1. Peas
Peas are usually fine in salads or soups, but they have no place on a pizza. The texture is odd, and the flavor doesn’t complement anything you’d normally expect to see on a pizza. Plus, they don’t melt into the pizza, so you end up with cold, crunchy bursts of green that feel completely out of place.
2. Marshmallows
Marshmallows on pizza? It’s a hard pass. They’re just too soft and sugary to balance with the hearty, savory flavors of pizza. When they melt, they turn into an odd, sticky mess that doesn’t belong near a slice of cheesy goodness.
3. Chocolate
You heard that right—chocolate. As much as we love a good chocolate dessert, mixing it with cheese and tomato sauce is a step too far. The gooey sweetness clashes with the tangy, savory notes of the pizza base, creating a combination that’s better left for the dessert menu (if you must).
4. Banana
Banana on pizza is another topping that makes people scratch their heads. The fruit’s mushy texture and mild sweetness just don’t mesh well with pizza’s crispy crust and savory profile. You end up with a weirdly soggy slice, and nobody wants that.
5. Pineapple
Always a controversial one: pineapple. While some people love the sweet-and-salty combo, others feel that fruit just has no business on a pizza. The sweetness of pineapple can completely overpower the savory flavors of the sauce and cheese, making for a weirdly confusing bite.
6. Canned Sardines
Sardines are pretty polarizing on their own, but canned sardines on pizza? That’s a whole other level. The fishy smell and strong, briny flavor can easily overwhelm the delicate flavors of the crust and sauce, and they don’t provide the pleasant chewiness you’d expect from a pizza topping.
7. Licorice
Licorice and pizza are an unlikely and unfortunate pairing. The intensely sweet and slightly spicy flavor of licorice contrasts sharply with the richness of cheese and the acidity of tomato sauce. It’s a flavor combination that just doesn’t sit right with most taste buds.
8. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is great for sandwiches or cookies, but it’s too thick and cloying for pizza. The texture doesn’t work well with the lightness of the dough and cheese, and the flavor simply doesn’t belong in the world of savory pizza. It can overwhelm the other toppings in the worst way.
9. Raw Onion
While caramelized onions can bring a wonderful sweetness to a pizza, raw onions are a different story. They add a sharp, pungent bite that can easily overpower the rest of the flavors. Plus, raw onions can leave an aftertaste that lingers far too long for comfort.
10. Anchovies
Anchovies are a classic “love them or hate them” topping, and for a lot of people, they’re definitely in the “hate” category. Their salty, fishy taste can completely dominate the pizza, turning what should be a well-balanced meal into an overpowering, briny experience.
11. Pudding
Pudding on pizza? It’s an unexpected pairing that’s sure to disappoint. The creamy texture and sweetness of pudding just don’t work with the crust and savory ingredients, leading to a mess that no one asked for. Keep pudding where it belongs—on a spoon, not a slice!
12. Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is delicious—on its own. But on a pizza? The mix of textures and sweet, juicy fruit pieces makes for a soggy, sloppy mess. The contrast between fresh fruit and melted cheese isn’t something most people are eager to try, and it’s just not worth the gamble.
13. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce has a lot of flavor, but it’s a very distinct taste that doesn’t belong on pizza. While it might work as a dipping sauce for other foods, drizzling it on pizza can make it far too salty and give the whole dish an odd, Asian fusion twist that most people didn’t sign up for.
14. Ice Cream
Imagine biting into a slice of hot pizza, only to hit cold ice cream. It’s an uncomfortable contrast, and the combination of hot and cold is jarring to the senses. Ice cream just doesn’t belong in the savory, doughy world of pizza, no matter how creative you get with toppings.
15. Eggplant
Eggplant, when cooked poorly, can be mushy and soggy, which is a texture disaster on pizza. While it can be lovely in some dishes, its spongy nature doesn’t work well with pizza’s crispy crust and gooey cheese. It ends up being more of a burden than a tasty topping.
