When it comes to pizza, olives tend to get a bad rap. After all, who likes the idea of olives on a pizza? But thanks to their natural oils and brine, olives actually make for a great pizza topping when done right.
Think about it: olives are bitter, but they balance that bitterness with salt and that makes for a delicious pizza topping.
Olives are a great base for a savory sauce. That’s why many pizza places will sometimes offer an olive pizza (sometimes called an olive pie).
In fact, olives work so well on pizza that some people believe they should be the only topping. That’s not true. As with any other pizza topping, olives should be used in moderation (and in combination with other toppings).
Cheese
There are few things better on pizza than cheese. It’s salty and savory, and it’s a great complement to the other toppings on a pizza.
And when it comes to olives, cheese is especially delicious.
One of the ways to do this is to use a milder cheese, like mozzarella or ricotta. Another way to make olives better with cheese is to use a stronger cheese, like Parmesan or pecorino.
Of course, there are other ways to combine olives and cheese, too: both can be blended together and with other toppings. For example, you might want to combine a light sauce with a medium-level of cheese, and olives are a great choice for this.
Pepperoni
This classic pizza topping is one to definitely keep around for olives. Pepperoni is one of the most popular pizza toppings for a reason: it has a hint of spiciness that works well with olives.
That spiciness makes olives less bitter, and it also helps make the olive taste more savory. That savoriness is perfect for olives, which are more salty than sweet.
If you’re starting from scratch, it’s hard to go wrong with pepperoni. But pepperoni is also a great option for building onto a pizza with other toppings, too, such as ricotta or mushrooms.
Check out the video below for a simple pizza with black olives!
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of the best pizza toppings for olives. They taste a lot like olives, but they contain more umami (a savory taste) than olives do. That means mushrooms help to balance the olive’s saltiness.
There are a lot of great mushroom varieties for pizza—each of them with a distinct taste and texture. For example, portobello mushrooms are dense and meaty, but they also have a strong mushroom flavor. That makes them a great option for blending with other toppings for a more complex flavor.
Bacon
People often use the word “bacon” as a synonym for “fat.” So what would bacon do on a pizza? Bacon isn’t one of the best pizza toppings for olives just because it’s fatty and delicious. Instead, it’s a great topping because it helps balance out the bitterness of the olives.
That savoriness is perfect for olives, which are more salty than sweet.
That’s why bacon is a perfect topping for olives. It’s salty, but it has a lot of pork flavor, too. That means it’s not just salty; it also has a lot of meaty flavor. Spicy and meaty, bacon is a great topping for olives.
Ham
For people who like a little sweetness in their savory dishes, ham is a great option. It’s salty, but it has a lot of sweetness, too. That means it’s a great option for olive pizzas that need a little extra sweetness. What’s more, ham is also a great source of protein, which makes it a great option for building a healthy meal.
Chicken
Chicken is also a great savory topping. It’s not as salty as ham, so it helps to make the olive taste less salty. A primary ingredient (such as vegetable pizzas). And, like bacon, there are also a lot of these pizzas that don’t include chicken as a primary ingredient (for example, plain or sweet vegetable pizzas).
Conclusion
Olives are definitely a divisive pizza topping, but there’s no denying that the brine and bitterness of the black olives are a great base for a savory sauce.
While you can make amazing olive pizzas with just a few ingredients, the key is to use the right ingredients and not overdo it. The perfect olive pizza is a delicate balance between salt, bitterness, and umami.