on How to Cut a Pizza into 9 slices! [Simple and best ways!]

How do you cut a pizza according to Math?

Pizzas are a popular choice of food across the world over so it is tempting and compelling to make use of math over a circular pie. You can even calculate the number of pizzas you need to order for your guests with the help of math. Also, there are various slicing techniques that will blow you over and make slicing your pies super simple and easy.

Here are a few methods that can be implemented using math on a pizza.

1. Using Geometry

Geometry is super helpful in cutting a pizza. Since any circle is made up of 360 degrees. You can divide the number of slices by 360 degrees to get the angle at which you need to cut the slices at.

For example; to get 6 slices of pizza. Divide 360 by 6. The answer comes to 60 degrees.

Further using geometric tools you can measure a 60-degree angle at which you need to cut the pizza slices at.

2. Fractions

Fractions can be applied to cut pizzas as well. You can divide the number of pizzas by the number of people that you have to serve. Such that each person gets an equal slice of pizza.

This video helps you get a better understanding of the application of fractions to divide pizzas equally among people.

3. Pizza Theorem

The pizza theorem states that two equal areas are obtained when a circular shape is separated in a certain way.

The theorem is called a pizza theorem because it mimics a traditional pizza-slicing technique. It shows that if two people share a pizza sliced into 8 pieces (or any multiple of 4 greater than 8), and take alternating slices, then they will each get an equal amount of pizza, irrespective of the central cutting point.

4. Monohedral Disk Tiling

Monohedral disc tiling is a mathematical process of cutting the pizza into curved slices instead of flat slices so as to get equal slices every time. It starts by cutting the pizza into curved lines or a star shape and then dividing them equally again to obtain 12 slices and so forth.

This process can be applied to get pizza into 20, 28, or even 36 slices.

How to Cut a Pizza?[All You Need to Know!]