The Passion for Pizza Worldwide As Reflected In Its Toppings

By Catering Staff | May 2, 2017

People are passionate about pizzas! The yeasted flatbread with its cheese and tomato sauce base can be topped with anything and everything your taste buds want. These toppings can be meats, fruits and vegetables, and condiments aside from the cheese varieties from mozzarella to cheddar.

Such is the adaptability of the basic pizza recipe that each country that has adopted it as its own favors toppings that others will likely consider as weird, if not downright unpalatable. Here are a few of the unique pizza toppings from around the world.  

Flambee Pizza

In France, the flambee pizza features a thin crust baked in a wood-fired oven with toppings of onions, bacon and fresh cream. The onions and bacon are also common in American pizza but the fresh cream makes it unique, if not creamier than the standard pizza.  

Breakfast Pizza

The English apparently love their pizza-style breakfast. The pie is just as you would imagine it to be – the toppings of potatoes, tomatoes, sausages, mushroom, cheese and baked beans are placed on top of a thin crust pizza before baking. A single sunny side-up egg is then placed on top afterwards.  

Horsemeat Pizza

The Danish like horsemeat so it makes sense that instead of the usual pepperoni, sausages, and ground beef toppings, the red meat is preferred. Don’t worry as it’s cooked instead of being raw so you can eat it, too, although liking it is another matter.  

Shrimp and Coconut Pizza

In Costa Rica, shrimp and coconut are abundant so it isn’t surprising that these are the preferred toppings on pizza. But since you’re already familiar with these ingredients, especially in your cocktails, you should have no problem enjoying the Costa Rican’s favorite pie.

Mockba Pizza

Never mock the Russians’ affection for their mockba, a pizza topped with onions and several types of fish including sardines, mackerel, tuna, red herring and salmon. You may not like the smell from the combination but give it a chance for you may just like it after a few bites.  

Vegetarian Pizzas

Even with your picky tastes, you will find the favored pizza toppings in India and Brazil to be more along your alley. In India, the toppings include tandoori chicken, pickled ginger, and cottage cheese with plenty of mayonnaise. In Brazil, quail eggs, peas, beets, raisins, and carrots are served.  

But when you’re looking for pizza as comfort food, you can’t go wrong with the traditional toppings in American pizzerias. Just looking at a Boston Pizza catering menu will make your mouth water and your tummy grumble!