10 Pizza Toppings You Need to Try Immediately

Yahoo Food
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Plain pizza has its merits (especially when it’s really good plain pizza), but fun toppings are really what make pizza shine.

Move beyond your minimalist tendencies, and put the standard pepperoni and mushrooms on the back burner for a bit — there are more adventurous ways to top that pie.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to pizza toppings. If you can dream it, you can make it happen.

10 Crazy Toppings for Your Pizza

1. Peas

It’s being used in guacamole, so why not pizza? Sweet peas actually work better than you’d expect on pizza, especially on white pies where salty pancetta or something spicy is involved. You can also try spreading a layer of pea pesto in place of sauce.

2. Pulled Pork

Just as barbecue chicken has a place as a pizza topping, so does pulled pork! Those sweet, salty, tangy flavors are just what your pizza needs. The next time you have pulled pork, skip the sandwiches and save the leftovers for pizza.

Get the recipe! How To Cook (and Shred) a Pork Shoulder for Pulled Pork

3. Peaches

Fruit on pizza can be tricky. It requires just the right combination of toppings to create a balance of flavors. Peaches are best added after the pizza is out of the oven or off the grill, and pairs well with barbecue chicken, pulled pork, and salty meats, like proscuitto and pancetta.

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4. Garlic Confit

Garlic lovers, rejoice! This totally trumps roasted garlic, and ranks as the best way to add garlic to your pie. Smash the cloves into a spreadable paste and layer it over the dough, mix into it the sauce, or spoon it over the top of the finished pizza.

Read More: Garlic Confit Is the Magic Secret to Loving Any Vegetable

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5. Salad

Why have salad on the side when you can add it on top of your pizza? From plain arugula to lightly dressed, delicate greens, this is how to freshen up your pie just before serving.

Recipe: Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

6. Crab Meat

Clam pies are a thing, and I’ve seen plenty a pizza topped with shrimp. Both are fine and good, but the seafood to really make your pizza shine is fresh, sweet crab meat.

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7. Kale Chips

As I recently learned, crispy kale chips make a surprisingly great pizza topping. Just remember: They’re best added after the pizza comes out of the oven or off the grill.

Try this recipe! Sausage Pizza Topped with Crispy Kale

8. Avocado

This is one of my favorite summer toppings. If you’re going for a pizza that’s light and fresh, add a few slices of avocado to your already-cooked pizza.

Recipe: White Pizza with Avocado, Spinach & Mozzarella

9. Chili

And this is how you should be using leftover chili. Whether it’s meat or chock full of veggies, consider swapping the sauce in place of chili.

10. Duck Confit

If you’re going for a rich, totally indulgent pizza, then duck confit is the topping for you.

Pizza Basics: How To Make the Best Grilled Pizza