October is National Pizza Month, an observance created by Pizza Today 40 years ago. For those four decades, Pizza Today has provided pizzerias with ideas and recipes for delicious pizzas. So, we’re going through our archives and bringing you some of the best pizza recipes. Find more pizza recipes.

Here are 31 pizza recipes to honor National Pizza Month

We picked 31 pizza recipes that span the creativity of pizza making from classic ingredients, trendy toppings to unique creations. You’ll find pizza recipes everyone will love. This recipes cane be used by beginners and master pizza makers alike. In no particular order, here are our 31 pizza recipes for National Pizza Month.

1. White Hot Pizza — Kick off the list is this month’s On Deck recipe “White Hot”, Chris Decker created simple, yet flavorful combination. He says, “The way this mixture of cheese blends together, the crunch of the almond with the slight spice of the finishing oil all rounded out with a little lemon zest is all you need to enjoy this one.”
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

2. Berry Belly Pizza — This pizza hits all the flavor notes. For the On Deck recipe, Chris Decker says ” I love the way pork and fruit play with each other. Add those flavors to a crispy crust along with creamy, whole milk mozzarella, fatty delicious pork belly, a sweet/hot mixture of some fresh in season berries and some greens and this one is a balanced attack for your taste buds.”
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

3. Golden Lantern Pizza — This vibrant pizza Chris Decker says is a tribute to California and Cal-Mex pizza. He says, “We use smoked mozzarella as a base, chipotle marinated chicken, pineapple pickled peppers, citrus pickled onions, cilantro, and of course the king of all California, the avocado.”
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

4. A Winning Sausage and Pepper Pizza — Even this classic combination can have a little extra oomph. John Gutekanst says, “This pizza starts with the Pain a’ l’ Ancienne method for the dough. This cold and long fermented dough was first introduced to me by Master Baker Peter Reinhart in his book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. The cold prohibits the yeast from activating and affords the enzymes a chance to break down complex carbohydrates into sugars. This creates a rich flavor and killer caramelization. The sauce is a house made chunky tomato sauce using the best sweet California pear tomatoes to be had. The cheese blend is designed to play with the fatty sausage and is a 50/50 blend of mozzarella and provolone with a touch of sour Asiago. The sweet fennel sausage is house made with no nitrates and has a spicy component; it is placed on raw to draw out the natural juices to cover the pie and meld flavors while the green peppers are cooking.”
   

   Photo by John Gutekanst

5. Chicken “Cordon Blacon” — John Gutekanst created this play on the famous entree. He says, “This pizza is a knockout blast of all the lusciousness in a traditional Cordon Bleu dish. The difference is that bacon is used instead of ham, and they all bake on a pizza. If you use non-crunchy chicken, you can always toss the panko breadcrumbs on the pie after the oven bake.”
   

   Photo by John Gutekanst

6. Sunday Gravy Pizza — The sauce or “Sunday Gravy” makes this pizza standout and the ricotta and micro arugula turn it into a stunner. Chris Decker shares the sauce and pizza recipe.
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

7. The Grandma Pizza — Grandma style pizza is hot right now. Tony Gemignani provides his recipe for the unique square-cut pizza. Tony describes the Grandma: “They are cooked in a half-black reinforced sheet pan, are heavily oiled and feature sliced mozzarella (sometimes shredded or fresh mozz is used). These pizzas are topped with tomato sauce and cooked in a gas brick oven. You could finish it with Grana Padano, herbs, pecorino, olive oil, Parmigiano and chopped garlic. Sometimes the dry cheese can go on before. This pizza is typically shorter/thinner than your typical Sicilian.”
   

   Photo by Josh Keown

8. Gorgonzola Pear Pizza with Prosciutto di Parma — John Gutekanst loves to add creativity to his pizza menu. He says, “This is an all-time favorite in my pizzeria and exhibits what Italians call the “Agrodolce” or sweet-and-sour flavor profile. Some people cannot handle the strong flavor of gorgonzola, so I temper this with some shredded mozzarella. The Bosc pear is my favorite because it doesn’t get too soft and is baked without turning brown and mealy. The added touch of maple syrup and pecan creates a strong sweet foil for the sour cheese and a crunchy finish.
   

   Photo by Pizza Today

9. Purgatory Pig — This one comes to us from our Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White. He adds the heat of jalapenos and hot honey and BACON to a traditional pepperoni pizza.
   

   Photo by Pizza Today

10. The Bahn Mi Pizza — For this recipe, John Gutekanst says, “This famous sandwich relies heavily upon the crunch of crispy French bread. For this reason, a thin and crispy crust and a sprinkle of Japanese Panko breadcrumbs is a good choice. This pizza is topped with a Hoisin sauce, aged provolone, (a great fit for Asian-style pizza flavors) pulled pork topping and then baked. The beauty of this is the finish of easy pickled carrot and radishes, cilantro and pickled or fresh jalapeño.”
    

    Photo by John Gutekanst

11. Direct Method Sicilian Pepperoni Pizza —  John Gutekanst creates a recipe for the popular Sicilian pizza style. He says, “In my pizzeria, we make both indirect method dough (using pre-ferments and old dough) and direct method doughs for all our focaccia and Sicilian pizzas. We also use a multitude of grains that accentuate different tastes and textures to the thick breading. This recipe uses just the basic ingredients at 72-percent hydration to form a great pizza crust and incorporates time, temperature and patience. You may want to keep it retarded under refrigeration for another day for a more dynamic crust and added digestibility.”
    

    Sicilian Pizza by John Gutekanst, Avalanche Pizza, Athens, Ohio

12. Peaches and Cream Pizza — This beautiful pizza is by Tony Gemignani. He says, “Stone fruit season is here, and that reminds me of an event I did long ago. About 25 years ago I was asked to compete in the Franciscan Estates Pizza Battle in Napa, California. I teamed up with Chef Courtney Townsend, and we competed against three other restaurants — most notably A16 and Bistro Don Giovanni. Each team was grouped with 15 sommeliers from around the world. They assisted us in making two styles of pizza. The sommeliers paired a wine to each pizza. We had to make 15 of each pizza, and boy was it a challenge! One pizza was a duck confit and the other was a pizza called Peaches & Cream. It has always been one of my favorite pizzas. And here is a recipe that is very similar to what we made. By the way, we took home a win that day (which we were very honored to receive)!”
    

    Photo by Tony Gemignani

13. Detroit Pizza — It wasn’t until a decade ago that Detroit style could be found outside of the Motor City. Now it’s all over the U.S. Try this unique pizza.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

14. The Pepperoni Star — This one was created by our Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer. This stuffed crust pizza adds artistry to pizza by folding and filling the ends with cheese.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

15. Kale & Chorizo Pizza — Created by Tony Gemignani is a unique twist on a chorizo pizza using mozzarella slices and a lemon wedge to finish the pizza.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

16. The Royale with Cheese — This is John Gutekanst upstyle of a cheese pizza. He describes its name inspiration. “This is one of the most prolific pizzas in my menu mix,” he says. “It started as a riff on John Travolta’s line in the movie Pulp Fiction as he described what the Big Mac is called in France and it also highlighted a great local band named The Royales. This pizza’s genius is in its ginormous flavor and its simplicity.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

17. Pulled Pork & Sweet Corn Pizza — Tony Gemignani combines two American favorites: pulled pork and corn. Add cilantro, salt and queso fresco or cotija cheese and a squeeze of the orange makes your pizza really pop.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

18. Mortadella and Pistachio Pizza — Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer drew inspiration from the classic Italian mortadella pizza for this one.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

19. Chicken Parm Pizza — What’s not to love about turning the classic Italian Chicken Parmesan into a pizza. Tony Gemignani created a hit with this one.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

20. Poached Egg and Wild Mushroom Pizza — Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer came up with beauty that makes a great breakfast or brunch pizza.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

21. Prosciutto Arugula Pizza — Tony Gemignani wanted to create a pizza that provided that missing ingredient, so this recipe provides options to really make it sizzle. He says, “I feel that every pizza should have three to four flavor profiles (sweet, salty, savory, acidic).”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

22. Micro Arugula and Portobello Pizza — Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer wanted to spotlight microgreens as finishing ingredients. This pizza balances tanginess, acidity and creaminess.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

23. Angry Meatball and Ricotta Pizza — This spicy take on a meatball pizza was created by Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

24. Pancetta Pizza Giardiniera
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

25. Chicken Béchamel Pizza — Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White created this creamy white pizza. He says, “This sauce can also be used to great effect in pasta dishes. Béchamel may not be as popular as Alfredo when it comes to this application, but your customers will not be disappointed. This recipe is a personal favorite of mine.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

26. Upside Down Pizza — Tony Gemignani created one of our favorite pizza recipes that we recreated in the Pizza Today test kitchen. Tony says, “One of my all-time favorite pizzas is an upside-down pizza. An upside-down pizza is a Sicilian pan pizza. Depending on where you are from it could also be called a Sicilian tomato pie with cheese. These Sicilian pizzas resemble a bakery pie as they are cooked in an oiled pan with sliced mozzarella added first and then topped with a robust sauce, olive oil and grated Romano or Parmesan.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

27. Black & Blue Dessert Pizza — Created by Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White, the Black & Blue Dessert Pizza recipe is a sweet dessert pizza that features tart berries, including blackberries and blueberries.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

28. Pineapple Upside-Down Pizza — John Gutekanst creates a unique pizza using the king of fruit, pineapple. He says, “This pizza is one of my favorites and is surprisingly easy to make. The slices of pineapple are more expensive than tidbits; But without any meats, this pizza can easily be made for a food cost of less than 30 percent. Many modifications can also be made with an additional toss of pine nuts or walnuts for a nice textural foil.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

29. Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza — Hot Chicken is still all rage. Make it or use a local hot chicken spot to create a fun and popular pizza. Don’t forget the pickles.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

30. Country Ham Pizza with Blue Cheese and Dried Cherries — This recipe is Courtesy of Richard Sible, executive chef at Garage Bar in Louisville, KY. Country ham makes a great topping that is different than its traditional ham cousin. This one is brilliantly paired with seasonal produce.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

31. Halloween Cookie Pizza — Can’t have October pizza recipes without a Halloween tribute. This sweet cookie pizza has marshmallows, Oreos, Candy Corn and hot fudge.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

     

Need a pizza dough recipe first?

You want to make pizza but don’t know where to start with pizza dough. Check out Pizza Dough Recipes for Top Trending Pizza Styles. Explore dough styles and find out how to make Detroit, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Chicago Thin and Deep Dish pizzas with tips and advices from the pizza industry’s top pizza masters and dough experts.

More Fun with National Pizza Month

See how we are helping pizzerias and pizza enthusiasts celebrate National Pizza Month in our National Pizza Month Toolkit.

Check out interesting pizza-related fun facts about pizza, pizza history, pizza topping, pizza world records for your next pizza trivia game or pizza quiz in 36 Pizza Fun Facts.

Pizza Today is home to the official National Pizza Month Logo and fun social media graphics available to you for free. Find out more in Free National Pizza Month Images & Ideas.

The post 31 Pizza Recipes to Celebrate National Pizza Month in October appeared first on Pizza Today.

After a record-breaking hot summer in much of the U.S., we are ready for cooler temperatures. Are your fall and winter menus prepared to provide that cold-weather comfort? Just as summer tomatoes bring a freshness to your summer menu, look to cozy ingredients to warm up your customers when the temperatures go cool.

September is a perfect time to plan those cold-weather specialty menus. Before I dive into creative cozy pizza ideas, let’s reflect on your seasonal successes. You don’t have to start from scratch with your fall and winter pizza menus, go to your well for great pizzas that have worked.

During the pandemic, I offered some advice for changing up your fall menu. With cost of goods and inflation, that advice is still sound as you plan your fall and winter menus. Here are my five tips to help mitigate some of that risk of changing up your menu seasonally:

1. Go with your proven winners.
2. Look back to your sales reports from the past three to five years and find those fall and winter menu specials. Which fall and winter debut items were hits and which were duds?
3. Odds are you will find common ingredients that customers loved and ingredients that your market just didn’t care for. If you are unable to access item-by-item data history, scour your past fall and winter special social media posts. Were there items that garnered more attention than others?
4. Once you have a list of the popular fall and winter ingredients for your market, it’s time to think labor. Now may not be the time to roll out a labor-intensive new item. Instead try preparation and cooking techniques that do not strap your kitchen crew. Choose methods that can be prepped ahead or are already a part of your makeline.
5. Now it’s time to get creative in your kitchen. Try pairing seasonal items with those can’t-miss ingredients. People may be willing to get out of their pizza comfort zone if they see pepperoni or sausage on that a new fall or winter item.

Make pizza extra cozy with a white sauce

Pizza is already one of America’s best comfort foods. What can make pizza extra cozy? There are ingredients that are more filling. Here are a few ingredients to try on your cold-weather pizza:

White Sauces, from bechamel and Alfredo to thicker cheese-based sauces give the heftier feel.

Start with a basic bechamel sauce: Here is a basic bechamel sauce recipe. 

From there, let’s talk add-ins. You could go with cheese like Parmesan, bleu cheese, Gruyère, white cheddar or goat cheese. Roasted garlic always works well in a white sauce. Try other ingredients to change it up and make it your own — roasted red pepper, mushrooms, your favorite hot sauce or roasted hot pepper. Try herbs and seasonings like cayenne, onion powder, paprika, parsley, rosemary, saffron or sage. Even lemon can be that missing ingredient.

Look to heartier produce as pizza toppings

Now that we’ve concocted the perfect white sauce, it’s time to think about veggies. Luckily, there are some hearty varieties that will pair well with your version of a white sauce.

Let’s look at some fall and winter vegetable options: butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, other winter squash, beetroot, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, onion, shallots, leeks, radicchio and escarole.

I’m sure as you peruse the list, you’re thinking “how can I incorporate these atypical ingredients onto my pizza menu?” Start with more recognized favorites like squash, pumpkin and potatoes. You can roast these or even go a step further and puree them. People tend to sweeten up pumpkin and squash with brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Play with flavoring. I challenge you to try combinations on the savory side like sage or rosemary. Hit them with lemon juice.

Onto the Recipes

I’ve included two very basic recipes for you to work your magic on. Your homework assignment is to add your own spin to the pizzas, whether that is incorporating a protein or seasoning them up. Whatever you come up with, tag us on social
@PizzaToday. Go get creative!

Butternut Squash & Gorgonzola Pizza Recipe

Butternut Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

Potato, Bacon & Provolone Pizza Recipe

Potato, Bacon & Provolone Pizza

The post Plan Now for Fall and Winter Pizza Toppings appeared first on Pizza Today.

It’s corn. A year after a kid went viral with his declaration of corn’s deliciousness. His words are top of mind as we see piles of corn on the cob at farmer’s markets and grocery stores.

“It’s corn. A big lump with knobs. It has the juice (it has the juice). I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing. It’s corn”

We couldn’t agree more, Tariq.

Try these 7 corn pizza recipes for summer or any time

Once July hits and into August and September farm fresh corn on the cob is plentiful in many parts of the United States. Explore summer corn recipes. Since we are Pizza Today, we are sharing corn recipes in the best way, corn on pizza.

Try these seven corn pizza recipes:

1. Summer Corn Pie

   This is a light, vegetarian pizza that features fresh shucked corn, red onion, green chilies, Cotija and mozzarella cheeses and cilantro.

2. Pulled Pork & Sweet Corn Pizza

   Tony Gemignani created this pizza and highlights two summer grilling favorites: pulled pork and sweet corn. The pulled pork is seasoned with brown sugar, orange wedges, Serrano peppers, habanero, tamarind, dark Agave nectar, red bell pepper, white onion, salt & black pepper. The finished pizza pairs the sweet corn and pork with cilantro, salt, queso fresco and a orange wedge.

3. Big Southwest Beef and Corn Pie with Pepper Jack

   John Gutekanst created this balanced white pie. The pizza features a bechamel sauce, fior di latte mozzarella, pepper jack, southwestern seasoned ground beef, corn and topped with smashed tortilla chips. Watch a how-to video.

4. Corne Asada Pizza

   This Corne Asada Pizza recipe came to us from Johnny Gilbreth, co-owner of Pizza Tree in Columbia, Missouri. He created the unique pizza to pay homage to the street taco.

5. Poblano Corn Pizza

   This pizza is first brushed with a blend of oil and green pepper hot sauce. It pairs sweet corn with roasted Poblano pepper and Cotijo cheese.

6. Hatch Green Chile Pie

   Audrey Kelly, owner of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado, created this recipe that pairs sweet corn with Hatch green chilies, roasted garlic and pancetta.

7. The Whole Package Pizza

   Chris Decker, managing partner at Metro Pizza and Truly Pizza, recreated those firepit foil packs in pizza form. His creation features kielbasa sausage, potatoes, fresh corn, BBQ sauce and green onion.

This should help you get your kitchen creativity going with how to use fresh summer sweet corn in your restaurant. Try a few of these and don’t be afraid to add your own spin to them.

Do you have a dynamite pizza featuring corn? Share it with @PizzaToday on social.

The post Corn is the hit Pizza Topping of the Summer appeared first on Pizza Today.

National Pizza Day is February 9^th. While everyday is pizza day for the pizza industry, this food holiday is an opportunity to shine and stand out in your local community. Be sure you mark the occasion with something special. To get your creative gears moving, we have five drool-worthy National Pizza Day pizza recipes to get you started.

Solid Gold Pizza

Chris Decker, managing partner at Las Vegas-based Metro Pizza, created this gorgeous pizza to give America’s favorite food a bit of luxury. “Sourcing gold leaf is extremely easy,” he says. “One of your distributors might carry it, or you can search online. It is quite tricky to work with, however, because it is very sticky. If you have a set of tweezers, I found that to be the easiest way to apply after baking.”

On Deck: Solid Gold Pizza

Tony Gemignani’s Detroit Pizza

Detroit-style pizza is RED HOT right now. Pizza Master Tony Gemgnani helped take the famed Motor City pizza to the West Coast. He pays homage to the late Shawn Randazzo who trained pizzeria makers across the country on the signature pizza. This pizza recipe Tony calls Motorhead.

Tony’s Trending Recipe: Detroit Pizza

Sweet Bacon Pizza

Did you know BACON is now in the Top 5 Pizza Toppings? This recipe by Editor in Chief Jeremy White brings out all of the sweet and savory notes that make a winning pizza. Whether round, square or oval, give this recipe a go now.

Sweet Bacon Pizza

The Pepperoni Star

Who says pizza must be round? In the Pizza Today Test Kitchen, I learned the star pizza technique. This might just be the original stuffed crust pizzas. There are some many options with cheeses and herbs to fill the star points. Get creative and have fun with a star pizza.

The Pepperoni Star

Heart-shaped Pizza

Shaped pizza themes can’t not be complete without February’s highlighted special, the heart-shaped pizza. This pie makes its way onto pizzeria menus across the country. Customers love it and you can “tie the knot” with the leftover dough. Get it? No waste and delicious.

Trending Recipe: Valentine’s Day Pizza

Happy National Pizza Day! Share your National Pizza Day specials with us on social @PizzaToday.

The post Celebrate National Pizza Day with Five Fantastic Pizza Recipes appeared first on Pizza Today.

I’ve always loved bacon as a pizza topping. It’s super versatile, for starters. Whether you’re loading up on meats, going the “supreme” route or working with lots of veggies, you can throw bacon into the mix without skipping a beat.

Want to know a little secret? Sure, I prize bacon for its versatility. But why do I really love it? Because it offers an intense flavor bomb that greatly impacts the taste of the finished product! And I’m all about flavor. I mean … who isn’t?

I also like heat. Based on the number of recipes I’ve developed or highlighted that have a spicy component to them, it will likely come as no surprise to you that one of my favorite bacon pizza combinations includes jalapeños, spicy cupped pepperoni and is finished with a drizzle of your favorite hot honey. You get salty, sweet and hot all in one, and to me that’s a truly winning proposition.

Another way I love it is on a traditional “supreme” style pizza with sausage, bell peppers and tomatoes. You can add onions and mushrooms if that’s your thing, or leave them off if it’s not. There are no rules! The only rules: do what you want; do what your customers want; do what sells.

With that in mind, get in the kitchen and experiment. Tell your kitchen staff to play around, get creative, think of combinations and tinker until you hit on something that works for your customer base. As a starting point, here are some simple-but-oh-so-tasty recipes to use as a foundation.

Purgatory Pig Pizza

Purgatory Pig

Get the Purgatory Pig pizza recipe.

Bacon Supreme

Get the Bacon Supreme pizza recipe.

Because bacon is so versatile, it finds itself right at home not just on red sauce pies, but also on white pizzas. From olive oil bases to carbonara to a creamy Alfredo, bacon can and will serve as a menu workhorse. So don’t be afraid to get creative as you look to expand that fall menu!

Here is a perennial fan favorite sandwich turned pizza featuring an Alfredo sauce.

BLT Pizza

Get the BLT Pizza recipe.

JEREMY WHITE is Editor In Chief at Pizza Today.

The post Bacon Pizzas: Just Add Bacon appeared first on Pizza Today.

The first time I had ‘Nduja, I was hesitant but curious. I was visiting a tiny independent pizzeria in the mountains of northern Arizona and spotted the kitchen staff working with the spicy, spreadable salumi. The seasoned pork had a strange color, but an appealing texture and flavor. It was being used on a toasted, crusty bread as an appetizer that was part of a larger platter with various olives, cheeses and cured meats. It was new to me and I was intrigued, if not smitten.

Several years later ‘Nduja enjoyed a boost in popularity in some big-city heavy hitter restaurants. As I noticed more and more foodies getting turned on to the meat spread they couldn’t pronounce, I chuckled as I recalled how ahead of the curve this pizzeria happened to be simply by hearkening back to something old.

In the interim, other pizzerias began picking up on the trend. While it isn’t an item you find in a large percentage of American pizzerias, its usage and popularity are growing. I see ‘Nduja on menus from San Francisco to New York, with plenty of stops in between. And while I tend to come across it in a starter form a lot, it certainly can bring depth to a pizza menu.

As a lover of Calabrian peppers, it’s no wonder I’m drawn to ‘Nduja. The spread, which originated in the Calabria region, is at its best thanks to the spice imparted by the chilies. It’s simple enough to make the product yourself if you want to invest the time. Otherwise, just source one you really like and move on. You aren’t going to purchase in large quantities here: this is a specialty ingredient that you’ll most likely use on a limited time dish.

We recently had the opportunity to play around with ‘Nduja in the Pizza Today test kitchen as we prepared for the issue of the magazine you’re now holding in your hands. We tried it several different ways, but quickly discovered — big shock — that we liked it best on pizza! Give this one a try in your kitchen and see how it goes. It just might make for a fun specialty pizza that gives your staff and customer base a slight break from the norm.

‘Nduja Pizza

Get the ‘Nduja Pizza recipe.

Jeremy White is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post ‘Nduja Pizza: Covering the Spread appeared first on Pizza Today.