As each year passes, the pizza industry sees fresh culinary trends, and the year 2023 has been no different. At UniversalIndexPortal, we keenly observe the preferences tantalizing the palates of pizza aficionados worldwide. Here we present our list of the top pizza toppings that are currently in vogue.
1. Fermented Vegetables
As the emphasis on digestive health prevails, fermented vegetables make their way onto pizza toppings, much to the delight of consumers. Tangy items like kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions have been a hit, complementing the rich flavors of cheese and sauce. These toppings do not just offer probiotics but also immerse pizza lovers into a new realm of textures.
Our signature Fermentation Fiesta pizza is topped with our homemade sauerkraut, kimchi, and gorgonzola cheese, with a final drizzle of locally sourced honey to counteract the sourness. This blend has rapidly become a sought-after choice for our specialty pies.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The movement towards plant-based diets isn't slowing down, leading to an increased demand for pizzas that feature innovative meat substitutes. These aren't limited to traditional vegetables, as we now offer plant-based Italian sausage crumbles, seasoned tempeh, jackfruit as a 'pulled pork' stand-in, and pepperoni made from pea protein. These topping choices allure a broader range of customers, not just vegetarians, for their distinctive tastes and digestion-friendly attributes.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
This year has seen a trend for pizza garnishing with specific types of regional chilies, stepping away from the usual red pepper flakes. While Calabrian chilies continue to retain their popularity, we're also noticing an upswing in the use of Aleppo pepper, smoky Spanish ñora chilies, fruity Peruvian aji amarillo, and Korean gochujang.
The Global Heat pizza on our menu lets you explore the distinct heat and flavor nuances of four different regional chilies, each assigned to a quadrant of the pizza for those who yearn for a fiery taste experience.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
The localvore trend has spread into the pizza scene with the increasing use of freshly foraged, seasonal ingredients. Leading this trend are wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, featured during their growing seasons.
Apart from mushrooms, our culinary experiments have included wild ramps, sea vegetables like dulse and nori, and even aromatic spruce tips. Such ingredients forge a closer connection with the environment and provide flavors unparalleled by farmed produce.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
Honey's capacity to add a contrasting sweet note to savory pizza has long transcended being a mere fad. With the enduring fame of hot honey, 2023 has introduced a range of specialty honey variations that are drizzled over pizzas, adding a final flourish before serving.
The unique flavors of truffle honey, fermented garlic honey, smoky mesquite honey, and even CBD-infused honey are now gracing pizza menus nationwide, taking even the simplest pizza to a gourmet level.
Honorable Mentions
Additional toppings that didn’t quite make our list but deserve a mention for their distinctiveness include:
- Cured egg yolks grated over pizzas as a flavor-rich garnish
- Pickled fruits, particularly pitted varieties such as peaches and plums
- Heritage grain toppings, like crispy farro or puffed sorghum, for added texture
- Gourmet butter blobs, notably those that are cultured or infused with herbs
Whether you're someone who swears by time-honored toppings or are eager to try out innovative flavor profiles, pizza remains one of the most versatile and universally cherished dishes. At UniversalIndexPortal, we respect classic tastes while also welcoming new gastronomic creations – hence, you'll find both the classic Margherita and cutting-edge pies on our menu.
Have you experienced any of these trendsetting toppings yet? Or maybe there’s a distinctive topping combination you'd love for us to consider? Share your thoughts in the comments or during your next visit to our establishment!