The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Pizza: Ingredients, Variations, and Tips

Hawaiian pizza is a polarizing flavor combo. It is solely responsible for creating one of the biggest food debates out there. Did you know Hawaiian pizza is the most popular pizza in Australia, accounting for a full 15% of all pizza sales? This delicious homemade Hawaiian pizza is very easy to make and perfect for any occasion. I love a good Hawaiian Pizza! I know that pineapple on pizza can be a point of disagreement among many people.

This Hawaiian Pizza recipe is easy to make with homemade pizza dough or store-bought! It’s topped with ham, bacon, and pineapple. You can make this with my easy homemade pizza dough recipe, or with store bought dough to make it a 30-minute meal!

So? What do you think? You can’t beat this salty/sweet combination of savory ham and bacon along with juicy pineapple. If you’re a Hawaiian pizza lover, this easy recipe is for you! Cheesy, fresh, and so delicious. We’re big fans of cheesy and bubbly Hawaiian pizza over here! The flavor contrast between the sweet pineapples and the savory ham and cheese is absolutely amazing. I think it’s a great topping, especially when you’re using it fresh.

Here it is, the world-famous Hawaiian Pizza. Have you ever had a time where you have to eat your words? A time when you’ve said you positively absolutely never-ever-ever would like something and then you try it and, shock of all shocks, you DO like it? I’ve always said pineapple didn’t belong on pizza….but I was wrong. Hawaiian pizza is delicious - especially with BACON on it! It’s EASY to make, I promise!

This recipe actually turned me on to pineapple pizza. This post may contain affiliate links.

Key Ingredients for the Perfect Hawaiian Pizza

Let's explore the essential components that make a Hawaiian pizza truly stand out:

• Dough: You can make your own dough or use store-bought! If making your own pizza dough at home, make my pizza dough recipe until step 9. You only need one pizza dough ball for this recipe. You can also use store-bought dough.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is standard; shred your own mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella: Low Moisture Whole Milk mozzarella shredded from a block is definitely best for this recipe, it melts very well. Cheese that comes pre-shredded has a coating on it that makes it not melt as easily!
• Ham or Canadian Bacon: Ham or Canadian Bacon are perfect in this recipe. Use what you like but quality matters.
• Pineapple: You can use both fresh and canned! I love making Hawaiian pizza at home because I can always make sure to use freshly cut pineapple for the topping. Using fresh rather than canned pineapples makes a huge difference, trust me! Pineapple: I’d recommend using freshly diced pineapples. It tastes fresher and much better than anything canned or frozen! Fresh vs Canned Pineapple?You can use both! Canned pineapple tidbits are convenient and consistent, but fresh pineapple offers a superior tartness that cuts through the fatty bacon perfectly. If using fresh, make sure it is fully ripe (it should smell sweet at the base) and cut it into small, uniform 1/2-inch chunks for even baking.
• Pizza Sauce: And then, obviously there’s the pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Additional Toppings and Variations

Aside from those three toppings, I’d recommend the following add-ons.

• Crumbled bacon: I love bacon on this pizza! The flavors go really well with each other. Cook bacon over low heat until crispy on each side. Crumble and set aside.
• Melted Garlic Butter: I also make a melted garlic butter to brush around the borders prior to baking. It really adds a lot of buttery flavors that I love on pizza.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Hawaiian Pizza

Follow these steps to create a delicious Hawaiian pizza at home:

1. Prepare the Dough: If you’re scared of working with yeast - don’t be. Once you do it a few times you’ll be amazed at how simple it is. To make homemade pizza dough, you need to pick the right yeast: Instant Yeast! I’m all for making pizza dough from scratch! My pizza dough recipe is made with only a few ingredients, including bread flour and active dry yeast. Here’s another idea: See if your local pizza store sells pizza dough. My local pizzeria makes this amazing pizza dough that I absolutely love, and they sell it for about the same price as store-bought dough. It always comes in handy during busy nights.
2. Preheat Oven: Make sure your oven is preheated at 475 degrees F. Preheat oven to 475°F if using a baking sheet or pizza pan or to 500°F if using a pizza stone. Place the pan in the oven while the oven preheats. Preheat your oven to a HIGH temperature - this ensures a cooked crust and a crunchy crust too!
3. Prepare the Toppings: Pineapple: Be sure to pat the pineapple nice and dry on paper towels as they contain a lot of moisture. Slice each pineapple chunk into 2 thinner slices and place them in between paper towels. They contain a lot of moisture, so we want to absorb the excess juice before adding them to the pizza. For this Hawaiian pizza, also be sure to thoroughly pat dry the diced pineapples right before adding them to the pizza. Important: Thoroughly pat dry the pineapples before adding in order to prevent excess moisture. Pat try the pineapples thoroughly before adding them to the pizza. This will prevent excess moisture from forming as it bakes. Lightly grease a frying pan or skillet, and sauté the pineapple till lightly browned. Remove the pineapple, and sauté the ham.
4. Assemble the Pizza: After you have brushed the dough with olive oil and pricked it with a fork (as directed in step 9 of my homemade pizza dough recipe), add the toppings. Start pizza sauce, then the cheese, ham, pineapple, and oregano. You can adjust the topping quantities, but don’t overfill it, as this can make the pizza soggy. Spread pizza dough on a 12-inch pizza pan or stone. Spread the dough into an even 12-inch circle. Poke holes in it with a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling up in the oven. Top with pizza sauce, then with the mozzarella. Add the ham, pineapple and bacon.
5. Bake the Pizza: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly and the edges are golden brown. Be sure to brush the dough with some olive oil and prick it with a fork. The olive oil will prevent it from getting soggy, and pricking it with a fork will prevent hot air bubbles from forming in the oven. Carefully transfer the pizza on the parchment to the heated pan. Bake for 13 minutes and remove from the oven. Combine the melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. Brush it over the crust and return it to the oven. Bake for 2-3 more minutes, or until the crust begins to brown. Bake at a high oven temperature: 475 degrees F is what I’d recommend (450 degrees F is fine too, but the crust won’t get very crispy and golden brown on the outside). How do you know when pizza is done baking?You’ll know it’s done because it’ll be golden around the edges and the cheese will be bubbling. Just wait a few minutes and then slice and eat!
6. Finishing Touches: Make the melted butter by combining the melted butter with the garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Brush the borders with the melted garlic butter. Brush the crust with melted butter/garlic/Parmesan and bake for 2-3 more minutes. Garnish with red pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, parsley, and oregano.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Hawaiian Pizza

• Preventing Soggy Pizza: Nobody likes soggy pizza. The main reason for soggy pizza is usually the pizza sauce being absorbed into the crust as it bakes. The solution is simple! Before adding the pizza sauce over the dough, brush it with some olive oil. Not too much, just a thin layer. To prevent soggy pizza, brush it with olive oil before adding the pizza sauce. Another thing I like to do is pricking the dough all over with a fork.
• Using Fresh Pineapple:Use fresh pineapple. It adds a touch of freshness with no artificial flavors.

Storage Instructions

Storage: store leftovers in the refrigerator. How do you store leftovers?Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutritional Information (Estimate)

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per slice.

Making pizza at home is a fun idea to cook with the kids, or even as a date night activity. Fun and good food?! I hope you like this easy Hawaiian pizza recipe as much as I do.

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