Try these 31 pizza recipes for October’s National Pizza Month
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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Pancetta Pizza Giardiniera
Photo by Josh Keown
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
