There are SO MANY flour choices available to home pizza nerds.
You may have heard that Tipo 00 flour is the best for making pizza, but it’s expensive 💰 (and what if you can’t find it near you??)
What can you buy in its place?
What are the best substitutes for 00 flour?
Bread flour, all-purpose flour, and white whole wheat flour are the best substitutes for 00 flour. You can mostly use them interchangeably in recipes, but the taste and texture of your pizza will differ depending on your choice.
- All-Purpose: Lower protein content. Less rise & structure. More likely to be crunchy.
- Bread flour: High protein content. More rise. Very similar to Tipo 00 flour for home ovens!
- Whole Wheat: Whole wheat is nutritious, but has a dense, chewy crust, and isn’t used traditionally for pizza (but it’s totally possible). White whole wheat usually retains the most similar substitution from 00 flour.
Many pizza makers swear by Tipo 00, but what about home pizzaiolos?
I’ve made a gazillion pizzas and experimented with ALL of these flours.
Let’s dive into some pizza flour substitutions 👇
What Is Tipo 00 Flour? (And How Is It Different?)
“Tipo” means “type” in Italian, and these are soft wheat flour found all over Europe (but in the U.S. too)!
Manufacturers divide soft wheat flour into categories based on the type of wheat, protein content, ash content, and grain fineness.
The lower the assigned number, the finer the grain, (and the lower the ash content).
- Tipo 00 flour, otherwise known as double zero flour, is the most finely milled flour available. To make Tipo 00, manufacturers remove the germ and bran components of durum wheat kernels, resulting in a white, light-weight, easy-to-work-with flour.
- Tipo 0 flour is slightly less refined than Tipo 00. It’s similar to all-purpose flour in color, texture, and smoothness.
- Type 1 flour is less refined than Tipo 0 because it retains bran throughout the milling process. Keeping the bran and germ makes Type 1 flour more nutrient-dense than Tipo 00, leading to a slightly nutty flavor. Type 1 flour is similar in texture to bread flour.
- Type 2 flour, often called semi-wholemeal flour, is the coarsest of all the flour types. Unlike the other flour types listed, Type 2 flour keeps the wheat kernel’s bran component during milling, reducing its elasticity but retaining its nutrients. Type 2 flour is known as white whole wheat flour.
Tipo 00 flour is used for traditional Neapolitan pizzas, and yields a crunchy-yet-soft, bubbly crust.
This flour works best in high-temperature pizza ovens that get to 800-1,000F degrees.
Four Substitutes for 00 Flour
If you don’t have 00 flour on hand, you can easily substitute all-purpose, bread, or whole-wheat flour in its place.
IMPORTANT NOTE: These flours are all less refined than Tipo 00 flour, and will probably absorb more water. You can generally use a 1-to-1 ratio for substitution, but you might have to change up your cook time!
There’s no single “right answer” for flour substitution ratios (for pizza at least). I recommend starting with a 1:1 ratio–and experimenting as needed until you find the perfect crust you like.
Don’t forget that they’ll also alter the taste and texture of your final pizza.
- Bread flour is an excellent substitute for 00 flour, and will have a similar “bubbly,” “bread-like” texture for the crust. It can sometimes be a bit chewy, depending on your dough recipe. Bread flour is high in protein content! (usually 11-13%). Click here for our guide to using bread flour for pizza.
- All-purpose flour is another replacement option, but the higher protein content in all-purpose flour often leads to a less airy crust. This crust gets really crunchy.
- Whole wheat flour is less refined than 00 flour because it retains the bran, germ, and endosperm during milling. Whole wheat flour changes the taste of baked goods more than any other option. It’s way better for you (nutrition-wise), but the crust usually gets dense and chewy.
- You can also substitute a mix of flours for Tipo 00. Feel free to experiment with combining 50/50 all-purpose, bread, and Tipo 00 flours. This also saves some money!
Is pastry flour a good substitute for 00 flour?
Pastry flour isn’t a great substitute because it lacks the structure to create a solid pizza crust. It’s usually lighter, with less protein content, and therefore won’t produce a great crust.
What’s the Best Flour for Pizza?
To determine the best flour for your pizza, you’ll need to decide which style of pizza you like!
- Bread flour is the ideal choice for Detroit or Sicilian pizzas. The high protein content in bread flour leads to a delicious, high-rising crust. I also recommend bread flour for any pizza you make in a home oven (which only gets to 500-550F degrees).
- Tipo 00 flour is perfect for Neapolitan pizzas, but you’ll need a dedicated outdoor oven that can reach 800 to 900 degrees to make it (or at least to give it the traditional taste and texture.
- All-purpose flour can also create a tasty pizza crust that is not too chewy. Many home chefs use all-purpose flour because it’s such a common ingredient to stock.
Ultimately, I recommend starting with bread flour for any pizza made in your home oven, and experiment with mixtures of bread and all-purpose if you’d like a lighter crust.
If you have an Ooni pizza oven (or any high-temp pizza oven), stick with Tipo 00 flour!
Where to Buy 00 Flour?
You can find King Arthur 00 flour at most local grocery stores or Molino Grassi at Whole Foods.
If you’re searching for a more authentic version of 00 flour, look for Caputo 00 flour on Amazon.
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NOTE: Just be sure to choose a Caputo 00 flour with a high percentage of protein content! They make different 00 flours!
Flour F.A.Q.s
Can You Substitute All-Purpose Flour for 00 Flour?
Yes, you can substitute all-purpose flour for 00 flour. The crust will feel less crunchy and airy, but all-purpose flour is better for home-cooked pizzas. Double-zero flour requires extremely high temperatures to bake.
Reverse: Can You Substitute 00 Flour for All-Purpose Flour?
Yes, you can substitute 00 flour for all-purpose flour, but most home cooks won’t recommend it. Traditional ovens can’t reach the necessary temperature required for 00 flour to bake. If your range can’t reach 800 degrees, choose all-purpose or bread flour rather than Tipo 00.
Can I use plain flour instead of 00 flour for pasta?
Yes, but pastry flour is often a better substitute for 00 flour in pasta. Pastry flour creates a soft pasta dough similar to the dough from Tipo 00.
Is 00 flour the same as bread flour?
No, you can substitute bread flour for 00 flour, but they are not the same. Bread flour is made from hard wheat, while 00 flour is from soft wheat. Bread flour is coarser than Tipo 00. As a result of the milling process, it also retains more protein.