Broccoli Pizza Near You

Is Broccoli a Pizza Topping?

Oh yes, broccoli is an excellent pizza topping! Packed with fibers and vitamins, broccoli can add both nutritional value and a unique flavor to your favorite pie. Very popular all around the world, broccoli on pizza is one of the best decisions you can make when wanting to eat healthier.

Where is Broccoli Pizza From?

It's not known exactly who invented pizza with broccoli. We also don't know exactly where it was first seen. However, we can make some educated assumptions.

We are certain that pizza in general originated in Italy. More specifically, it was born in the Campania region, a province in the south-western corner of the country. Even though the pizza we know and love today is believed to have made its first appearance in Napoli in the 18th century, another, more simple version of the dish has existed for centuries before that.

In a nutshell, it's believed that pizza dates back to the year 997 AD, and probably even earlier. A result of something called "cucina povera", or poor kitchen, pizza was mainly eaten by the lower classes in an attempt to use up every available ingredient. Pizzas back then consisted of dough, olive oil, and whatever vegetables or fish that were available.

Knowing this, and also knowing that Ancient Romans loved their broccoli, it's safe to assume that the broccoli pizza recipe is as old as pizza itself, give or take a few centuries!

Fun Facts

• Naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote about growing, harvesting, and cooking broccoli. He lived from 79 to 23 AD
• The ancient broccoli pizza was probably just a flatbread with olive oil and steamed broccoli on top

Does Broccoli Taste Good on Pizza?

If you like the taste of plain broccoli, you'll like the taste of broccoli on pizza. However, if this green super veggie isn't your favorite, a broccoli-filled pie might not be for you. However, if you'd still like to give it a try, you can add ricotta, parmesan, or mozzarella cheese to subdue the taste a bit.

All of these cheeses are regular additions to a broccoli pizza anyway, so you won't be stepping out of the norm at all!

However, if we're talking about a classic broccoli pizza recipe, we have to talk about white pizza. In short, whenever this dish is brought up, what people immediately imagine is a white broccoli pizza. Even though the vegetable can handle other sauces too, a white sauce is considered the best fit because of its creaminess and strong taste.

American pizzerias usually make broccoli pizza the same way they do any other pie. The homemade pizza dough is topped with white sauce, broccoli, and any other addition, then baked until the crust is golden brown. Once out of the oven, the pizza can be sprinkled with shredded cheese for that lovely cheese pull effect we all know and love.

Common additions to broccoli pizza are mushrooms, ham, chicken, and olives. The veg pairs great with other vegetables such as corn as well as things like anchovies.

Is Broccoli on Pizza Healthy?

All in all, your broccoli pizza will be as healthy as the things you put on it. For example, if you opt for a cheese-heavy pie with broccoli as its only topping, you're still going to get a pretty calorie-packed meal.

However, if you stick with a light, white sauce and a broccoli topping, your pie will be lower in calories. If you want cheese no matter what, going with ricotta cheese instead of mozzarella or grated parmesan cheese will keep the calorie count lower.

A serving of regular white broccoli pizza has about 300 calories, with 51g of carbs, 7g of fat, and 9g of protein. It's also richer in vitamins, minerals, and fibers than any other pizza out there, which is a great thing!

Where Can I Find Broccoli Pizza Near Me?

If you're craving a broccoli pizza of your own right about now, we have some great restaurant recommendations for you!

To start with, we'd like to suggest Sano's Pizzeria in Chicago.

Next up, we can confidently highlight The Pizza Shuttle in Boston.

Finally, we have Vito's Pizza in Baltimore.

If you didn't find your city on our modest list, head to our website. There, you can search for local restaurants that serve this delicious dish and order one for yourself!