9 of the Most Common Pizza Toppings

Everyone loves eating pizza. That’s why billions of pizzas are made in sold each year, just in the United States.

Not only does everyone love pizza, but everyone has their favorite pizza. There’s a perfect type of pizza out there for each one of us, allowing every person in the country to share something in common while also maintaining individuality.

But if you are a bit more adventurous and are looking to try new things, you’re probably wondering what else you should order on top of your pizza. There are dozens of common pizza toppings to try. You’re guaranteed to find a new favorite way of eating pizza if you’re willing to give it a shot.

Wondering what the best pizza toppings are, and what the benefits of pizza are? Keep reading to discover more about your favorite food.

1. Pepperoni

Of course, we need to start this list for pepperoni. It’s one of the most common pizza toppings by far, accounting for 36% of all pizzas consumed in the states. And because of that, Americans eat a total of 250 million pounds of pepperoni each year.

Most people eat them on a monthly, and sometimes weekly, basis. But do you know what pepperonis are? It’s similar to salami, meaning that it’s a cured, dry meat made from a combination of beef and pork.

The word pepperoni comes from the Italian word peperoni, meaning bell pepper. It’s technically not an Italian-based food, as it originates from America, though inspired by Italian salami.

2. Sausage

Sauage is another of the most common types of pizza toppings. Americans love meat on their pizza, and sausage is the second most popular meat to load up our pies with. 

Most of the sausage consumed on pizza is a form of mild-flavored Italian sausage. It’s made of ground pork and seasoned with fennel so it contains flavor without being very spicy. 

3. Bacon

Just like all Americans love pizza, all Americans love bacon. If we could eat bacon on everything, we absolutely would.

Adding bacon bits to a pizza makes for an excellent all-meat pizza, but it also works well combined with various veggies. Most pizza places use pre-cooked bacon bits, which is fine. But if you find a pizzeria that whips up fresh bacon to cut and sprinkle on your pizza, you’ve found a winner. 

4. Mushrooms

Yes, mushrooms are one of the most common pizza toppings. They are so beloved in fact, that they are often considered the second or third most popular topping.

Mushroom lovers far outnumber mushroom haters, making this the most common veggie to be ordered on pizza. 

5. Olives

Olives are hotly contested when it comes to pizza. They are a popular option, but they are also one of the most disliked pizza toppings as well.

Olive haters are very vocal and this topping is polarizing. You either love them or hate them.

Most pizza places only offer black olives, which offer a basic olive taste. But the better pizza places also offer other varieties.

Many pizza places, such as https://wiseguypizzapie.com/ offer kalamata olives allowing for the olive fans among us to really enjoy their pizza.

6. Green Peppers

Another popular veggie for pizzas is green pepper. This lush, green vegetable adds a nice crunch to the pizza with a refreshing flavor that pairs well with meat and other veggies.

7. Pineapples

Another polarizing pizza topping, pineapple is still considered a popular topping. It’s most commonly ordered on the Hawaiian-inspired pineapple and ham pizza. But many pineapple fans order it on other pizzas too, which pairs nicely with pepperoni, bacon, and sausage.

It also tastes delicious on BBQ chicken pizzas as well, as the juiciness of the pineapple pairs with the tang of BBQ sauce.

8. Spinach

Looking to add some nutrients to your pizza? Spinach, the dark green superfood, is another common veggie to sprinkle on pizza. When cooked, it offers a mild flavor and soft, delicate texture.

Rather than added in with five or six other pizza toppings, spinach is best when paired with only one of two other pizza toppings.

9. Onions

The last common veggie to include on pizza is onion. While some people hate onions, most people enjoy them when they are cooked and enjoyed with other toppings, so that you can’t pinpoint the onion among the other ingredients.

If your lucky, your local pizzeria will offer caramelized onions for a sweeter, more delicious flavor.

Least Popular Pizza Toppings

So what pizza toppings do Americans dislike the most? Anchovies are toted as the least favorite pizza topping.

But the problem with that is most people who say they dislike anchovy pizza have never tried it. So they only dislike the thought of it. There’s a good chance many Americans would find that they actually like it if they were brave enough to try it.

Chicken is also disliked by most pizza fanatics. The texture and flavor don’t pair well with most people’s ideas of what pizza should be. However, BBQ chicken pizza continues to grow in popularity.

And of course, if you ask what pizza topping people dislike, olives will come up frequently.

Benefits of Pizza

No, pizza isn’t healthy. There’s no way to twist the facts enough to convince you otherwise. But the benefits of pizza are real, even if they aren’t health-related.

For one, pizza is universal. It brings people together. Particularly in America, we can all agree, regardless of political affiliation, religious belief, or socioeconomic status, that pizza is darn good. We all eat it.

On top of that, ordering pizza from local pizzerias supports your local economy and local business owners. With millions of pizza restaurants across the country, many of them small, independent businesses, eating pizza supports the American dream.

Plus, working in a pizza shop is one of the most common first jobs for teenagers. It’s where our children learn the basics of having a job, and one that we should continue supporting.

Don’t Be Afraid to Try Other Common Pizza Toppings

So what pizza are you going to try next? It’s tempting to stick with your favorite type of pizza each time you order. But since most Americans eat pizza at least monthly, it’s worth taking the risk to order something new.

You might find that one of these common pizza toppings becomes your new favorite.

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