Everyone has their favorite pizza toppings, from extra cheese to a long list of vegetables and meats. In an attempt to determine the most popular toppings in the United States, Harris Insights & Analytics surveyed 2,193 adults to find what most Americans like on pizza at their local restaurants. Below is some more information about the toppings on that list.

America’s Favorite Pizza Toppings

1. Pepperoni

The most popular topping on a pizza is an air-dried spicy sausage. Pepperoni is an American creation, and the term means “large peppers” in Italian. A differentiating factor between pepperoni and true Italian sausage is that while pepperoni is lightly smoked, Italian sausages aren’t. Today, it’s the go-to pizza topping for Americans, with 252 million pounds of the meat consumed yearly.

2. Sausage

The second most popular pizza topping is another meat, sausage. There are a variety of sausages that can go on pizza that range from mild to hot, and they can be coarse-ground, fine-ground, chunky, patty, or pinched.

The sausage used depends on the type of pizza. For example, most deep-dish pizzas use patty. Depending on the restaurant you go to, the sausage is either be raw or precooked. While some chefs prefer the safety and shelf life of precooked sausage, others stand by the taste of fresh sausage.

3. Mushrooms

The first vegetable on the list is mushrooms, with popular choices on pizza including portabella, shiitake, cremini, and oyster. They are sautéed, roasted, or grilled because fresh mushrooms are full of water and can make your pizza soggy. These methods cook the water out of the vegetable while keeping the flavor intact. 

4. Cheese

The most popular choice for cheese on pizza remains mozzarella, but it’s far from the only option. Alternatives include cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gruyere, and provolone. Many local restaurants provide a variety of cheeses on pizza, which can combine to add a unique flavor. Whatever your preference, it’s a popular topping that’s anything but plain.

5. Onions

Rounding out the list of most popular pizza toppings is onions. The two most common ways to have onions on a pizza are raw or caramelized. While uncooked onions are put on the pizza without prior preparation, caramelized onions are cooked with sugar, bringing out their naturally sweet flavor. There are different types of onions you can use on pizza, which include red, white, green, or pickled, and they can be sliced, diced, or shaved thin, depending on how prevalent you want them on the pizza.

While these five toppings have won the hearts of Americans, they are far from the only ones available. The menu at Papa Rocco’s in Gulf Shores, AL, features pizzas with grilled chicken breast, spinach, and scallops. If you’re looking for a local restaurant with the best pizza, call (251) 948-7262. Visit their website to view their menu.