That’s a stereotypical traditional Margherita pizza, yes. But a Margherita at a takeaway on a high street you go to after a night out is going to be just passata and a hecka load of cheese.
In the US, margherita pizza usually has fresh mozarella and basil
Cheese pizza is just “plain,” meaning just crust, sauce, and cheese. The cheese could be any kind, most often either shredded mozarella or provolone. If it’s fancy maybe a blend including hard cheeses like parmesan, romano, fontina, and/or asiago.
Some absolute heretics actually put cheddar cheese on their pizza. We don’t talk to those.
But yeah, there’s a difference here between “cheese pizza” and “margherita pizza”
In my experience in America, “cheese pizza” usually means shredded mozzarella spread evenly over the pizza while “Margherita style” means chunks of fresh mozzarella.
In the UK Margherita literally just means cheese on a pizza, regardless of the type of cheese from what I can tell. Obviously some places do the more fancy mozzarella blobs but most places it’s just grated cheese (usually still mozzarella though)
Seems like the UK has it wrong on the name, then. The margherita pizza I am familiar with has large slices of mozzarella, a chunky tomato sauce, and basil on top.
Ordering a margherita pizza and getting a generic pizza made with shredded cheese and marinara sauce would be a major disappointment.
The margherita pizza I am familiar with has large slices of mozzarella, a chunky tomato sauce, and basil on top.
That’s a margherita pizza in the US.
Ordering a margherita pizza and getting a generic pizza made with shredded cheese and marinara sauce would be a major disappointment.
Imagine my chagrin when, traveling in Europe, I ordered a margherita pizza and received a cheese pizza. I thought they got my order wrong. It took me like three tries on separate days before I found out that that’s just what margherita means outside the US…
I mean, I’ve had margherita pizzas outside of the US as well and they matched my expectations. At least in Asia and South America. So I guess it just leaves me puzzled as to how much of Europe (maybe just the non-NA Anglosphere) is getting it wrong when Italy is right there.
I’ve also seen pizzas that I would describe as margherita pizza when visiting Scandinavia, but if you’re in Sweden and you’re having anything other than the banana curry pizza, you’re doing yourself a disservice
leaves me puzzled as to how much of Europe is getting it wrong when Italy is right there.
That’s the part you’re not getting. Europe isn’t the one “getting it wrong.” If you want to claim that only one way is correct, then the US is the incorrect way.
A country’s proximity to italy is irrelevant. There’s literally an Italian in this thread who says margherita pizza in italy just means cheese pizza.
It’s like claiming Germany does bratwurst wrong because it doesn’t taste like the ones you get from the supermarket in the US.
Ordering a margherita pizza and getting a generic pizza made with shredded cheese and marinara sauce would be a major disappointment.
Andy: Okay. You guys ever had Margherita pizza? Stanley: What’s that? Andy: Fresh tomato with a dollop of mozzarella cheese. Stanley: That’s pizza. Pam: That’s regular pizza. [pizza arrives, Andy looks in the box] Andy: Ah, their interpretation of Margarita pizza. Fans of classic pizza will be psyched.
Weird. It’s just a plant, takes plenty of sun and water and that’s it. I’ve got two in pots, one even survived the winter, which they usually don’t, although I had to fight Noctua caterpillars. (very silent caterpillars? no, not that Noctua)
The differences outside of the US are different. So there is no US-difference for non-Americans to learn. You are just attempting to push your local reality unto the rest of the world.
I’m sure you have cheese pizzas and they’re distinct from quattro formaggi. I’m not saying there isn’t. I’m just answering your question. As a non-american, the only pizza with cheese is quattro formaggi. All the others are just “pizza”. Because all the others have tomato sauce + mozzarella as a base.
Except supermarket pizzas which sometimes have cheaper cheeses on them. But they’re still just pizza, not “cheese pizza”.
I checked and it looks like American cheese pizza is different from a Margherita. It is more uniformly looking, and it has a dominant cheese flavour without the freshness of the tomatoes and basil.
We’re talking about the US where everything is bland by default.
It’s like asking why you would eat wheat without the bran. For some unknown, godforsaken reason, they remove it here before it makes it to the shelves, and if you want the stuff with the bran intact then it’ll cost extra because that apparently makes it “artisan” or some shit.
And a significant portion of the population here looks at everything beyond the bland defaults as snobby excess. “Why are you eating a cheese I can’t pronounce? Are you a commie or some’n?”
My 4 year old nephews always asks to get the “green stuff” removed from their pizza’s because it looks like vegetables. I imagine Americans the same way.
Edit: seeing the downvotes, some examples to illustrate my point. Adapting dishes to the American public just involves removing vegetables and making it less healthy generally by adding more sauce, sugar, fat and/or salt.
Chinese food -> More sauce and remove the vegetables
Gyros -> remove the fresh vegetables
Burritos -> overload with just meat, cheese, sour cream, remove the vegetables
Tacos -> whatever Taco Bell does, you don’t really want to eat their raw vegetables anyway
Crepes -> remove the fruits, just do nutella and sugar
Pasta/Macaroni dishes -> just cheese (Mac n cheese)
Curry dishes -> just the meats and rice please, remove the vegetables
People really came to arms for the cheese vs Margherita debate
*edit: imho, the distinction is because we Americans will make delicious heart attack monstrosities, just a brick of processed cheese melted over a thin layer of tomato sauce, that aren’t present in other countries and require distinction from the more tame Margherita pozza.
Do Americans really just say cheese pizza instead of Margherita?
Those are different things
This is a margherita pizza. If a kid asks for cheese pizza and receives that, they’d be upset.
That’s a stereotypical traditional Margherita pizza, yes. But a Margherita at a takeaway on a high street you go to after a night out is going to be just passata and a hecka load of cheese.
Where exactly?
In the US, margherita pizza usually has fresh mozarella and basil
Cheese pizza is just “plain,” meaning just crust, sauce, and cheese. The cheese could be any kind, most often either shredded mozarella or provolone. If it’s fancy maybe a blend including hard cheeses like parmesan, romano, fontina, and/or asiago.
Some absolute heretics actually put cheddar cheese on their pizza. We don’t talk to those.
But yeah, there’s a difference here between “cheese pizza” and “margherita pizza”
In my experience in America, “cheese pizza” usually means shredded mozzarella spread evenly over the pizza while “Margherita style” means chunks of fresh mozzarella.
In the UK Margherita literally just means cheese on a pizza, regardless of the type of cheese from what I can tell. Obviously some places do the more fancy mozzarella blobs but most places it’s just grated cheese (usually still mozzarella though)
Seems like the UK has it wrong on the name, then. The margherita pizza I am familiar with has large slices of mozzarella, a chunky tomato sauce, and basil on top.
Ordering a margherita pizza and getting a generic pizza made with shredded cheese and marinara sauce would be a major disappointment.
That’s a margherita pizza in the US.
Imagine my chagrin when, traveling in Europe, I ordered a margherita pizza and received a cheese pizza. I thought they got my order wrong. It took me like three tries on separate days before I found out that that’s just what margherita means outside the US…
Americans easily gets confused when people are using different terms and words for things than Americans are.
The point is that what you encountered wasn’t wrong, it was just different from what you were used to.
I mean, I’ve had margherita pizzas outside of the US as well and they matched my expectations. At least in Asia and South America. So I guess it just leaves me puzzled as to how much of Europe (maybe just the non-NA Anglosphere) is getting it wrong when Italy is right there.
I’ve also seen pizzas that I would describe as margherita pizza when visiting Scandinavia, but if you’re in Sweden and you’re having anything other than the banana curry pizza, you’re doing yourself a disservice
That’s the part you’re not getting. Europe isn’t the one “getting it wrong.” If you want to claim that only one way is correct, then the US is the incorrect way.
A country’s proximity to italy is irrelevant. There’s literally an Italian in this thread who says margherita pizza in italy just means cheese pizza.
It’s like claiming Germany does bratwurst wrong because it doesn’t taste like the ones you get from the supermarket in the US.
Pizza margherita is pizza margherita. American cheese pizza is pizza quattro formaggi.
Source: Italian.
The Office (US) S8E1 “The List”
Italy here: Margherita is the basic pizza, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Basil is basically always included in the sauce of normal pizzas.
I wish that were the case in the US.
But also, margherita pizza here usually has whole or chopped basil leaves added directly on top
It’s such a cheap ingredient, it makes no sense to omit it
Probably cheap in Italy. In the US if you grow your own basil you don’t really want to publicize that cause you’ll be labeled as bougie
And some people won’t eat anything that seems too “foreign,” like good bread and most spices and herbs.
Weird. It’s just a plant, takes plenty of sun and water and that’s it. I’ve got two in pots, one even survived the winter, which they usually don’t, although I had to fight Noctua caterpillars. (very silent caterpillars? no, not that Noctua)
Yeah, americans tend to be judgy for no reason
Lol, have some downvotes for your experiences, or something like that…
Anyhow I agree, it’s the same in Germany.
In Australia it can sometimes mean with blobs of mozzarella but typically it’s grated with fresh cubed/sliced tomato added.
Most places also do a basic cheese only, some with a 3 or 4 cheese as a more expensive version.
I’m surprised Australians don’t put beets on their pizza. It belongs there about as much as on a burger.
(I’m kidding, I miss Australia very much - just not the beets 😅)
Beetroot and Feta is a great pizza!
That sounds awesome actually
Do non-americans really not know the difference?
The differences outside of the US are different. So there is no US-difference for non-Americans to learn. You are just attempting to push your local reality unto the rest of the world.
The only “cheese” pizza I know is quattro formaggi.
Which is 4 cheeses (iirc specific cheeses), distinct from other cheese pizzas
I’m sure you have cheese pizzas and they’re distinct from quattro formaggi. I’m not saying there isn’t. I’m just answering your question. As a non-american, the only pizza with cheese is quattro formaggi. All the others are just “pizza”. Because all the others have tomato sauce + mozzarella as a base. Except supermarket pizzas which sometimes have cheaper cheeses on them. But they’re still just pizza, not “cheese pizza”.
Interesting. Thanks, I didn’t understand you were actually answering my question haha. Curious what region you’re from, if you’re comfortable saying.
I’m from Romania.
Outside of america, there is no difference.
I checked and it looks like American cheese pizza is different from a Margherita. It is more uniformly looking, and it has a dominant cheese flavour without the freshness of the tomatoes and basil.
Marg has basil
Why would you ever have a pizza without basil? :o
I like basil too, but it doesn’t need to be on every pie
Why would anyone have the nerve to eat anything I don’t like!?
If you bought “pizza sauce” in a jar you are already in fact eating it and presumably already liking it
I was making fun of the other poster
We’re talking about the US where everything is bland by default.
It’s like asking why you would eat wheat without the bran. For some unknown, godforsaken reason, they remove it here before it makes it to the shelves, and if you want the stuff with the bran intact then it’ll cost extra because that apparently makes it “artisan” or some shit.
And a significant portion of the population here looks at everything beyond the bland defaults as snobby excess. “Why are you eating a cheese I can’t pronounce? Are you a commie or some’n?”
My 4 year old nephews always asks to get the “green stuff” removed from their pizza’s because it looks like vegetables. I imagine Americans the same way.
Edit: seeing the downvotes, some examples to illustrate my point. Adapting dishes to the American public just involves removing vegetables and making it less healthy generally by adding more sauce, sugar, fat and/or salt.
Chinese food -> More sauce and remove the vegetables
Gyros -> remove the fresh vegetables
Burritos -> overload with just meat, cheese, sour cream, remove the vegetables
Tacos -> whatever Taco Bell does, you don’t really want to eat their raw vegetables anyway
Crepes -> remove the fruits, just do nutella and sugar
Pasta/Macaroni dishes -> just cheese (Mac n cheese)
Curry dishes -> just the meats and rice please, remove the vegetables
Look at what you’ve done 😂
People really came to arms for the cheese vs Margherita debate
*edit: imho, the distinction is because we Americans will make delicious heart attack monstrosities, just a brick of processed cheese melted over a thin layer of tomato sauce, that aren’t present in other countries and require distinction from the more tame Margherita pozza.
Cheese pizza isn’t necessarily done with mozzarella or at least not just with mozzarella. I’ve seen places have both on the menu (Cheese + Margherita)