Pizza toppings are at best a matter of personal opinion and at worst a downright controversial topic. When restaurants like Domino’s and Pizza Hut charge a fee per additional topping, it’s no wonder we take the decision-making process so seriously. Few Italians would agree that pineapple is an acceptable pizza topping, but in the land where pizza was born, each individual region is sure to argue about why its pizza toppings are the best.
While there are some indisputable factors that go into making pizza, such as needing sauce and cheese, the most adored Italian toppings are a basic combination of fresh ingredients; usually tomato and buffalo mozzarella. Italy’s best-loved pizzas include the Margherita and marinara pizzas, which utilize the classic toppings. A marinara is as simple as it gets, with only tomato sauce and oregano topping the base, while the globally beloved Margherita pizza (which resembles the green, white, and red colors of the Italian flag) is still Italy’s most popular choice, with that classic combination of basil, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and olive oil.
Italian pizza toppings tend to be simple
In the United States, we may argue that pepperoni is the best pizza topping or that bacon really makes pineapple shine on a fresh slice, but pizzerias in Italy rarely touch those toppings. Common addtions to tomato sauce and mozzarella include red onions, prosciutto, ham, anchovies, olives, mushrooms, and artichokes, but never all together. The focus is on fresh ingredients, paired simply. In Puglia, residents enjoy pizza Pugliese, a savory pie topped with red onion and tomatoes, though sometimes accompanied by anchovies and olives. South-eastern Sicilians prefer pizzolo, a double-crusted pizza (similar to a calzone) filled with cheese, local salami, and sometimes a selection of veggies, too, but toppings can vary.
The quattro formaggi is also wildly popular, a pizza that translates to “four cheeses” and usually consists of Parmigiano-Reggiano, gorgonzola, mozzarella, and fontina as toppings. Adored in Italy but also well-known in America is the pizza prosciutto e funghi, a hearty pie topped with ham and mushrooms, capturing the best of Italian meat and vegetables. For a pizza with more tang, Italians love the pizza alla Napoletana. Although sometimes served with just the classic tomatoes and cheese, it is also notoriously topped with anchovies, capers, and sometimes black olives. No matter the region, Italian pizza toppings offer both flavor and tradition with every bite.
