Not too long ago my friends and I were trying to solve the problem of how to fairly divide pizza for everyone. We watched some YouTube videos on How to Cut a Pizza into 10 Slices, and I was surprised. Pizza slices were done so evenly and quickly!
Of course, the chefs have professionally accurate eyeballing and can easily measure 36 degrees by eye, but what are we supposed to do? So, if you have the same thoughts, let’s figure it out together.
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How to Slice a Pizza Evenly
It’s up to you how many slices you want your pizza. Let it be triangles or rectangles, the main thing is to be comfortable to hold a slice and eat. But if you do choose triangles, you’d like to make the slicing even and neat, wouldn’t you?
And the first thing required is to decide how many slices you are going to divide your pizza into. You can cut any size pizza from 4 to 12 slices, but they will either be too tiny or too wide to handle.
To avoid reinventing the wheel, look at how pizza chains do it, for example, Godfather’s Pizza or Domino’s.
The standard for pizza slicing
According to tonight we pizza here’s a short table of how many slices each pizza size is cut into:
| 6-inch pizza | mini pizza | 4 slices |
| 8-inch pizza | personal pizza | 6 slices |
| 10-inch pizza | small pizza | 6 slices |
| 12-inch pizza | medium pizza | 8 slices |
| 14-inch pizza | large pizza | 10 slices |
| 16-inch pizz | extra-large pizza | 12 slices |
| 18-inch pizza | party pizza | 12 slices |
These ways of cutting pizza are the most convenient, but if that doesn’t fit the number of your eaters, take a slicing from a nearby size. To initially guess how many pizzas and what size you should order, check out our pizza calculator: Pizza Sizes Inches: 5 Reasons Why It Matters.
How to execute the slicing
Pizza chefs advise making the cut with a traditional knife with a long blade or a well-sharpened pizza cutter. In order to get equal slices, each cut must go through the center of the pizza.
Slicing into 4 pieces is the easiest. It is just one horizontal and one vertical line. Once you’ve made 4 slices, it’s not hard to make 8 as well, just by cutting each one in half more.
It’s also not hard to cut pizza into 12 slices if you already have 6. However, cutting into 6 and 10 slices is the hardest to make.
How to split a pizza into 6 parts
Essentially, cut your pizza into two equal halves. It is important that it pass exactly through the center of the pizza, as if it is its diameter. If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with uneven slices.
Each pizza half is to be cut into three even slices. Make sure the pizza halves don’t shift away from each other so you can make the cut through the center. For the second cut, move around the circle 60 degrees and then do it again.
You only need three cuts through the center to divide your pizza into six slices.
How to divide a pizza into 10 parts
Also, start with the initial cut, which will divide your pizza into two equal halves.
Then roll the pizza around a bit to get a 36 degree angle and make the second cut through the center. Again, twist the pizza slightly to a 36-degree angle and repeat the cut through the center. In total, you will need 5 cuts through the center to split the pizza into 10 pieces.
When you watch a YouTube video of a professional chef, it seems very easy, but how do you actually get that 36 degree angle?
3 ideas to make cutting a pizza into 10 slices easier
The best way to slice a pizza into even slices is to purchase a pizza cutting guide, but if you had one handy right now, you probably wouldn’t be reading our article. But maybe you have one, but it doesn’t fit the number of slices?
The most used guides are the 8-piece guides, and they’re completely useless if you want 6 or 10 pieces. So, I want to share with you my experience on how to do without it. Let me introduce you three ways to help you reach the right angle and get the number of slices you want.
The toothpicks method
The idea of the toothpick method is to lightly mark the pizza before you cut it. Stick the first toothpick in the center and place the rest of the toothpicks in a circle for the number of slices you want.
If the markings seem uneven when you have completed the circle, you can correct yourself. If you cut with a knife right away, you wouldn’t get a second chance, would you?
Take the toothpicks out gradually when the knife reaches this point in the circle. The toothpick method doesn’t damage the pizza at all, even if you have missed a couple of times. The puncture from the toothpick is so tiny that it doesn’t make the crust soggy.
The clock face method
Imagine that the pizza is a clock disk and instead of looking for difficult angles, you’re just looking at the minutes in the circle. Slicing into 4 pieces means we cut every 15 minutes or every quarter hour. The quarters of the circle correspond to 45 degrees. The result is two cuts through the center and 4 perfect slices.
So, here’s a little chart:
- 360 degree whole pizza = 60 minutes
- 4 slices of 90 degrees = 4 cuts at 15 minutes
- 5 slices of 72 degrees = 5 cuts at 12 minutes
- 6 slices of 60 degrees = 6 cuts at 10 minutes
- 8 slices of 45 degrees = 8 cuts at 7.5 minutes
- 10 slices of 36 degrees = 10 cuts at 6 minutes
- 12 slices of 30 degrees = 12 cuts at 5 minutes
To be honest, I’m not a great mathematician, and I had a hard time thinking of a 36 degree angle. Suppose I’m not alone in that. But I can visualize a 6 minute interval pretty clearly. Please try it, I’m very curious if you find the clock example workable.
Marking on parchment
Whether you buy frozen pizza or start your own from scratch, chances are you use parchment when baking. Try taking two sheets this time, lining one under the other. Use the first one as usual for baking, and the second as a DIY pizza cutting guide.
Circle your pizza with a pencil before transferring it to the oven on the first parchment. While your pizza is baking, you’ll have enough time to mark up the parchment into as many slices as you need.
You can combine all three methods when creating out the parchment, just don’t pin the toothpicks in, but put them along as you are drawing the cut lines. Now slicing pizza is quick and easy.
Tips for Easy Pizza Cutting
Now that you know how to get your pizza sliced into just the right number of equal slices, read on to find out how to make cutting easier. These tips are both good for frozen pizza and for pizza made from scratch at home.
Give your pizza time to rest
Don’t rush to cut pizza as soon as you take it out of the oven. Wait a few minutes and cutting becomes easier. It’s all about the cheese. The thing is, while it’s super-hot, it doesn’t cut, it stretches. Let the cheese sit and cool down a bit, then it will grip the toppings.
Sharpen your pizza cutter
To get neat pizza slices, use the right tool. A blunt pizza cutter crumbles the crust, pulls the cheese, and shifts the toppings away from the slice. It not only ruins the look, but it also ruins the taste of your pizza.
To avoid this, periodically sharpen your knives and pizza cutters. Sharpening a wheel pizza cutter is a bit more difficult, but there is a couple of ways to cope. Check out our article: How To Sharpen A Pizza Cutter: Guide For All Cutter Types, I’m sure you’ll find it useful.
Useful kitchen utensils
If you have a choice between a short knife or a long one, choose the longest one. To get your pizza sliced evenly, the cuts should go through the center of the circle.
If you don’t have a special pizza cutting tool, get regular kitchen scissors. Kitchen scissors usually have long blades that handle thin a thin crust. For stuffed crust, of course, this is not the best option.
FAQ
How many slices can a pizza be cut into?
It’s all about how many slices you want to get. You can cut a pizza into 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, or 12 even slices. Personal and small pizza sizes are convenient to cut into 6 slices. The medium size is common to divide into 8 slices. And the largest pizza size can be sliced into 10 or 12 pieces. But really, no one can stop you from cutting your pizza into as many pieces as you choose.
How big is a 10 inch pizza?
10-inch pizzas are called small pizzas. A 10-inch pizza is cut into 6 slices, enough to feed two hungry people or for a snack for three. A number of 6 is handy because it divides equally for two and three.
How do you split a pizza into 5?
To cut a pizza into 5 slices, you have to cut a pizza every 72 degrees. To make your life easier, you can use the clock method. The 72 degree angle corresponds to 12 minute intervals on the clock dist.
How do you cut a 16 inch pizza into 6 slices?
A 16-inch pizza is large enough to cut into 10 or 12 slices, but 6 slices are handy, too. Make cuts every 60 degrees and you’ll have enough for three cuts through the center of the pizza to get 6 even slices.
Final Thoughts
Making pizza is a great way to spend an evening with family and friends. It doesn’t matter if it’s homemade pizza or a ready-made one, as long as all of your eaters want a slice. Now you don’t have to worry if you can cut the pizza into equal slices.
Use the clock idea to orient yourself with the angles to cut and help yourself with parchment and toothpicks. To get the neatest slices, let the pizza sit for a few minutes to allow the cheese to get a crust. This way, the cheese glues the toppings on the pizza better and holds its shape more firmly.
Share your pizza cutting ideas and let me know if you like mine!