I Tried Smash Kitchen's Pizza Sauces & Can’t Wait For My Next Girls’ Night In
Here’s how to make your own Glen Powell-approved pies at home.
My ideal girls’ night involves deep chatting over drinks, getting cozy, and enjoying delicious pizza. If that ‘za happens to be homemade, it’s even better. So when Smash Kitchen invited me and my friends to an exclusive pizza-making class in Los Angeles, we cleared our schedules.
I’ve been a huge fan of the brand since Glen Powell co-founded it in April 2025. The hot honey ketchup is a must-have in my kitchen pantry, and now that the company has ventured into chips and popcorn, I’m always snacking. In June, the brand expanded its offerings once more with organic pasta and pizza sauces — including a hot honey flavor. The full collection features Hot Honey Pizza Sauce, Classic Pizza Sauce, and Truffle Pizza Sauce.
To celebrate the launch, the team put together the first-ever Smash Kitchen Labs workshop, offering guests a cooking class, delicious food, and great company for $39 a person. My only experience making pizza at home is of the frozen variety, so I couldn’t wait to bake a pie from scratch while taste-testing the new sauces. Below, you’ll find my honest review of the evening and which sauce I’m keeping stock of next to my hot honey ketchup.
Deciding On A Favorite Flavor Was The Hardest Part
Our night began at the Smash Kitchen headquarters in Studio City, which is a house outfitted with condiment decor and a pool in the backyard. While waiting for everyone to arrive, we snacked on nachos with Smash Kitchen chips and crudités with the brand’s ranch. They also served some wine, which we enjoyed on the patio.
The class was led by Olivia Jebrine, chef and owner of the Olivia’s Table supper club. She taught us how to make our dough and offered suggestions for the best topping pairings. This was also our time to sample each of the flavors to see which sauce we liked the most.
I thought the hot honey would be my No. 1. While it had the sweet, spicy kick I love, the mushroom-rich truffle flavor completely surprised me. The classic was also delicious, and appropriately named. It was nostalgic, simple, and just what you want out of a pizza sauce. In the end, I decided to go half and half with the hot honey and truffle sauces, because I couldn’t choose. Each of these flavors scored a perfect 5 out of 5, and I could easily eat a spoonful of them alone.
How To Make A Smash Kitchen Pizza
If you’re thinking of making your own Smash Kitchen pizza, the recipe we used included the following ingredients:
- 360g all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp instant dry yeast
- 284g warm water
- 1.5 tbsp Smash Kitchen extra virgin olive oil
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, slowly add in the warm water and olive oil, then cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Then, stretch and fold your dough repeatedly until it gets tough. (Think of Moira Rose telling you to “fold in the cheese.”) Repeat this process three times, letting the covered dough rest for 15 minutes between sessions.
Your folded dough needs to rise twice. First, let it sit for an hour in an oiled, covered bowl. Next, let it rest for another hour on an oiled sheet pan, flipping and covering it once more. Once that’s ready, press the dough into the pan so it’s the perfect size for you. Remember, the more stretched out it is, the thinner the crust.
When it’s ready, add your sauces and toppings before baking at 450 F for about 12 minutes.
On my truffle sauce side, I went with mushrooms, prosciutto, and both mozzarella and ricotta cheese. For the hot honey, I decided on tomatoes, salami, shallots, mozzarella, and basil.
TL;DR: Smash Kitchen Labs Is A Must-Do In L.A.
When all the pies were ready, we sat down for a family-style dinner with fresh salad and more drinks. It was one of the best meals and nights I’ve had in L.A. since moving here almost 10 years ago. It wasn’t just the delicious food I got to enjoy, but the great company and new friends I made while we were cooking.
This was just the first of Smash Kitchen’s workshops, and I can’t wait to go to the next one. It’s definitely worth the $39 reservation for the full meal we got to enjoy while learning how to make our own pizza at home. We were even given the full sauce collection on the way out along with leftover dough, and I’ve already made about four personal pizzas at home that are restaurant-quality.
