Is Pizza Crust Yeast The Same As Instant Yeast?

Last updated on September 5th, 2022 at 05:07 am

Pizza is a much-loved food. Its layers of sauce, meat and cheese are irresistible and delicious. Ever wonder what makes the crust so light and airy? It’s the yeast that is used in the dough during the pizza making process. 

Usually, dough takes a while to rise before it can be cooked which is what gives you that wonderful fluffy crust. But, there is a type of yeast that makes this process go a little faster. It is pizza yeast. 

Pizza yeast considerably reduces the amount of time it takes for the crust to rise and in some cases makes it where it doesn’t have to rise at all. Although this can affect quality, if you want a pizza right away, then pizza yeast is great to use. 

Now, you may know of another yeast used in bread-like recipes like pizza crust that rises quickly called instant yeast. So, since pizza crust yeast rises quickly, does that mean it is the same as instant yeast?

Pizza crust yeast and instant dry yeast are very similar and do pretty much the same thing. The difference between the two is that pizza crust yeast contains L-Cysteine which releases the gluten bonds making it easier to shape into that circle pizza shape.

Pizza yeast is a yeast blend that makes the dough easier to shape your pizza into that familiar circle pizza shape. Pizza yeast is much easier to work with to make pizzas than instant yeast is. It is even said that pizza yeast means less time is needed. You don’t even have to take time to let the crust rise as it will rise while baking in the oven. 

With pizza yeast, you can mix, knead, and use the dough all at once. This is faster and more convenient than using other types of yeast such as instant yeast. So, pizza yeast is in fact different from instant yeast since instant yeast lacks that dough relaxer.

Pizza yeast can be substituted for any other type of yeast in a recipe. It is easy to use, but at the expense of quality. When pizza dough is allowed to rise and proof, it ferments for a better texture and flavor making the pizza crust taste really good. 

If you use pizza yeast, then you will lose that great texture and flavor since it isn’t left to rest. It may even result in a soft and spongy pizza crust. But, if you’re in a hurry to make a pizza, then pizza yeast is great to use.

Instant yeast is a rapid rise yeast. This means that by using this type of yeast, the dough will rise faster so it can be used faster. Pizza yeast is instant yeast but with the added dough relaxers that keep it from pulling back whenever you re-shape it into a pizza.

Any yeast works when making a pizza. Instant yeast is often used and is what is in pizza yeast because it rises a lot faster than fresh yeast. Fresh yeast can take about 45 minutes to fully rise while instant yeast takes only about 5 to 10 minutes. This is why it is used alot in pizza making recipes. 

So, you can start filling your pizza faster without waiting so long. This is also why pizza yeast contains instant yeast in it.

Can I Substitute Pizza Yeast For Instant Yeast?

Of course you can substitute pizza yeast for instant yeast. They are basically the same thing. The only difference is that pizza yeast contains L-Cysteine which is a dough relaxer. You can even use your pizza yeast for yeast in any other recipe. 

Before we dive into the different types of yeast, let’s talk about what yeast even is. Yeast is a culture used in baking, cooking, and brewing. There are different types of yeast and each one has its own special characters that make it perfect for whatever purpose it has. 

That is why it’s important to use the right kind of yeast for whatever you are making. Here are the different types of yeast and how they function:

1. Baking Yeast. This yeast acts as a leavening agent while it is fermenting. It is the reason bread gets so fluffy, light, and airy. This also helps the bread/baked goods to rise. Baking yeasts include:

1. Active dry yeast – The yeast should be dissolved in warm liquid to activate it. It cannot be exposed to liquid hotter than 110F or it will kill the yeast.
2. Fresh/cake yeast – This yeast is very perishable and should be prepared before each use. It is dissolved in a liquid before adding it to the recipe.
3. Liquid yeast – This is the most popular type of yeast. 
4. Instant yeast – This is the most active and this yeast usually rises immediately. It doesn’t require dissolving in a liquid before use and can be added directly into the recipe.
5. Cooking Yeast. These yeasts are used as a flavoring and to give a boost to recipes. They don’t need to be cooked. There are two of these which are used differently. These include:

1. Nutritional yeast – This is a deactivated yeast commonly used in vegan recipes and often used as a topping or seasoning for foods.
2. Yeast extract – This yeast is concentrated and is often in paste-form. It has a pungent flavor and can be used in a variety of ways.

Pizza yeast is a form of instant yeast. It has a dough relaxer added in to make it more suitable for shaping. If you are wanting to substitute pizza yeast for instant yeast, you can. Since they are basically the same thing, these can be substituted for each other. 

It may be a little more work to use the instant yeast for pizza yeast because pizza yeast will be easier to mold and shape. Instant yeast doesn’t contain the dough relaxer and so it is more likely to snap back while you are trying to shape your pizza crust. 

If you are making a recipe that involves using instant yeast and all you have is pizza yeast, this is fine to use. In fact, it will be easier to knead and shape. As you can see, you can substitute pizza yeast for instant yeast.

Final Thoughts

Pizza yeast isn’t the same as instant yeast. The difference is that pizza yeast contains L-Cysteine which is a dough relaxer. This makes it easier to shape the pizza dough into that family circular shape ready to be topped with layers of sauce, meat and cheese. 

Instant yeast lacks this ingredient, but the two can be used interchangeably. So, while pizza yeast isn’t the same as instant yeast, they are both basically the same except for the added dough relaxer.