The Unexpected Swedish Topping Your Pizza Has Been Missing

If you're an American, you could be forgiven if your only conception of Swedish cuisine included the words "meatball" and "fish." Even if you're lucky enough to live in a thriving international food metropolis like Los Angeles, Swedish food can be hard to come by. That's why we're here: to shed light on one of Sweden's most must-try dishes. Not Poronkäristys (sauteed reindeer — sorry, Blitzen!), nor Swedish-style hot dogs topped with mashed potatoes and shrimp, but something a little less traditional in its toppings: kebabpizza.

That's right — what better place to combine two of the greatest late-night meals than a land of midnight sun? This fusion of Turkish doner kebab and Italian pizza might cause purists to spit out their glögg (a warm spiced wine) in distress, but it's the fusion you never knew you needed. Served in pizzerias throughout Sweden, the dish consists of an extra-thin crust topped with tomato sauce and cheese — so far, no surprises. That base is quickly cooked in the oven before being removed and topped with spiced kebab meat, followed by lettuce, tomato, red onion, pepperoncini if you're lucky, and a healthy dose of garlicky yogurt sauce.

Is the combination unexpected? Certainly — though considering the same pizzeria might also serve a banana, curry, and ham pizza, maybe not as outside the box as you might think. Is it delicious? Considering it's one of the most famous and popular dishes in Sweden, we'll go out on a limb and simply say: Save us a slice.

This revolutionary pizza invention, created thanks to the influx of Balkan and Middle Easterners to Sweden in the 1980s, is often served with either beef or chicken kebab meat. It's also recommended, if searching it out in Sweden itself, to avoid fancy Italian restaurants in tourist-heavy areas. Instead, look for local neighborhood joints to satisfy the craving. 

Meanwhile, if you're in the United States and searching for the Scandinavian specialty, it will take some searching, though maybe not as much as a strong cup of Swedish eggshell coffee. The newly relocated Viking Pizza and Kabob in Los Angeles draws rave reviews from customers, and Kraving Kebab Pizza in Turlock, California, are two of the few locations known for it.

However, you can also make it at home for less trouble than it takes to learn how to eat Swedish meatballs the right way. You can make the pizza dough yourself or start with a thin-crust frozen cheese pizza — in which case, the only thing you have to worry about, aside from chopping veggies, is making the kebab meat. You can follow a basic Seekh kebab recipe, and then slice off thin pieces of meat. Then, add those slices to your pizza, top with some easy tzatziki, and enjoy.