Top 5 Canadian Pizza Toppings

What Makes Canadian Pizza Unique

Canadian pizza has carved out its own identity in the global pizza landscape, distinct from both its Italian origins and its American interpretations. While crust styles can vary across Canada, from thin Montreal-style to medium-thick Toronto-style, what truly defines Canadian pizza is its unique approach to toppings.

Canadian pizza toppings reflect the country's multicultural identity, abundant natural resources, and distinctive culinary traditions. From iconic Canadian ingredients to innovative topping combinations, these elements come together to create pizza that is unmistakably Canadian.

In this guide, we'll explore the top five toppings that define authentic Canadian pizza and make it a standout in the global pizza scene. These toppings aren't just popular in Canada—they represent culinary innovations that have influenced pizza culture worldwide.

1. Canadian Bacon

The most iconic Canadian pizza topping is, fittingly, Canadian bacon. Also known as back bacon or peameal bacon, this is not the same as what Americans call "bacon." Canadian bacon is made from lean boneless pork loin that's been cured, rolled in cornmeal (traditionally peameal), and fully cooked. The result is a meat that's more similar to ham than to streaky bacon but with its own distinctive sweet and savory flavor profile.

What makes Canadian bacon special on pizza is its ability to provide meaty flavor without the excessive grease of regular bacon or pepperoni. Its lean quality means it doesn't shrink significantly during baking, ensuring consistent coverage across the pizza. The slight sweetness from the cure also pairs beautifully with tomato sauce and cheese.

At MapleSlice, our signature Canadian Classic pizza features generous portions of authentic Canadian bacon, sourced from suppliers who follow traditional curing methods to ensure authentic flavor. We pair it with mushrooms and mozzarella for a classic Canadian combination that showcases this iconic ingredient.

"Canadian bacon represents the perfect balance of flavor and texture for pizza. It's substantial enough to be satisfying but doesn't overwhelm the other ingredients like some cured meats can." — Chef Michael Harper, Canadian Culinary Federation

2. Maple-Infused Ingredients

Nothing says "Canadian" quite like maple syrup, and innovative Canadian pizzerias have found numerous ways to incorporate this national treasure into their pies. While pouring maple syrup directly onto pizza might sound strange, maple-infused ingredients have become a hallmark of Canadian pizza creativity.

The most common applications include:

• Maple-Cured Meats: Bacon, ham, or sausage cured with maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness that balances the saltiness of the meat.
• Maple-Infused Sauce: A touch of maple syrup in the tomato sauce creates a unique sweet-savory base that's distinctly Canadian.
• Maple Glaze: A light drizzle of reduced maple syrup (often combined with balsamic vinegar) as a finishing touch on pizzas featuring cured meats and strong cheeses.
• Maple-Candied Nuts: Walnuts or pecans candied with maple syrup add crunch and sweetness, especially popular on gourmet pizzas with blue cheese.

Our Maple Harvest pizza at MapleSlice features maple-glazed bacon, caramelized onions, and a light drizzle of maple-balsamic reduction, showcasing how this quintessentially Canadian ingredient can elevate pizza to new heights.

3. Atlantic Seafood

Canada's extensive coastlines provide access to some of the world's finest seafood, and this bounty has found its way onto Canadian pizzas, particularly in the Atlantic provinces. While seafood on pizza might be controversial in some pizza traditions, it's embraced in many Canadian regions.

Popular Canadian seafood toppings include:

• Atlantic Lobster: Chunks of lobster meat, often paired with garlic butter instead of traditional tomato sauce.
• Smoked Salmon: Thinly sliced smoked salmon added after baking, often on a white sauce base with capers and dill.
• Snow Crab: Delicate crab meat combined with a light cream sauce and herbs.
• Scallops: Bay scallops, sometimes bacon-wrapped, on a garlic oil base.

These seafood toppings represent a departure from traditional pizza ingredients but reflect Canada's strong connection to its coastal waters. The Maritime Feast pizza at MapleSlice features a combination of Atlantic lobster and scallops on a garlic butter base, bringing the taste of Canada's east coast to Singapore.

4. Game Meats and Wild Mushrooms

Canada's vast wilderness areas are home to an abundance of game animals and wild fungi, and these ingredients have influenced pizza toppings, particularly in regions like Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia. These toppings reflect Canada's hunting traditions and connection to the land.

Common game meat and foraged toppings include:

• Venison Sausage: Leaner than traditional pork sausage, with a distinctive flavor that pairs well with sweet elements like caramelized onions.
• Bison: Ground or thinly sliced, offering a rich flavor with less fat than beef.
• Wild Mushrooms: Foraged varieties like chanterelles, morels, and pine mushrooms add earthy depth to pizzas.
• Duck Prosciutto: Thinly sliced cured duck breast, often featuring maple in the curing process.

These ingredients may not be as widely available outside Canada, but they represent an important aspect of Canadian culinary identity—a connection to the country's natural abundance. Our Wilderness pizza at MapleSlice combines venison sausage with wild mushrooms and a juniper berry-infused sauce to evoke the flavors of the Canadian forest.

"Canadian pizza toppings often tell a story about the country's geography and history. When we use ingredients like wild mushrooms or game meats, we're connecting diners to Canada's vast wilderness." — Food Writer Christine Tran, Canadian Culinary Journal

5. Poutine-Inspired Toppings

Poutine—the iconic Canadian dish of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy—has inspired one of Canada's most decadent and distinctively Canadian pizza variations. While putting fries on pizza might seem unusual to traditionalists, poutine pizza has become a beloved staple in many Canadian pizzerias.

The typical poutine pizza includes:

• Cheese Curds: The squeaky cheese chunks that define poutine, used alongside or instead of mozzarella.
• Gravy Sauce: Either as the base sauce or drizzled on top after baking.
• Potato: Either thin slices of potato or actual french fries added after baking.
• Optional Additions: Bacon, smoked meat, or caramelized onions are common enhancements to the basic formula.

Poutine pizza represents Canadian culinary innovation at its most playful—taking a beloved national dish and reimagining it in pizza form. Our Montreal Poutine pizza at MapleSlice features authentic Quebec cheese curds, thinly sliced potatoes, and a rich gravy-inspired sauce, topped with fresh herbs for a truly Canadian pizza experience.

Honorable Mentions

Beyond our top five, several other toppings deserve recognition for their role in Canadian pizza culture:

• Donair Meat: Particularly popular in Atlantic Canada, this spiced meat (similar to gyros or shawarma) is often paired with a sweet garlic sauce.
• Montreal Smoked Meat: This iconic deli meat, similar to pastrami but with distinct spicing, makes for a flavorful pizza topping.
• Butter Chicken Sauce: Reflecting Canada's multicultural makeup, butter chicken pizza has become increasingly popular, especially in areas with large South Asian populations.
• Hawaiian Pizza Variations: Though controversial, it's worth noting that Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple) was invented in Canada and remains a significant part of Canadian pizza identity.

Building the Perfect Canadian Pizza

What makes these toppings work so well together is their balance of flavors and textures. Canadian pizza toppings tend to combine sweet and savory elements, often incorporating ingredients that reflect the country's natural abundance and multicultural influences.

When creating authentic Canadian pizzas at MapleSlice, we focus on:

• Sourcing authentic Canadian ingredients or their closest equivalents
• Balancing traditional pizza elements with distinctly Canadian innovations
• Creating topping combinations that tell a story about Canadian culinary identity
• Maintaining the integrity of the pizza form while experimenting with uniquely Canadian flavors

Whether you prefer the classic combination of Canadian bacon and mushrooms or are adventurous enough to try our poutine pizza, these distinctly Canadian toppings offer Singapore pizza lovers a taste experience that's different from typical Italian or American offerings.

Conclusion

Canadian pizza toppings reflect the country's unique cultural identity—blending European traditions with North American innovations and incorporating ingredients from Canada's diverse landscapes and multicultural communities.

At MapleSlice, we're proud to bring these authentic Canadian pizza experiences to Singapore. We invite you to explore the distinctive flavors of Canadian pizza through our carefully crafted pies featuring these iconic toppings.

Whether you're a Canadian expat missing the taste of home or a curious food enthusiast looking to explore new pizza variations, our authentic Canadian toppings offer a delicious window into Canada's unique culinary culture.