America’s Favorite Pizza Topping: Pepperoni

When we picture pizza, we likely imagine a big beautiful pie, topped with lots of melty mozzarella and plenty of pepperoni. Pepperoni is considered America’s #1 pizza topping choice, beating out popular runners-up sausage and mushroom.

The History

While pizza itself originated in Naples, Italy, pepperoni is actually an American invention! It’s exact origins are unknown, but it’s thought to have likely popped up in the early 1900s when Italian-American butcher shops and pizzerias began to flourish in New York City. The name comes from the Italian word “peperoni”, which means large peppers - likely because early pepperonis included ingredients like bell peppers.

How It’s Made

Traditionally made by mashing together pork and beef, pepperoni is then seasoned with peppers, garlic, fennel, or mustard seeds, stuffed into a casing, and air-dried. The result is a somewhat spicy, fine-grained, slightly smoky, bright red, and relatively soft cured meat product. It can be sliced thick or thin depending on preference.

What It Tastes Like

The flavor of pepperoni can’t be done justice by description - it must be tasted. If you have somehow gone this far in life without ever having tried America’s Favorite Pizza Topping, there’s no better time to try it than now!

What to Pair with Pepperoni

If you desire more than a single topping on your pie, there are plenty of great options to add to a pepperoni and cheese pizza! For meat lovers, adding sausage is a popular and tasty option. If you’re trying to fill your veggie quota, throw on some chopped bell peppers and/or sliced mushrooms. Black olives and onions are a great choice as well!

For nearly 60-years, Aurelio’s Pizza has been serving up quality pizza to the people of Homewood, Illinois and beyond. The Aurelio family is proud to be upholding the tradition that is Aurelio’s Pizza, while still adhering to original founder Joe Aurelio’s business ideals. Savor the tradition at Aurelio’s Pizza!