Pizza is one of the most popular foods around the world, with origins tracing back hundreds of years to Italy. With its delicious combination of bread, tomato sauce, cheese, and various toppings, it’s no wonder pizza has become a staple food for so many. But does pizza also contain that elusive fifth taste known as umami?
What is umami?
Umami is considered the fifth basic taste, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The word “umami” comes from the Japanese language, meaning “pleasant savory taste.” It is described as a meaty, brothy, and savory taste sensation.
Foods that are naturally high in umami include seaweed, mushrooms, cured meats, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, and soy sauce. The umami taste comes from glutamate, which is found in the amino acid glutamic acid. Glutamates bind to umami receptors on our tongues, which sends signals to our brains that we are eating something delicious and savory.
Umami ingredients in pizza
When you look at the basic components of pizza, there are a few that contribute umami flavor:
- Tomato sauce – Made from cooked tomatoes, tomato sauce is rich in natural umami from the tomatoes’ glutamates.
- Cheese – Hard cheeses like Parmesan and mozzarella contain glutamates that give them an umami punch.
- Meat toppings – Cured meats like pepperoni and sausage provide meaty, savory umami flavor.
- Mushrooms – When cooked, mushrooms develop deep umami notes.
The combination of tomato sauce, cheese, and meat toppings on a pizza add layers of glutamate-rich umami. Even a simple cheese pizza contains sources of umami between the crust, cheese, and tomato sauce. The more toppings, the more potential for umami flavor.
Cooking and umami
The cooking process also enhances the natural umami of ingredients through the Maillard reaction. This is the browning that occurs when foods are cooked at high temperatures. The Maillard reaction produces nutty, savory, umami-rich flavors.
On a pizza, the Maillard reaction occurs in a few places:
- Blistered pizza crust
- Melted, browned cheese
- Crispy pepperoni or sausage
- Caramelized onions, mushrooms, or other vegetables
The high heat of a pizza oven causes the Maillard reaction to take place across the toppings and crust, amplifying umami. Even pizza cooked at home in a regular oven will develop some umami from the cooking process.
Umami flavor combinations
Certain pizza toppings pair especially well together in enhancing the overall umami flavor. Some classic combinations include:
- Pepperoni and mushrooms
- Sausage and caramelized onions
- Prosciutto and arugula
- Anchovies and capers
Complementary toppings build layers of savory glutamates and compounds. The result is a pizza bursting with meaty, mouthwatering umami.
Conclusion
So does pizza have umami? The answer is a resounding yes. Between the classic sauce, cheese, meat toppings, and cooking methods, pizza delivers ample savory, tongue-coating umami. The combination of glutamate-rich ingredients and Maillard reactions produces a dish with deep, complex umami flavor. Pizza is truly the perfect umami delivery system. Next time you bite into a hot slice, concentrate on the rich umami taste it provides.