Think pineapple is controversial? That’s just the beginning. Across the globe, adventurous eaters have turned pizza into a playground for experimentation—some combos are genius, others… not so much. From blueberries that surprisingly shine to toppings like durian that might ruin your appetite, we’ve rounded up the 7 strangest pairings that actually taste amazing, along with 7 you’ll wish you’d skipped. Whether you’re a daring foodie or a cautious crust lover, this list will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pizza. Ready to judge a slice by its topping? Let’s go.d.
1. Mashed Potatoes & Bacon
Comfort food meets pizza in this carb-lover’s dream combo. The creamy, buttery texture of mashed potatoes creates a surprisingly perfect base for crispy, salty bacon bits scattered across the top.
The potatoes absorb flavors from the surrounding cheese and sauce, while the bacon adds that smoky crunch we all crave. Many skeptics become instant converts after just one bite.
This topping duo works best on a thicker crust that can support the hearty potato layer. Some pizzerias even add a drizzle of sour cream or chives to complete the loaded baked potato experience!
2. Hot Honey & Pepperoni
Sweet meets heat in this addictive combination that’s taking pizzerias by storm. The sticky, spicy honey drizzled over crispy-edged pepperoni creates magical flavor pockets as it pools in those signature pepperoni cups.
Each bite delivers a perfect balance: the savory, slightly spicy meat gets brightened by sweet honey infused with chili peppers. The contrast makes your taste buds dance!
Mike’s Hot Honey popularized this trend, but many restaurants now offer their own versions. Pro tip: add this combo to a pizza with a slightly charred crust for even more flavor complexity.
3. Blueberries & Goat Cheese
Fruit on pizza sounds blasphemous until you try this sophisticated pairing. Fresh blueberries burst with juicy sweetness against the tangy, goat cheese, creating a flavor profile that’s surprisingly balanced.
The berries slightly caramelize in the oven’s heat, intensifying their natural sweetness while maintaining that pleasant pop. A light base of olive oil instead of traditional tomato sauce makes this combination truly shine.
Skeptical pizza purists often become converts after trying this unexpected duo. For an elevated experience, add a sprinkle of fresh thyme or a drizzle of balsamic glaze to bring all the flavors together!
4. Pasta (Rigatoni or Penne)
Carbs on carbs might sound excessive, but pasta-topped pizza delivers an unexpectedly delightful textural experience. The tubular shapes of rigatoni or penne catch extra sauce and cheese, creating flavor-packed bites throughout your slice.
Most pasta pizzas feature pre-cooked al dente pasta tossed in sauce before being arranged on the dough. As it bakes, the exposed edges get slightly crispy while the centers remain tender.
This Italian-on-Italian creation works best with robust sauces that can stand up to double the carbs. Found primarily in Italian-American pizzerias, this combination satisfies extreme hunger with its hearty, filling nature.
5. Clams with Garlic & Olive Oil
New Haven, Connecticut made this briny delight famous, and for good reason. Fresh chopped clams bring oceanic sweetness that pairs magnificently with pungent garlic and high-quality olive oil on a white pizza base.
The clams release their natural juices during baking, infusing the entire pie with seafood essence. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes adds just enough heat to balance the richness.
Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana created the original white clam pie in the 1940s, but variations now appear in coastal pizzerias nationwide. For maximum enjoyment, this pizza should be eaten immediately while the clams are tender and the crust remains crisp.
6. Roasted Garlic & Chicken
Whole roasted garlic cloves transform into sweet, mellow flavor bombs when baked on pizza. The golden, buttery cloves spread like butter when bitten, infusing each piece with rich, aromatic flavor without the harshness of raw garlic.
Tender chicken pieces provide protein and subtle savory notes that let the star ingredient shine. The combination works beautifully on either white or red sauce bases, though many prefer a light brushing of olive oil to keep things balanced.
This topping duo appeals even to picky eaters since the roasting process mellows garlic’s intensity. For an extra flavor dimension, some pizzaiolos add caramelized onions or a sprinkle of thyme.
7. Pear & Blue Cheese
Elegance meets comfort food in this gourmet pairing that belongs in fine dining but works surprisingly well on pizza. Thin slices of ripe, juicy pear provide natural sweetness that perfectly counters the bold, tangy punch of crumbled blue cheese.
The pears soften slightly during baking while maintaining enough structure for a satisfying bite. Most versions use a white base or simple olive oil to let these sophisticated flavors take center stage.
Adding a drizzle of honey and some walnuts elevates this combination to truly spectacular heights. This pizza style originated in upscale California pizzerias but has spread to artisanal pizza shops worldwide as diners embrace sweet-savory combinations.
8. Bananas with Curry Powder
Swedish pizza enthusiasts have embraced this bizarre combination that leaves most Americans scratching their heads. Sliced bananas take on a plantain-like quality when baked, offering tropical sweetness that somehow works with the warm, aromatic spice of curry powder.
Known as “Flying Jacob” pizza in Sweden, this creation typically includes chicken and peanuts for added texture and protein. The bananas caramelize slightly during baking, intensifying their sweetness.
The curry powder provides an earthy counterbalance that prevents the pizza from tasting like dessert. While it sounds truly bizarre, Swedish food culture embraces this unique flavor profile that challenges conventional pizza boundaries.
9. Mayonnaise & Boiled Eggs (Pizza Rossini)
Popular in Brazil but puzzling to most others, Pizza Rossini combines creamy mayonnaise swirls with sliced boiled eggs for a topping that’s divisive at best. The mayo melts and spreads during baking, creating an oil slick that many find off-putting.
Boiled egg slices add a chalky, sulfuric quality that doesn’t enhance the typical pizza experience. The textural contrast feels jarring rather than complementary.
Brazilian pizzerias often add corn and peas to this already questionable combination. While beloved in certain regions as comfort food, most pizza enthusiasts find this combination unnecessarily heavy and lacking the flavor harmony that makes great pizza sing.
10. Spam
Hawaii’s love affair with Spam hasn’t translated well to the pizza world. The processed meat product brings an overwhelming saltiness and distinctive processed flavor that dominates everything else on your pie.
When baked, Spam often releases excess oil that creates soggy patches on the crust. The uniform texture lacks the satisfying variability of traditional pizza meats like pepperoni or sausage.
While some Pacific Islander communities embrace Spam pizza as a fusion comfort food, most pizza enthusiasts find it one-dimensional. The canned meat product simply doesn’t develop the complex flavors or appealing textures that make great pizza toppings stand out.
11. Escargot (Snails)
French cuisine meets Italian in this misguided mashup that fails to translate the delicate appeal of escargot. The chewy, sometimes rubbery texture of cooked snails creates an unpleasant contrast against the typical pizza bite.
Escargot typically relies on generous garlic butter for flavor, which makes the pizza base excessively greasy. The delicate herb flavors that make traditional escargot special get lost among stronger pizza components.
While adventurous eaters might try this combination once for novelty, few return for seconds. The sophisticated appeal of escargot in fine dining simply doesn’t transfer to the casual, hand-held nature of pizza.
12. Lasagna-Inspired Toppings
Layering ricotta, ground beef, and extra tomato sauce might sound like a clever Italian mashup, but this combination creates a structurally unsound mess. The excessive moisture from ricotta and meat sauce typically leads to a soggy center that collapses under its own weight.
Flavors that work harmoniously in distinct lasagna layers become muddled when piled on pizza. The heavy, dense toppings overwhelm the crust, making it impossible to pick up and enjoy properly.
This concept suffers from redundancy – why combine two perfect Italian dishes into one inferior creation? Better to enjoy excellent lasagna and excellent pizza separately rather than compromising both in this unnecessary fusion.
13. Potato Croquettes
Fried potato croquettes might seem like a good idea until you actually try them on pizza. These dense, heavy potato cylinders create an overwhelming starch overload when combined with pizza dough.
The breaded exterior of croquettes often becomes soggy from pizza sauce and cheese, losing the crispy contrast that makes them appealing on their own. Oil from the pre-fried potatoes can make the entire pizza greasy and heavy.
This topping represents unnecessary carb duplication without adding complementary flavors. Popular in some parts of Italy as “pizza con crocchè,” this combination remains a regional curiosity that most international pizza experts agree doesn’t enhance the pizza experience.
14. Durian
The infamous “king of fruits” makes possibly the most controversial pizza topping ever conceived. Durian’s powerful aroma – often compared to rotting onions, turpentine, and gym socks – permeates everything it touches, overwhelming all other flavors.
The fruit’s custard-like texture becomes oddly mushy when heated, creating unpleasant pockets throughout the pizza. Even durian lovers typically prefer their favorite fruit in desserts rather than conflicting with savory pizza elements.
Found occasionally in Southeast Asian specialty pizzerias, durian pizza represents a true culinary boundary. The intense smell alone has gotten these pizzas banned from public transportation and hotels in countries where the fruit is popular!
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