The Best Toppings for Neapolitan Pizza (and What to Avoid)
There’s a simple joy in choosing toppings for a true Neapolitan pizza. Each flavour note should sing alongside that puffy, char-kissed crust. The art lies in restraint, balance, and top-notch ingredients. Let’s explore the handful of toppings we turn to again and again, and the common missteps that can muddy your masterpiece.
Why Quality Ingredients Matter
Begin with top-grade produce: San Marzano-style tomatoes crushed by hand, not canned watery sauce; creamy Fior di Latte or buffalo mozzarella, torn fresh; aromatic basil leaves picked at the last moment. Low-grade or pre-shredded cheese often lacks moisture and flavour, while second-rate tomatoes can drown the dough you’ve coaxed to life through patient fermentation.
Neapolitan Pizza Toppings We Love
San Marzano or vine-ripened plum tomatoes lightly seasoned with sea salt and a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil – no sugar or water added.
Fior di Latte or fresh buffalo mozzarella torn into small pieces so each pocket melts into delicate pools rather than sliding off.
Fresh basil just a few leaves scattered onto the hot pizza straight from the oven to release bright, herbal oils without wilting into limp ribbons.
A whisper of extra-virgin olive oil drizzled post-bake to carry flavour and lend a glossy finish.
Optional: a few shards of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano for nutty depth, added off the heat so its character isn’t lost to high flames.
Common Topping Mistakes to Avoid
Overloading with ingredients: too many toppings steal oven spring and leave a dense, under-cooked centre.
Using heavy or oily cheeses like cheddar blends or processed “pizza cheeses” – they leak fats, mute the dough’s flavour and can create slick patches rather than leopard-spotted char.
Adding herbs or greens before baking: basil, rocket or arugula scorch in the intense, 450 °C environment. Save fresh greens as a garnish.
Skipping proper dough hydration and cold fermentation: without that 24–72-hour cold proof, your dough won’t develop the airy crumb or complex, tangy notes that lift simple toppings.
Honing Your Topping Technique
Great Neapolitan pizza is more than assembly, it’s a gentle dance with time and temperature. Preheat your oven (or steel/stone) fully, aim for blistering heat, and let your toppings complement the dough’s spring rather than mask it. Taste as you go: a pinch of salt here, a corner of cheese there, to ensure every slice feels bright, nuanced, and fun.
The Marino & The Dough Experience
Ready to perfect your Neapolitan pizza craft? Join Luke Marino’s masterclass for hands-on guidance from dough to toppings to that first, joyous bite. We supply premium ingredients, expert techniques, and an atmosphere that turns pizza making into a memory-making experience. Because the best pizza doesn’t start in the oven, it begins with thoughtful topping choices and a love for the dough.