This Pizza Trend Has Staying Power In 2026

In the history of world cuisine, no food has held such a chokehold over humans as pizza. Endlessly customizable, you can swap out the typical dough for focaccia, or make it gluten-free by using cauliflower. And when it comes to toppings, fruit adds an unexpected element, while pickles add crunch and tang. If you pay attention to pizza trends, though, it seems like there is always a new one taking the food scene by storm, and Hormel Foods identified one that is sure to get you hot (and perhaps a bit bothered); it's spice, but not from just any old source. No, Hormel identified specific, named peppers as one of the top pizza trends for 2026: calabrian chilies.

Calabrian chilies peppers hail from (surprise, surprise) Calabria, Italy, where the at-times intense Mediterranean sun and acidic soil are perfectly calibrated to grow these beloved vegetables. They add a fiery spice to anything in which they are included, with about a medium heat level in comparison with all the peppers on the spectrum. And while they are spicier than jalapeños, they still retain their sweet and bright flavor, making them a worthy addition to the medley of meats, vegetables, cheese, and sauce that make up pizza toppings.

If you want your next homemade pizza pie to be on trend this year, consider incorporating them into your sauce. Or, you might use the calabrian chilis in oil as a spread or place them in evenly spaced dollops around your dough.

Hormel may have specifically listed calabrian chilis as an example of peppers for one of its pizza trends for 2026, but that doesn't mean you're limited to using only that type. No, in fact, there are dozens of peppers out there that will make your pizza sing (and your face go red), but we're just going to mention a few of the most readily available. First up, perhaps the most common and easiest to find: the aforementioned jalapeños. The nice thing about jalapeños is that not only is the fresh variety abundant in grocery stores, but you can also find them pickled in jars for a nice briney flavor, in addition to the heat. And if you like the heat of jalapenos, but wouldn't mind a little Mexican influence, consider chipotles in adobo, found in little cans.

Have a need for heat? For the true spice-lovers out there, habaneros are a hot option; if you can't find them in your regular grocery store, try your local Mexican or Hispanic market. While you can slice and dice them and use them as a topping, they're also fantastic blended into a homemade sauce. If all these peppers are a bit too spicy for your taste, though, you can also try the mild pepperoncini. Most often found in supermarkets pickled and in a jar, they are only lightly spicy, but full of flavor from the brine. They'll add a delectably sour element to your pies.