The Best Pizza Toppings

If it's pizza night at home, you're going to need to stock up on the best pizza toppings for everyone to customize their perfect pie. From sauces and cheese to meat and veggies, plus some unusual ideas, this is the ultimate list of pizza toppings.

Pizza night is the best night of the week. It's a family-favorite for us.

We like to bake pizza in the oven, grill pizza over an open flame and even cook pizza in the smoker.

And I'm not above a frozen pizza either, but I usually add a few of my own pizza toppings to it to make it taste a little fresher.

Here are some of our favorite pizza toppings you can use to dress up your pizza night.

What to Add to A Pizza Bar

Setting up a pizza night station for everyone in the family or party to dream up their own creations is a great way to change things up.

You will need to stock up on the different layers that go into building a pizza, including:

1. crust, dough or other kind of bread
2. some type of sauce
3. at least one type of cheese
4. a variety of toppings

I like to start the oven before I get out all the ingredients, because it needs to be at a pretty high heat, around 450°F (230°C) to 500°F (260°C), so it takes a while to heat up. By the time it's pre-heated, the pizzas are usually ready to go in.

Pizza Bases

To add toppings, you've got to have the right base! You can go classic with a regular pizza crust from the store or make your own dough from scratch.

You can even grab some other kinds of bread to make some creative personal pizzas. Pizza muffins are another fun idea.

Try these pizza base ideas:

• Regular pizza dough
• Pre-baked pizza crust
• Thin pizza crust
• Gluten-free crust
• Cauliflower crust
• Bagel halves
• Flatbreads or pita bread
• Slices of bread or toast
• Tortillas
• Crescent rolls
• Puff pastry (see this tomato tart which is basically a pizza)

Best Pizza Sauces

Once you have your chosen crust ready to go, you can top it with a sauce. There is more to pizza sauce than just the red tomato sauce you know and love.

Here are some delicious pizza sauce ideas:

• Pizza sauce
• Marinara sauce
• Olive oil
• Basil pesto
• Alfredo sauce
• White pizza sauce
• Barbecue sauce
• Enchilada sauce

Best Cheese for Pizza

Next up is the cheese! Mozzarella is classic and creates that creamy, cheesy goodness we all love.

You can also use an Italian blend which usually includes parmesan as well. (Just keep in mind parmesan is not vegetarian if you are planning to use it for a veggie pizza.)

But the fun doesn't stop there! You can make your own flavor combos by adding other kinds of cheese or using a mixture of different kinds, like a four-cheese pizza.

Try one or more of these cheeses for pizza:

• Mozzarella cheese (shredded or fresh)
• Provolone cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Goat cheese
• Ricotta
• Cheddar cheese
• Dairy-free cheese or vegan cheese
• Provel cheese

Meats for Pizza

If you like a meaty pizza, you can feel free to dress up your pizza as much as you like. Meat adds a lot of flavor and protein to a pizza.

You can go lighter with just pepperoni or sausage, or throw a bunch on to make a meat lover's pizza.

Here are some top meat ideas for pizzas:

• Pepperoni
• Italian sausage
• Ham
• Bacon
• Prosciutto
• Meatballs
• Chicken meatballs
• Ground beef
• Ground pork
• Breakfast sausage
• Chicken
• Grilled shrimp

Veggies for Pizza

Whether you want to make a vegetarian pizza (or vegan pizza) or simply want to add some healthy items to your pizza, you'll want to pack on the veggies.

Some veggies like cauliflower or red peppers are tough when raw, so they should be cooked beforehand to be softer and easier to bite on a slice of pizza.

• Fresh tomatoes or roasted tomatoes
• Roasted red peppers
• Mushrooms
• Artichoke
• Zucchini
• Cherry tomatoes
• Olives
• Yellow squash
• Corn kernels
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Basil leaves
• Onions
• Caramelized onions

You can also add fresh greens to a pizza, after it comes out of the oven, such as:

• Arugula
• Kale
• Spinach
• Fresh basil

Pizza Seasonings

One of the best ways to dress up a pizza — especially frozen pizzas — is with some added seasonings, which you can add before or after you bake it.

Pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning both lend herbal flavor. You could also add red pepper flakes or dried herbs like basil, rosemary or parsley.

Other Pizza Toppings

Sometimes you see some creative pizzas out there!

• Fruit: You've heard of pineapple pizza, but why not try some other sweet-and-salty combos by adding apple slices, figs or berries.
• Pickles: Pickles on a pizza? Why not?! Try regular pickles or pickled cucumbers for a briny twist.
• Sauces: Drizzles of sauces like barbecue sauce, hot sauce, ranch dressing or balsamic vinegar are also common additions.

Popular Pizza Combinations

The best part about pizza is there's really no wrong way to make it!

Here are some classic combinations you can try at home:

Margherita pizza: Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, tomato slices and fresh basil leaves — on thin pizza crust

Buffalo chicken pizza: Buffalo sauce, shredded chicken or buffalo chicken meatballs, blue cheese, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing — on pizza crust

Meat lovers pizza: Red sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon, ham and seasoned ground beef or pork — on pizza crust

Hawaiian pizza: Regular pizza sauce, mozzarella, cooked ham, roasted red peppers, pineapple — on pizza crust

BBQ pizza: Barbecue sauce, mozzarella cheese, BBQ Pulled Pork or grilled chicken, red onions — on pizza crust

Breakfast pizza: Scrambled eggs (raw, they will cook in the oven) cheese, breakfast sausage, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns or breakfast potatoes — on puff pastry or crescent roll dough

Mexican pizza: Enchilada sauce, cheddar cheese, refried beans, olives, pico de gallo, jalapeños, taco seasoning — on tortillas

Dessert pizza: Fruit dip, peanut butter or nutella, fresh sliced fruit like berries, pineapple and apple slices, whipped cream — on pizza crust or tortillas

Best Homemade Pizza Toppings