Pizza knows no boundaries. The savory pie is a beloved food that's cooked on every continent, and pizza lovers around the world put their own spin on this popular dish. What are some favorite pizza toppings from around the world? Read on to discover the strange and wonderful world of pizza ingredients.
Norwegians have the distinction of eating the most frozen pizza per capita of any nation in the world. But what do Norwegians love in their pizza? Saturday pizza, or lørdagspizza, is a homemade pizza with dough that's shaped in the pan. Toppings include minced meat mixed with tomato sauce and a generous coating of cheese.
In Sweden, banana-curry pizzas are popular. Peanuts and banana slices are arranged on dough slathered with red or white sauce. Pineapple slices are added to the mix for a tropical curry taste. Chicken, ham, or beef are the meat choices for this pie.
You'll find a wide variety of pizza-topping choices in Italy, considered by many to be the ancestral home of the pizza pie. The recipes for one type of Italian pizza — pizza Napoletana — are even governed by European law. Approved official toppings for the Neapolitan pizza include tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and mozzarella cheese.
Other pizza toppings enjoyed in Italy include:
- Anchovies
- German sausages
- Figs
- Basil
Sicilian pizza, or sfincione, is usually rectangular in shape. Sfincione is sometimes topped with only cheese, olive oil, and bread crumbs.
The Japanese know how to experiment with another culture's food and put their own unique spin on the dish to create an entirely fresh taste sensation. One version of Japanese pizza pie is called Okonomiyaki, which uses egg and a sweet Worcestershire-type sauce in place of tomato sauce.
Okonomiyaki is so popular in Japan, there's even a Okonomiyaki-based theme park you can visit in the city of Hiroshima. Toppings for Okonomiyaki vary by geographical regions and may include squid, prawns, pork, noodles, eel, and cabbage.
The folks down under love some pizza topped with local specialties. Pizza lovers savor saltwater crocodile pizza in Sydney — a true Australian experience.
Favored pizza toppings in Australia also include:
- Emu
- Kangaroo
- Salmon
- Dill
- Tiger prawns
The Aussie pizza — its official name — is good for breakfast or lunch. The traditional Aussie pie features standard tomato sauce and mozzarella, but the toppings are morning favorites including bacon, ham, and egg. Barbecue sauce is also often used in place of tomato sauce in pizza shops in Australia.
In the coastal Brazilian city of São Paulo,
over one million pizzas are served each day in the city's 6,000 pizza shops. Brazilians don't slather on the seasoned tomato sauce as Americans and Italians do. They prefer a thinner, unseasoned layer of sauce on their pies.
Popular and/or weird Brazilian pizza toppings include:
- Cheddar cheese
- Broccoli
- Cream cheese
- Boiled eggs
- Stroganoff
If you love sweet dessert pizzas, Brazil has you covered. The Banana com canela pizza is topped with sweetened condensed milk, sliced bananas, and cinnamon, and the Romeu e Julieta is covered with white cheese and guava marmalade.
As you can see, pizza cooks in every country experiment with local ingredients and seasonings to create their own regional specialties. Nearly every sort of protein, veggie, and cheese has been put on a pizza at one time or another.
Notable toppings by country that you might find strange include:
- Finland — reindeer meat
- Scotland — haggis
- Philippines — mango
- Costa Rica — coconut and shrimp
- Israel — corn and yogurt
World travelers obviously have an abundance of pizzas to sample around the globe. But the best pizza is sometimes the one you enjoy in your own home, sweet, home.
Satisfy your pizza cravings in central South Carolina by contacting
Camden House of Pizza today. We prepare a wide variety of pizza toppings, Greek and Italian dishes, and other savory specialty dishes at our convenient Camden location.