Do you love pizza? Do you love to try new things? Well, then read on to learn about some unusual and scary strange pizza toppings to try on your next homemade pizza night.
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Grasshoppers and Pineapple
I know what you are thinking, pineapple on pizza? It’s true pineapple is delicious on pizza, especially when combined with spicy jalapeños and crunchy grasshoppers.
Grasshoppers, called chapulines in Spanish and pronounced (chap- pull-leenes), are a common food in Mexico and put on anything from tacos to quesadillas and burritos. They are not as gross as you may be imagining. Although, these toppings aren’t even included in Spanish style pizza.
They are usually fried in oil with lots of salt and served with a squeeze of lime. Chapulines are a crunchy and salty snack common when drinking cold cervezas, similar to the way peanuts are served in a local American bar.
The sweet pineapple, hot jalapeños, and salty crunch of chapulines are actually pretty darn good on an unusual homemade pizza.
Blueberries
These juicy little blue gems are not just for breads and muffins. You can actually find them on pizzas in some adventurous places. Blueberries are definitely an unusual pizza topping, unusually tasty, that is.
Imagine a pizza with tart blueberries, tangy Feta cheese, sweet honey, and caramelized onions. It’s different in a delicious way.
Chicken Liver
Chicken liver may seem like an odd choice, but it has a creamy smooth texture when done right. The best way to add this to pizza is with caramelized onions and crispy crumbled bacon.
Chicken liver may be an unusual pizza topping, but it is a great choice if you are eating a healthy diet. Chicken liver is packed with protein, iron, and essential fatty acids. In many parts of the world, it is a popular protein and a regular part of a healthy lifestyle.
Escargot
You don’t have to be French to enjoy an escargot pizza. Escargot, or as we Americans say, snails, have a unique flavor that pairs well with a white sauce. A creamy white sauce made from blue cheese, white wine, goat milk, lemon, and tarragon makes an excellent canvas to cover this pizza.
Sauté the escargot first in butter, parsley, and garlic. Then, sprinkle on the pizza. Add sliced red onions, a handful of chopped spinach, and a few halved cherry tomatoes, and you’ve got yourself a sophisticated pizza that will impress even the pickiest tastebuds.
Besides being an elegant entree, escargot is a known mood enhancer. Escargot contains tryptophan which helps the brain make serotonin the feel-good chemical. Eating serotonin-rich foods is a great way to feel better.
Chicken Tinga
Chicken tinga is a spicy shredded chicken soaked in a tomato sauce spiked with chipotles in adobo. It’s a Mexican dish commonly eaten on tostadas but can easily do double duty as a pizza topping.
It works best on an unusual homemade pizza with Mexican manchego cheese or queso fresco, fresh cheese. If you like a little spice in your life and on your pizza, this is the topping for you.
Tahitian Pizza
So you are probably familiar with a Hawaiian pizza, but have you tried a Tahitian pizza? A Tahitian pizza features mandarin oranges instead of the controversial pineapple and slivered almonds.
The crunch and creaminess of the almonds contrast the sweet, tart mandarin while complementing, not outshining the cheese and crust.
Banh Mi
A Bahn Mi is a Vietnamese sub sandwich. It has pork, shredded carrots, and pickled radishes, and cucumbers. A traditional Bahn Mi is topped with cilantro and jalapeños. It’s usually served on a hoagie-type roll. It has a spicy fresh flavor that marries well with pizza. Use ground pork and a mild cheese like mozzarella or fontina.
We went to Vietnam for our honeymoon in 2018 and I think we had bahn mi for lunch every single day with our bowls of phô. WOW.
Alternatively, this makes a good vegan pizza too. Just leave out the pork and cheese. Use an olive oil base, and when the toppings are assembled, drizzle a sriracha mayo on for an extra kick.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Squash is not usually what you think of when thinking of delicious pizza toppings, but butternut squash is a game changer. It has a smooth, creamy texture that pairs well with salty prosciutto crudo and sweet caramelized onions.
Cut the squash in chunks and roast it first, then add it to the pizza. Butternut squash is chock full of vitamins and antioxidants so its a great addition to pizza, especially in cold and flu season.
Camarones Al Diablo
Camarones al diablo, or the devil’s shrimp, is a spicy Mexican shrimp made with a mix of ground red chilies. It will stop your heart and then kick you in the stomach to get it started again. It’s so very spicy in the best way.
This picante pizza is best with manchego cheese, sliced green peppers, and a lot of chopped onions.
Dill Pickle
Dill pickles are an unusual pizza topping that may surprise you. This pizza is nothing like the hamburger pizza that some pizzerias are making. Instead, this pizza has dill pickle slices, slivers of red onion, a hefty helping of chopped bacon, and is topped with a drizzle of ranch dressing.
It’s a treat that you didn’t know you needed. This pizza is dill-licious.
Cherries
Try them on pizza when it’s cherry season, and you are looking for a new way to use this yummy fruit. Grill the cherries before adding them for a deeper smoky sweet taste. Add soft creamy goat cheese and tangy arugula for an excellent summer pizza.
Strawberry Balsamic Glaze
This is another fruity pizza with a strawberry balsamic glaze made from fresh strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Use grilled leeks, charred chicken, and smoked bacon to round out this pie.
Kimchi
If you’ve never had kimchi, you are missing out. Kimchi is a popular Korean food. It’s a spicy fermented mix of cabbage, radishes, and bok choy in a garlicky sauce. It’s kind of the Korean cousin to Polish sauerkraut. If you like a zesty punch to your pizza, you will love kimchi pizza.
Kimchi pizza works best on a thin crust with diced sausage and chopped green onions. Add a spoonful of gochujang paste to your red sauce to get a truly authentic Korean flavor. Gochujang paste is a chile pepper paste used in Korean cooking. It’s often added to ramen and stir fry. A simple mozzarella is the best cheese for this pizza.
Pro Tips for Unusual Pizza Toppings:
If you like to use green onions as a pizza topping, the next time you buy green onions, cut them right where the green meets the white. Place the white ends in a bit of water on the windowsill, and they will grow back. Voila! You will always have fresh green onions to sprinkle on pizzas.
Pizza is such a versatile food. Try some unusual pizza toppings. Or try the kid friendly pizza toppings ideas. You might surprise yourself and find a new favorite.
So there you have it, our best picks for adventurous pizza lovers looking to try something new.
What do you think of our picks for unusual pizza toppings? What are your favorites?
