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Pineapple

A sweet, juicy fruit topping that needs draining before use, since its liquid readily sogs the base if applied straight from the tin. Paired with ham/Canadian bacon as 'Hawaiian pizza', a combination credibly documented as invented by Sam Panopoulos at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, in 1962 — a topping tradition on a generic base, not a structurally distinct pizza style in its own right.

Salt
low
Fat
low
Sweetness
high
Acidity
moderate
Heat
none
Moisture
high
Umami
low
Cooking requirement
raw ready to eat

Preparation

Diced and well-drained before topping to reduce excess released juice

High water and sugar content; excess juice can make the base soggy and encourage localised burning as sugars caramelise

Applied before baking.

Cautions

  • under-drained pineapple is the most common cause of a soggy Hawaiian-style pizza

History and cultural context

Invented in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, in 1962 by Sam Panopoulos at the Satellite Restaurant — genuinely Canadian in origin, not Hawaiian, Italian, or American, despite its name. The 'Hawaiian' name comes from the brand of canned pineapple used, not the topping's place of invention.

Traditional regions: Canada

Internationally available on most commercial pizza menus; particularly popular in Canada, Australia, and Germany by various consumer-survey and media reporting, though PizzaHQ does not cite specific comparative sales figures.

One of the most publicly and repeatedly debated pizza toppings, including a widely reported 2017 remark by Iceland's president suggesting a (non-binding, joking) ban, and frequent 'pineapple does/doesn't belong on pizza' media cycles. This catalogue treats the controversy itself as a documented cultural phenomenon, not a question PizzaHQ takes a side on.

Also known as: Hawaiian pizza

Commonly repeated, and not supported

  • That Hawaiian pizza was invented in Hawaii, or by a Hawaiian or Italian cook — it was invented in Ontario, Canada, by a Greek-Canadian restaurateur.
Well established

Pairs well with

  • Cooked bacon

    Explicitly noted as a good balance for Pineapple. Adds textural contrast against Pineapple.

  • Pepperoni

    Adds textural contrast against Pineapple.

  • Soppressata

    Adds textural contrast against Pineapple.

  • Guanciale

    Adds textural contrast against Pineapple.

  • Onion

    Adds textural contrast against Pineapple.

  • Bell pepper

    Adds textural contrast against Pineapple.

How it behaves on a pizza

How preparation changes what this ingredient contributes to the bake and the flavour.

  • Pineapple: fresh vs tinned on pizza

    Tinned pineapple is already cooked, softer, and sweeter, and behaves more predictably in a bake; fresh is sharper, firmer, and carries more water and more active enzyme. Both should be drained and patted dry, and fresh benefits from a brief pre-cook.