Pizza is loved around the world — crispy crust, gooey cheese, savory sauce — what’s not to love? But if you’re keeping kosher, or just curious about Jewish dietary laws, you might ask: what exactly makes a pizza kosher?
Let’s break it down in simple terms.
First, What Does “Kosher” Mean?
“Kosher” is a Hebrew word that means “fit” or “proper.” In the context of food, it refers to anything that follows kashrut, the set of Jewish dietary laws found in the Torah. These laws outline:
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Which animals can be eaten (e.g., no pork or shellfish),
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How they must be slaughtered and prepared,
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How dairy and meat must never be mixed,
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And the need for supervision to ensure ingredients and equipment stay kosher.
So, What Makes Pizza Kosher?
1a. Kosher Dough
Pizza dough is usually made with flour, water, yeast, and salt — all kosher by default. However, to be certified kosher, it must be:
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Made in a kosher facility, and
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Free from non-kosher additives (like animal-derived enzymes or fats).
1b. Kemach Yashan
Kemach Yashan, literally “old flour” in Hebrew, refers to flour made from grain that has taken root before Passover, specifically within the five grains (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, and rye). After Passover, all grain that took root before the holiday is considered “yashan” (old). Flour derived from this grain is called kemach yashan.
2a. Kosher Cheese
Cheese is the trickiest part. While milk is kosher, not all cheese is. That’s because cheese is made using rennet — an enzyme that can come from animals.
To be kosher, cheese must:
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Be made with kosher rennet,
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Be supervised by a rabbi during production,
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Come with kosher certification (you’ll see symbols like OU, Kof-K, Star-K, etc.).
2b. Chalav Yisrael
Chalav Yisrael dairy, which means the milk used was supervised from the start.
3. Sauce & Toppings
The tomato sauce is usually kosher, but check for additives like meat flavorings or cheese powder.
As for toppings:
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Vegetables, olives, mushrooms, and herbs? Usually kosher.
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Pepperoni or sausage? Not kosher unless it’s from a kosher-certified meat source.
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Meat and cheese together? Not allowed under kosher law.
So most kosher pizzerias serve dairy pizzas only, with no meat.
4a. Kosher Preparation
Even if all the ingredients are kosher, the pizza must be prepared and cooked using kosher equipment:
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No mixing with non-kosher foods,
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No sharing ovens with meat-based or non-kosher pizzas,
4b. Kosher Supervision and Certification
Hechsher is a certification mark indicating that a food product meets the dietary laws of kashrut, which are the Jewish dietary laws governing what is permissible to eat. This mark plays a crucial role in helping observant Jews determine whether a food item is kosher, meaning it adheres to the specific requirements set forth by Jewish law. The hechsher can be issued by various authorities, and its presence or absence significantly influences food consumption within Jewish communities.