Pizza is all about variety — and trends show how creatively people are baking. This overview summarises current directions and offers practical tips for handling toppings and sauces in the home pizza oven.
Vegetarian and vegan
Pizzas with lots of vegetables and plant-based alternatives are popular. They create varied combinations — entirely without meat.
Toppings and alternatives
Typical ingredients include artichokes, peppers, courgettes, mushrooms or olives. Plant-based options include cashew-based "cheese" alternatives; tofu can also be used as a topping.
Baking tip
Drain vegetables well and arrange them rather thinly. Plant-based alternatives behave differently depending on type — watch closely for the desired browning and texture.
New sauces beyond tomato
Alongside classic tomato sauce, alternatives are being used more often — for example pesto, hummus or BBQ sauce. White pizzas (bianca) with a cream or soft-cheese base are also common.
Adding accents
Use bold sauces sparingly so the dough remains the focus. Fresh herbs and citrus zest add extra brightness after baking.
Regionally inspired pizzas
Regional ingredients create distinctive flavour profiles. Examples include Alpine-style variants with bacon and mountain cheese, or Tuscan-inspired combinations with fennel and salsiccia.
Think seasonally
What’s in season often works particularly well: for example asparagus in spring or pumpkin in autumn — each paired with a few well-matched accompaniments.
Sweet pizzas
As a dessert variant, sweet toppings come into play, such as chocolate, fresh fruit or caramel.
Oven practice
Delicate ingredients like berries or chocolate are usually added only after baking or baked for a very short time so they don’t burn.
Gourmet combinations
Some pizza chefs experiment with refined or unusual ingredients. Examples include pizzas with truffle oil, seafood or — more rarely — foie gras. High-quality products and precise timing are key here.
"Healthier thinking"
Recipes with a higher proportion of wholegrain, more vegetables or seeds are being widely tried. Combinations with ingredients like quinoa are also possible — depending on the desired dough characteristics.
Baking gluten-free
Gluten-free pizzas are firmly established. Blends based on rice, buckwheat or almond flour are often used. The doughs are handled differently depending on the recipe than classic wheat doughs.
Practice in the pizza oven: How to succeed with trendy toppings
- Preheat the baking surface thoroughly and sweep it clean before loading.
- Drain wet ingredients well so the base stays crisp.
- Place delicate toppings (herbs, salad leaves, soft cheeses) preferably after baking.
- Watch sweet pizzas closely — sugar browns quickly.
- Accessory tip: pizza peel, dough boxes and a clean working-flour strategy make handling and timing easier.
Whether using a wood-fired or gas oven, these trends can be easily adapted at home with an organised mise en place and carefully chosen toppings.