Pizza Toppings: The Classics and What’s On Them

Italian classics

Margherita

Tomato, mozzarella and basil. The popular story says it was named after Queen Margherita of Italy, with its red, white and green matching the Italian flag. It is the simplest test of a good pizza place.

Marinara

Tomato, garlic, oregano and olive oil, with no cheese at all. Despite the name, there is no seafood on it.

Diavola

Tomato, mozzarella and spicy salami, often with chilli. The Italian name means “devil’s”.

Quattro formaggi

Four cheeses, usually including mozzarella and a blue cheese such as gorgonzola. Rich, so it often comes without tomato sauce.

Capricciosa

Ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives on tomato and mozzarella.

UK takeaway favourites

Pepperoni

Thin slices of spicy cured sausage that curl and crisp in the oven. In Italian, peperoni actually means peppers, so it is worth checking when you order in an Italian restaurant.

Hawaiian

Ham and pineapple. It was created in Canada in the 1960s, not in Hawaii, and is still one of the most argued-about pizzas.

Meat feast

A mix of meats such as pepperoni, ham, sausage, chicken and minced beef. What is included varies most from place to place.

BBQ chicken

Barbecue sauce instead of, or as well as, tomato, with chicken, onion and often peppers.

Vegetarian or veg supreme

Peppers, onions, mushrooms, sweetcorn, olives and tomatoes are the usual mix.

Spicy or Indian-style

Many UK takeaways also offer pizzas with tandoori or tikka chicken, green chillies, red onion and coriander.

Building your own pizza

Two or three toppings is usually the sweet spot. Too many wet toppings, such as fresh tomato, mushrooms and pineapple together, can make the middle soggy, especially on a thin base that has to travel.

Pair a rich topping with something sharp or fresh: salami with olives, ham with mushrooms, chicken with peppers or jalapeños. Extra cheese is always popular, but it adds weight, so it suits a thicker base best.