The Best Pizza Toppings—from Classic to Totally Out There
Updated: Apr. 18, 2024
Going from classics to some that may surprise you (we're looking at you, lox), these pizza toppings are sure to inspire a homemade pizza night.
We’re going way beyond tomato sauce and cheese with this collection of best-ever pizza toppings. Whether you’re looking for something more standard or a deliciously weird pizza topping to make unique pizzas like the pickle pizza, we can help you plan your next pizza night. So roll out the homemade pizza dough, preheat the oven(check out Ninja Pizza Oven), and make your own pizza with homemade pizza recipes.
Don’t have time to make your own dough from scratch? Check out the best premade pizza crusts you can buy!
Sausage
When in doubt—stick to the classics for your pizza toppings. While the dough is baking, cook the Italian sausage on the stove until no longer pink. Once done, spread it with marinara sauce and top it off with shredded mozzarella cheese and crumbled sausage. Pop it back in the oven and voila—you have a homemade sausage pizza ready to devour!
Pepperoni
Just as popular as a sausage, pepperoni pizza is a go-to for many (and slightly easier to prepare). Go the simple route of purchasing a package of pre-sliced pepperoni and spread it evenly across your pizza. If you want to fancy things up, drizzle on some hot honey to bring out the spices of the meat.
Supreme
If you can’t decide between sausage and pepperoni, why not go with both? Supreme pizza toppings are perfect for those who like a blend of meat and vegetables, with a complementary combination of olives, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sausage, pepperoni and bacon bits. The best part of making homemade supreme pizza? You can always omit or add to fit your liking.
Margherita
For those nights when you want something a little light, go with the fresh flavors of a Margherita pizza. This pizza represents the Italian flags with its ingredients, using red tomato sauce as its base, slices of white mozzarella cheese and green basil leaves. Drizzle some olive oil on top before baking in the oven for a flavorful and crunchy bite.
Four Cheese
Avid cheese lovers, this pizza is calling your name! Otherwise known as Quattro Formaggi, this pie has not one, not two, but four different cheeses for the ultimate ooey-gooey slice of heaven. Combine shredded mozzarella, gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano and goat cheese as the topping. Add a dash of red pepper flakes for a subtle heat, and enjoy the classic Italian dish.
White Sauce
Tired of the same old thing? Switch up the red sauce for a creamy white sauce instead! Combine olive oil and garlic to coat the dough or make a homemade white sauce. This white pizza recipe uses a ricotta cheese blend as its base—yum! Keep the toppings simple so the sauce remains the star, such as mozzarella cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Pesto
Don’t be afraid to branch out further with different types of sauce on your pizza. The rich flavors of cheese and pine nuts from pesto complement the basic ingredients of a cheese pizza. Dress it up with some oregano, mushrooms and parmesan cheese like in this pesto pizza recipe for a simple yet delicious meal.
Hawaiian
Long debated on whether pineapple belongs on pizza, Hawaiian pizza combines the sweet flavors of tropical pineapple pieces with savory ham. It’s the perfect flavor combo for those who want the best of both worlds of sweet and salty. Add spice to that list by popping a few jalapeno slices on that pie and it’s a burst of flavors your mouth will truly enjoy.
Vegetarian
For those who like their pizza sans meat, veggies are the star of the show. Fully load your pizza with veggies like olives, mushrooms, red onions or caramelized onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. Use a white sauce base to let the natural flavors of the vegetables shine through. Or, for a more earthy and herby flavor, pair a pesto pizza with leafy spinach and broccoli.
For tons of ideas, check out these vegetarian pizza recipes.
BBQ Pork
Use your favorite barbecue sauce instead of marinara, and don’t forget to drizzle the pie with ranch before you serve it up. It really takes pizza to the next level!
(Psst: You could also use barbecue chicken if pork isn’t your thing.)
Prosciutto
Prosciutto isn’t only for dressing up a charcuterie board. Perfect for a wine night, this pizza starts with a tomato base and then gets covered with either mozzarella, burrata or parmesan cheese (whichever you prefer). Cook it in the oven as you regularly would any pizza, then top it off with slices of prosciutto and a heaping handful of arugula. Go the extra mile and give it a drizzle of dressing like balsamic vinegar, olive oil or hot honey.
Pickle Chips
You wouldn’t dream of putting cucumbers on a pizza (that would be weird). But soak those same cucumbers in vinegar and spices and it sounds like a winner! This Dill Pickle Hamburger Pizza combines our two favorite foods, and we’re not even mad about it.
Mac ‘n Cheese
This pizza combination is exactly how you imagine it: pizza dough loaded with ooey, gooey mac and cheese. If you love pizza and mac and cheese, then you won’t hate putting the two together. Just get ready for a serious carbo-load.
Smoked Salmon (Lox)
Turn your favorite bagel into a pizza! Use cream cheese as the base, and load that dough up with smoked salmon, red onions and capers before finishing it with a spritz of lemon juice. I often sprinkle everything bagel spice onto this pizza, too, just for effect.
Apples
While you could make a sweet apple crisp pizza for dessert, you don’t actually need cinnamon or sugar to use apples as a topping on a pizza. We love combining them with sweet, caramelized onions and goat cheese for a vegetarian pizza and adding chicken sausage or Canadian bacon if we want something a bit meatier.
Breakfast
Enjoy your favorite meal for breakfast! Breakfast pizza is simple to make and well worth a try. This recipe uses crescent dough for its crust and then piles on hashbrowns, sausage, cheddar cheese and eggs for a fulfilling start to the day. Feel free to add veggies like peppers and onions or sub out the sausage for bacon if that’s more your vibe.
Pastrami
If you can use bacon, sausage and pepperoni on a pizza, why not use pastrami? Mimic your favorite pastrami sandwich by adding all the same toppings to the pizza. I’ll let you in on a little secret: adding a few toasted caraway seeds makes the dough taste like rye bread.
Mashed Potatoes
This is the perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Skip the marinara sauce and use your mashers instead. The more garlic-forward they are, the better! Then, top ’em with cheddar cheese, bacon bits and chives to make this pizza taste just like a loaded baked potato.
Burgers
Why choose between burgers and pizza when you can have them both? All you need is ground beef, bacon and the cheese of your choice. You can take things to the next level by using ketchup and mustard as the pizza sauce.
Kimchi
Asian food and cheese might not sound like a natural combination, but somehow the duo totally works with kimchi! I especially like this combination if it involves bacon (which makes everything taste better). Don’t be afraid to add other traditional Asian ingredients to this pie, like green onions, ginger or soy sauce.
Shrimp Scampi
The best part about this idea is that it makes the sauce and the pizza topping. Simply saute the shrimp in garlic and butter and spread the mixture over pizza dough. Top it with mozzarella cheese and red pepper flakes, and you’re good to go!
Cherries
The first time I saw cherries on a savory pizza, I thought it was a joke. As it turns out, it was one of the prettiest pies I’ve ever seen! Have some fun with this one by playing around with different toppings. We especially like using shredded duck and baby arugula.
Taco Pizza
Take Taco Tuesday and Pizza Night and combine them into one. This taco pizza has a base of refried beans, then gets topped with seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. If you like your tacos loaded, then try adding extras like olives, crushed tortilla chips or sour cream. The options are endless! Just make sure you have a sturdy enough crust to hold all those toppings.
Wild Game
You’ll find crocodile, emu and kangaroo on pizzas in Australia, Haggis pizzas in Scotland and smoked reindeer meat in Sweden and Finland. So, why not put boar, elk, buffalo or venison on your pizza? Take your favorite steak pizza and swap in wild game instead.
Chocolate
This might be one of the most bizarre pizza toppings on the list; it’s more like a giant cookie than a pizza! I wouldn’t recommend using mozzarella cheese, but whipped ricotta or mascarpone totally works! Think sweet toppings with this one, like peanut butter cups, chocolate chips or sprinkles.
Originally Published: December 06, 2018
