There are those who love adding pineapple to a pizza and those who have never tried it. The tangy and sweet treat goes almost perfectly with the tomato sauce and cheese. Making a pineapple pizza at home doesn’t have to be complicated; with some simple ingredients you can make your own delicious Hawaiian pizza recipe!
Of course, the exotic pineapple tastes best with some delicious Canadian bacon on the side or some jalapenos to balance out all the sweetness. You could even add some smoky bacon with your sweet pineapple chunks to make it a truly tantalizing treat.
The possibilities are endless when you’re cooking up your own pineapple pizza at home. So don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with some unique combinations! With just a few ingredients and some imagination, you’ll be chowing down on a delightful pizza in no time. Forget expensive delivery, you can make something even better right in your own kitchen.
We’ve broken down this recipe into different methods depending on how much time you have and how much effort you want to put into your pizza game. You can either make the meal from scratch or cut some corners to get something ready in time for dinner.
Where the Pineapple Pizza Comes From
One would think with a nickname like the Hawaiian pizza that it would come from the islands of Polynesia. But, the true history of pineapple pizza is actually found in Canada. A restaurant owner from Ontario created the dish in the early 1960s with a combination of ham and pineapple.
It was the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham and Sam Panopoulos was the cook who discovered the recipe. He was looking to create something fresh and unique compared to the traditional options his restaurant had been serving. From there, it spread across the world becoming one of America’s favorite pizzas.
So, if you ever find yourself feeling like a little taste of tropical paradise, then why not try making a pineapple pizza in your own kitchen?
It’s easy and delicious! Just remember to follow along with our step-by-step guide, have fun and get creative. Your friends and family will be delighted by your new cooking skills when they take their first bite of the most tropical pizza around!
Selecting Your Pizza Dough
Just as important as the fresh ingredients you put on top of your pizza is the base of it all, your dough. Selecting a good quality pizza dough, whether store-bought or homemade, can make a big difference in the taste and texture of your pineapple pizza.
If you have never made a pizza completely from scratch before then it is highly recommended that you try it out. As long as you have the time, the experience is a blast and you can get the entire family involved.
Once you get started you will discover the joys of creating something delicious from scratch and might never go back. All you’ll need is a handful of common ingredients like salt, yeast, flour, olive oil, and little water.
In total, you’ll take about an hour to get your dough completely ready and prepped for your pizza. But, you can always prep your dough several days in advance because the fermenting process actually adds a lot of flavor to your dough.
The recipe below is for two pizzas but you can easily cut all the ingredients in half if you plan on making just one. If you’re getting some store bought then all you need is about a pound of dough and it is usually located around the refrigerated section.
All Your Pizza Toppings
The great thing about making sauce for your pizza is that you can make a little extra and have it around as a dip. Bake up some delicious breadsticks and you could have a quick snack for the family in no time.
You’ll need some cheese and don’t get shy. The more cheese the better when it comes to pizza but you have a couple of options. You can either buy some pre-packaged cheese that is already shredded, or you can shred your cheese yourself. The latter option gives you a chance to make your own combinations and get the exact ratio of cheeses you like.
Your pineapples will, of course, be the star of the show and you can either use the canned variety or go for freshly diced slices. The latter option will give your pizza a more intense pineapple flavor, but it might take some extra time to cut everything up.
The last ingredient of a well-made Hawaiian-style pizza is bacon. The traditional bacon you have for breakfast is always a great choice, but Canadian bacon is closer to the original recipe. Usually, the crunchier or more cooked the bacon the better. Little smoky bacon bits combined with your Canadian bacon and pineapple will make your pizza burst with flavor.
How To Make A Hawaiian Pizza
Now that you have all your ingredients in place you are ready to start making your Hawaiian pizza. Start by heating up your oven to a scorching 500 degrees. This will help your pizza get the perfect golden crisp crust with oozing cheese.
You’ll want to use a baking sheet to stick your pizza on but make sure to rub it down with some oil so the homemade pizza dough doesn’t end up sticking to the surface. An expert tip is to add a little cornmeal to the bottom of your pan to give your pizza some extra crunch.
Take your dough ball and stick it in the center of the baking sheet. Slowly start to manipulate your dough to create a circle shape and then press it outward from the middle to make the dough an even thickness all around.
Next, you’re ready to start adding all the delicious toppings. Start by brushing your pizza dough with some olive oil and covering it with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Just make sure that your sauce is even throughout the dough.
Then add on your bacon bits, Canadian bacon, pineapple slices, and then top it all off with a generous amount of cheese. Keeping it in this order will help contain all your ingredients and none of them will fall off your pizza.
Again, there should be an even amount of each ingredient on your pizza. However, now is your chance to get a little creative. You can add extra ingredients that you love or make half of it with extra fresh pineapple and the other half with extra bacon pieces. Experiment to see what kind of pizza you like best.
Once all the ingredients have been added, go ahead and place your baking sheet in the oven on the lowest rack.
It shouldn’t take long before your pizza is a beautiful golden brown with melted cheese covering the top. Let it rest for about five minutes before cutting into it, and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
More Pizza Recipes
barbeque pizza
eggplant and goat cheese pizza
pepperoni and artichoke pizza
bacon, caramelized onion and apple pizza
buffalo chicken ranch pizza
mushroom and sausage calzone
Taking Care Of Your Crust
One of the biggest problems home cooks face when making pizza for the first time is their crust becoming soggy. Nothing is worse than spending all the time it takes to create your dough from scratch and cook your pizza only to find out the dough is extra soggy.
The soggy crust is usually caused by the pineapple juices that are added to your pizza. If you are having trouble with a soggy crust then it is time to turn up the heat or wait until your oven is fully preheated before tossing in your pizza.
Ideally, you want the juices of the pineapple to actually burn off while the pizza is cooking. You can also drain your pineapple juices before throwing them on your pizza. Make sure your pineapple pieces aren’t dripping with juice while you are throwing them on. If you are using canned pineapple then you really want to drain all the juices before you add them.
You want your pizza to actually cook and start to brown a little rather than steaming off all the excess moisture.
Hawaiian Pizza
When you are ready for an exotic pizza adventure then Hawaiian pizza is definitely for you. By following these instructions, you can have a delicious and flavorful Hawaiian pizza ready to devour in no time! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start making some amazing pies!
1cupshredded cheese of your choiceor pre-packed cheese
4ouncesof Canadian bacon
½cupdiced pineapple fresh or canned
¼cupcooked chopped bacon
Parmesan cheese and red pepper to taste
Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit. You will also need to change the rack to the lowest setting in your oven.
If making your dough from scratch, combine all the ingredients and let the dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. You can prep the dough several days in advance and use it when you are ready.
Take out the baking sheet you will use for your pizza and brush the surface with your olive oil. It's optional but you can sprinkle some of your cornmeal on the bottom of the baking sheet to give your crust more crunch.
Pour a little of your flour onto the counter surface and place your dough on top.
Continue to shape and stretch your dough from the inside out to create about a 10-inch circle with even consistency.
Carefully take your dough from the counter and put it on your baking sheet. Continue to spread out the dough until you reach about a 12-inch diameter circle. You want the edges of your dough circle to be slightly thicker than the rest of the pizza. This will help keep the sauce and all other ingredients in the middle.
An expert tip is to take your oil brush and cover the crust of your pizza dough with oil so that it has more of a crisp when it is cooking.
Take a small scoop and add your pizza sauce to the middle of the dough. Then, lightly press your scoop in the middle of the sauce pile and slowly make circles to the edge of the crust keeping the same pressure. You should have pushed the sauce around the entire pizza to create an even coating.
Add all your other ingredients including your Canadian bacon, pineapple, bacon, and then a generous portion of cheese to top everything off. If you end with the cheese it will keep all your ingredients better so they don't fall off your pizza.
Place your baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and cook for a total of 10 to 12 minutes. Ideally, you want your pizza to have a nice golden brown crust and the cheese should be fully melted and slightly bubbling.
When you take the pizza out you want it to rest for about 2-5 minutes. You want it to thicken just enough so the cheese doesn't run off your pizza while cutting and serving.
Notes
using this recipe, you'll have enough ingredients to make two 12-inch pies. You can cut all the ingredients in half to make a solo pizza or you can even add a ton more topping to make a supreme-style pizza.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
