Ketchup On Pizza? Believe It Or Not, It's Common Across The Globe

You've heard of dipping pizza in ranch. Maybe you've even ventured into drizzling hot honey over your slices. But if you're like plenty of people in the United States, you might not be aware that using ketchup as a pizza garnish is a thing in many parts of the world. According to social media, jazzing up pizza with squirts of ketchup is common in places like Thailand, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. Domino's in Germany even offers a specialty pizza topped with hot dogs and drizzled with ketchup.

Based on commentary across social media and news outlets, it seems many people around the world add ketchup to pizza when they find it bland or dry. It's similar to how United States pizzerias have embraced dips like garlic butter and barbecue sauce. But for whatever reason, even though it's easy to turn ketchup into pizza sauce in a pinch, many Stateside pizza lovers have never thought to top their pies with a condiment that's typically reserved for foods like fries, hot dogs, and burgers. That said, if you want to give this combination a try, there are some things you'll want to keep in mind for the best ketchup pizza experience.

If you've decided to give this a try, you don't want to just go in all nozzles blazing. Instead, let your ketchup sit out a bit so you're not using it straight from the fridge while it's still chilled. It's not just that ketchup tastes different when it's unrefrigerated — letting it come up to room temperature makes it a little less harsh than dipping your hot pizza into it cold.

You could also try this with flavored ketchup, which could work particularly well depending on your toppings. For example, curry seasoning takes ketchup to the next level, and the combination would be delicious if your pizza is loaded up with sausage, or if you're in the mood to copy Domino's Germany's approach with hot dogs (which would create a taste similar to the German street food currywurst). Of course, you could kick up the heat of some barbecue chicken pizza with a bit of chipotle ketchup. And then there's cheeseburger pizza, which seems like a natural fit for pickle-flavored ketchup. No matter how you decide to give ketchup on pizza a try, it's fun to think that tons of people around the world wouldn't have their pizza any other way.