Enjoying a pizza, especially the Italian pie, is perhaps one of the most refreshingly awarding experiences after a hectic day. But does it ever dazzle you how the service crew cuts the pies in equal proportions? Have you imagined yourself replicating that handy skill, or do you squirm at the mention of it?
Cutting a pizza is a very distinct step in preparing and serving a pizza, as you could easily doom your dinner by ripping off the toppings to one side, maybe. If you occasionally make pizza at home, you should already know the skill to always cut clean slices, apart from making six or eight equal slices. This guide is all about that.
How to cut a Pizza Into 8 Pieces?
As I mentioned above, cutting a pizza involves a skill, arithmetic mostly, and a few precautions. You may have mastered the latter, but if not, I’ve got a small section at the end pointing out the tips. You need a very simple arithmetic perspective to make eight equal slices.
Steps-1: Start by approximating the center of the pie and cut a straight diametric line through. You now have two equal halves of the pizza.
Steps-2: Make another cut normal to the first cut such that the two equal halves are split into four equal quarters.
Steps-3: We now split the for equal quarters by half (cutting through the center four more times across two opposite quarters at a time.)
There you have the eight approximately equal slices! That wasn’t hard at all. Next time you are in a gang of eight, you will possibly split the catch equally!
How do I Cut a Pizza Into 6 Pieces?
If you’re overly dependent on the above method, this one might seem rather demanding already. On the contrary, it’s equally simple, with the right mental math and skill. Here’s the cheat sheet to always get it right, at least most of the times:
Steps-1: Again, you begin by locating the center. Split the pizza into two halves.
Steps-2: You’ll’ need some visual geometry skills for this step. Visualize the half in three equal parts. You may need to make small markings at the edge to get the proportionality right.
Steps-3: Every two opposite markings on the two halves should lie in the same centerline. Cut through this line, through the two halves, two times to get your six halves.
It takes a bit of skill to always get six equal slices without inscribing small marks all over the pizza’s edge.
Pizza Cutting Cheat Tools
I call them cheat tools for a reason – they help you make very precise slices but without engaging any skill, at least. What are they?
a. A protractor
This tool works just like a drawing protractor, and by the way, you can use the latter. The pizza protractor measures the slices in angles. You first decide the number of slices you want and then divide 360 by that number. The resultant angle can be easily stepped on the pizza edge. This method provides very accurate results and can be used to make any possible number of slices.
b. A metal cutter
Metal cutters are used to cut cakes, but it doesn’t stop at that. You can place your pizza on the metal cutter to trace out the lines to cut through. You must, however, place the cutter at the center of the pizza for the best results. Press the cutter, and the pizza will be parted into slices just like the divisions on the cutter.
c. A monohedral disc
Do you wish to make a unique impression by cutting up unique slices of the pie? Here’s is a quick fix for you. Just like a pizza protractor, the monohedral disc is placed on the pizza, but in this case, the disc has very unique traces to cut through. Interestingly, there’s not a single straight line, yet the slices are usually fancier than ever.
Up to this point, we’ve not mentioned the tool(s) you need. Apart from the obvious pizza cutter, you can use other ‘cutters’ for the job. These include:
- A chef’s knife
- Shears
- Rocking blade
- A monohedral blade
How to cut a Pizza With Various Apparatus
a. Chef’s knife
Perhaps this is one of the first tools to be used to slice a pizza. However, the risk is the sawing action that could dislodge the topping from their intended positions into a crumbled-up mess on one edge. If you must use a kitchen knife, ensure it is long enough, preferably 12”-14”. This way, you can make an entire cut in one go. A shorter knife can also be used, in which case you need to make short back and forth strokes until the entire length is cut.
b. Shears
As unlikely as it may sound, kitchen scissors make exceptionally neat cuts. Shears cut from above and underneath, producing no jagged edges at all. Better yet, some shears come with an extra spatula to support the slice as you lift.
c. Meat cleaver
Apart from cutting a pizza effortlessly, a meat cleaver can also be used to remove the pizza from the tray and serve the cut slices. If you like spinning the pizza, say in the oven, a meat cleaver could be handy for that too.
d. Pizza knife
Pizza knives come in many designs, but they have one common feature; a slightly curved and long blade with a handle on one side and a provision for pressing on the other end. You rock the blade back and forth along the entire line to be cut.
e. French chef’s blade
This tool resembles a pizza knife, except that the cutting edge is straight, and it has handles on both sides. Just place the blade over the pizza and press. The knife also works well with a hardened crust which could be a problem for a pizza wheel or pizza cutter.
Tips to Cutting Smooth-Edged Pizza Slices
No matter how good you could presently be at slicing a pizza, your initial experiences must have been trying. From making jagged slices to dislodging the toppings as you attempted to saw your way through the pie, dissatisfaction is usual at first.
So, how do you make those perfect slices? Here are a few key tips:
- Always use a sharp cutting tool
A blunt tool will do nothing more than massacre your dinner treat. Even a pizza wheel is not excused here. The blade, but always be as sharp as possible. Careful with the cutting edge, though!
- Cut immediately
Always cut the pizza immediately you take it from the oven. The pizza crust starts hardening, and it could be too late for you, especially without an ideal cutting tool.
You, however, need to wait for a few seconds for the cheese to adhere.
Wrap up
At this point, I’d expect you to want to share your newly learned pizza cutting tips. Also, don’t be afraid to try out the different cutting tools described and give us a response.
Enjoy your perfect slices.

Jennifer D. Simon has spent the last 26 years studying and practicing nutrition science. She has used a larger part of this time in improving people’s livelihoods. She has done so by coming up with unquestionable ideas on how to tackle food problems in her community. Read More
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