Top Yeast Brands for Perfect Pizza Dough Magic!

When it comes to crafting the perfect pizza, selecting the right yeast is crucial for achieving that sought-after airy crust. The market is brimming with various yeast options, making it a bit overwhelming to choose the best one for your homemade pizzas. From instant yeast to active dry yeast, each brand offers unique characteristics that can influence your pizza's texture and flavor. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a list of the best yeast brands for pizza enthusiasts. Discover our top recommendations below.

Illustration of yeast for pizza

Best brands of yeast for pizza in 2025

Caputo

Caputo, established in 1924, is a renowned Italian brand that produces a 100% Saccharomyces cerevisiae dry active yeast from Italian molasses, ideal for pizza dough, providing consistent results and a long shelf life of 2 years, with a recommended usage of 0.2% of the flour weight for poolish. It is a natural product, and it is also gluten and lactose free. This yeast is widely used in Naples for pizza making, boasting high fermentative power that enhances the flavor of doughs, and is preferred over fresh yeast for its consistent strength and easy storage, requiring one third of the amount used for fresh yeast. You can find Caputo yeast here.

Red Star

Red Star, a trusted brand since the late 1880s, offers premium active dry yeast, derived from a pure strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that is specially cultured to retain its leavening power and is ideal for pizza dough, with a recommended usage of 1-3% of flour weight after rehydration. They also provide a platinum instant sourdough yeast for those looking for a sourdough flavor, all while ensuring consistent quality and performance for both home and professional bakers.

Fleischmann's

Fleischmann's, established in 1868, is a long-standing American brand known for producing various types of yeast, including their pizza crust yeast, which contains enzymes and dough relaxers like L-cysteine to reduce rising time and improve dough pliability, enabling a quick 30-minute pizza preparation. This yeast is specifically designed for pizza crust and not recommended for bread baking, offering a convenient and reliable option for homemade pizza, with each packet containing approximately 2-1/4 teaspoons of yeast. The brand also produces active dry yeast and rapid rise yeast that are suitable for pizza dough.

SAF Instant

SAF Instant, a globally recognized brand established in 1973, is a top producer of instant dry yeast, particularly known for its pizza-specific yeast that ensures consistent dough stability, smooth extensibility, and a perfectly golden crust, with a recommended usage of 1% to 3% based on flour weight. Their yeast eliminates the need for pre-dissolving in water, offering convenience for both professional and home bakers, making it a reliable choice for various dough applications, including pizza. This commitment to quality and innovation has made SAF Instant the #1 selling yeast worldwide.

Vivibio

Vivibio, established in 2001, offers a selection of organic food products, including yeast, and is recognized as a reliable brand for pizza dough, ensuring healthy and balanced options with simple ingredients; while they don't specify a percentage for their yeast, other brands use about 0.4% to 1.5% yeast in pizza dough. Their products are made with a focus on natural processes and without chemicals or GMOs, aligning with a macrobiotic philosophy that promotes a long and healthy life, making them a great choice for quality pizza.

Lesaffre

Lesaffre, established in 1853, is a leading global producer of yeast, including specialized pizza yeast like Saf-Pizza, which is designed to prevent dough shrinkage and ensure a consistent, light, and crunchy crust; Lesaffre's expertise in fermentation has led to the development of instant dry yeast that is convenient for pizza makers, and they estimate that approximately one out of three breads worldwide is made using their yeast; they also offer a variety of baking ingredients and sourdough products to meet diverse baking needs; with a long history of innovation, they continue to provide high-quality products to both industrial and artisan bakers.

Bob's Red Mill

Bob's Red Mill is a highly-regarded producer of active dry yeast, which is essential for achieving a flavorful and sturdy pizza crust, and their gluten-free option is praised by many users for consistently delivering great results, with 2 1/4 teaspoons being equivalent to one standard packet of yeast, making it easy to use in recipes; many customers report that their yeast is reliable for making various baked goods, including pizza, and it is often compared to the yeast used by professional bakers, highlighting its quality. Bob's Red Mill also offers a gluten-free pizza crust mix that includes a yeast packet, suitable for making two 12-inch pizzas, and the brand's yeast is available in resealable packaging to maintain freshness.

King Arthur

King Arthur Baking Company, established in 1790, is a premier producer of baking products, offering high-quality yeast, especially SAF instant yeast, a staple in their test kitchen for over two decades. This yeast is known for its reliable and quick performance in various doughs. Additionally, their bread flour boasts a high protein content of 12.7%, a full point higher than other national brands, making it ideal for achieving a perfect rise in pizza dough. Many customers praise the consistent quality of their yeast products.

Lallemand

Lallemand, a world-class producer of baking ingredients, offers a variety of yeasts, including the aromatic Florapan® range, which are excellent for pizza dough, enhancing flavor profiles with fruity and floral notes; they also provide Instaferm® instant dry yeast, designed for regular and high-sugar doughs, suitable for pizza, artisan loaves, and more, with some varieties having a 93-97% solid content and a viability of ≥ 1 x 10^9 living cells per gram. Fermaid® products are also offered, which can be used as a natural dough conditioner for improved extensibility in pizza doughs and other baked goods. Lallemand Baking, with over 100 years of experience, focuses on innovative solutions in the baking industry and operates yeast plants in several countries worldwide. For more information, you can visit their website.

Hodgson Mill

Hodgson Mill, a brand established in 1882, is a trusted producer of yeast, including fast-rise options ideal for pizza dough, offering a reliable 25% more yeast per packet than many standard brands, ensuring a good rise, especially when using whole grain flours, and they also offer gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions.