As each new year unfolds, the pizza landscape is enhanced by fresh culinary trends, and 2023 has brought its own distinct flavors. At CollectiveWisdom, we meticulously track the evolving preferences of pizza aficionados worldwide. We're excited to present a list of this year's most captivating and beloved pizza toppings.
1. Fermented Vegetables
The emphasis on digestive wellness has carried over to pizzerias, with an unexpected rise in fermented vegetables as a sought-after pizza topping. Elements like kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled onions are imparting intricate sour notes that superbly offset the creamy taste of cheese and sauce. In addition to their probiotic advantages, these fermented toppings also introduce novel textures to pizza.
Our unique Fermentation Festivity pizza is adorned with in-house sauerkraut, kimchi, and gorgonzola cheese, and is sweetened with a hint of local honey to counteract the sourness. This unusual blend is quickly ascending the ranks as a widely requested dish.
2. Plant-Based Proteins
The surge in plant-centered lifestyles has resulted in a demand spike for pizzas adorned with imaginative meat substitutes. Moving beyond standard vegetable toppings, the surge in plant-based protein innovations has brought forth alternatives that even die-hard carnivores find appealing.
Vegan Italian sausage bits, savory tempeh, jackfruit treated as pulled pork, and pea protein styled as pepperoni have become staples on our menu. These protein choices are favored not just by vegetarians but also by those seeking diverse flavors with a gentler digestive presence.
3. Regional Chili Varieties
Those with a penchant for spiciness are celebrating, as 2023 marks a shift among pizza enthusiasts towards distinct regional chili varieties, moving away from common red pepper flakes. While the popularity of Calabrian chilies endures, we're now observing the inclusion of Aleppo pepper, smoky Spanish ñora chilies, the fruity Peruvian aji amarillo, and Korean gochujang on pizzas.
Our Global Heatwave pizza is a mosaic of four distinct regional chilies, each conferring its own taste signature to different parts of the pizza, a trend that's particularly popular among our more intrepid customers.
4. Seasonal Foraged Ingredients
The farm-to-table concept has morphed into forest-to-pizza, courtesy of the newfound fascination with seasonal foraged components. Leading the charge are wild mushrooms, like chanterelles, morels, and hen of the woods, gracing pizzas during their natural harvesting seasons.
Apart from mushrooms, we've been playing with ingredients like wild spring ramps, marine greens including dulse and nori, and even pine tips that lend a distinct aromatic essence. These natural elements grant customers a connection to the wilderness and offer flavors that are unattainable via typical cultivation.
5. Specialty Honey Drizzles
The marriage of sweet and savory epitomized by honey has solidified its place as more than a transient fad. With the widespread appeal of spicy honey in past years, 2023 has ushered in a variety of special honey drizzles on pizzas. Exciting variations include truffle, fermented garlic, smoky mesquite honey, and even cannabidiol (CBD)-enriched honey, adding a final sophisticated touch to pizzas.
Honorable Mentions
A number of other toppings didn't make our primary list but are nonetheless creating ripples in the culinary world:
- Cured egg yolks finely shaved over the pizza, resembling a dusting of gold
- Pickled fruits, with a preference for stone fruits like peaches and plums
- Ancient grain sprinkles, such as crunchy farro or puffed sorghum, adding texture
- Gourmet butter dabs, particularly those infused with cultures or mixed with herbs
Whether your tastes align with classical preferences or you're a culinary explorer keen on novel flavors, pizza retains its status as one of the most versatile and endeared dishes worldwide. At CollectiveWisdom, we pay homage to time-honored methods while also adopting innovative recipes – our selection spans the quintessential Margherita to avant-garde specialty pizzas.
Have you sampled any of these trendsetting toppings? Or perhaps you harbor a unique topping combination you'd like us to experiment with? Share with us in the comments or during your next stopover!