Anchovy Pizza (Classic Italian Recipe)

Anchovy pizza is rich, savory, and full of umami flavor! Make this classic Italian recipe with perfectly balanced anchovies and simple toppings.

There’s a reason that classic Italian pizza has anchovies as a topping: these little fish are chock full of savory, salty, umami flavor! They’re actually some of the most nutritious and sustainable fish, full of Omega 3’s and protein. So why not add a few to your pizza?

As a homemade pizza expert, I’ll admit I didn’t embrace anchovy pizza until I had one in Naples, Italy. I realized it didn’t taste fishy: it was savory with a saltiness that made every other ingredient on the pizza pop. This anchovy pizza recipe is my at-home version of that Naples moment!

What Is Anchovy Pizza?

Anchovy pizza is a classic Italian pizza originating in Naples. It traditionally features a thin tomato sauce base, mozzarella cheese, anchovy fillets, black olives or Kalamata olives, and sometimes capers.

These little fish are slightly more sustainable than bigger fish: they’re lower on the food chain and require less energy for growth. Also, fisheries for anchovies have the lowest greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. They’re also a great source of omega 3-fatty acids and micronutrients like iron, magnesium and zinc.

So is anchovy pizza good? Here’s my opinion: it’s seriously, good. Here I’ve accessorized the anchovies with tangy Kalamata olives and the fresh bite of red onion. It’s elegant and sophisticated: serve it with a side salad and a glass of Italian wine and you’ve got one fantastic meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what goes into this anchovy pizza recipe (full amounts in the recipe card below):

Pizza dough: I use my homemade pizza dough recipe made with Tipo 00 flour for the best texture, but an easy thin crust pizza dough works great too.
Pizza sauce: My simple homemade pizza sauce recipe takes just 5 minutes and has incredible flavor.
Fresh mozzarella cheese: I like prefer fresh mozzarella because it melts nicely: just break it into small pieces and blot with a paper towel before topping.
Anchovy fillets: Oil-packed anchovy fillets from a jar or can are the most convenient.
Kalamata olives: The tangy, briny flavor is a natural pair for anchovies; you can also use black olives for a milder flavor.
Red onion: It adds a savory flavor and nice visual element.
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese: A light grating over the top adds even more flavor.

How to Make Anchovy Pizza

Making a great anchovy pizza at home comes down to a few key decisions: how many anchovies, where they go, and how to keep everything in balance.

Step 1: Make the dough. Make my pizza dough recipe and let it rest for 45 minutes. (This step can be up to 3 days in advance.)
Step 2: Preheat your oven and pizza stone. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F.
Step 3: Stretch the dough. Dust a pizza peel (or rimless baking sheet) generously with cornmeal. Stretch it into a round: see how to stretch pizza dough.
Step 4: Assemble quickly. Spread a layer of tomato sauce. Then top with only 6 anchovy fillets (see the photos for placement): these keeps the flavor balanced. Add red onion and olives, then Parmesan cheese.
Step 5: Bake. Use the pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the preheated stone. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. (In a pizza oven, this takes 1 minute.)

Tips for Perfect Pizza Dough

To make the best anchovy pizza, you’ve got to start with a good Italian pizza dough. Here are out top tips:

Use great flour. The flour we use is called Tipo 00 flour; it’s what Neapolitan pizza restaurants use. It makes for a beautiful, supple and fluffy dough.
Use a great pizza dough recipe. Our best homemade pizza dough recipe is our preferred method; we make it in our stand mixer but you can also knead it by hand. Our thin crust pizza dough is similar, but makes a thinner dough that you roll out. Or for even easier methods, you can try sheet pan pizza or cast iron pizza.

Watch How to Make Pizza Dough

Serving Suggestions

Anchovy pizza is elegant enough to serve as a standalone dinner, but it pairs especially well with:

A simple green salad: I love this arugula salad or chopped salad; the freshness balances the richness of the pizza
Grain or bean salads: Though it’s not classic Italian, I actually like pairing hearty salads like a Mediterranean chickpea salad or farro salad
A glass of crisp white wine or rosé: What could be better?
Italian-style antipasti: Make an antipasti platter with olives, marinated vegetables, and cheese
Pesto pizza on the side: if you’re feeding a crowd with mixed preferences, a margherita pizza or pesto pizza makes a perfect counterpart

Storing Leftovers

Leftover pizza stores in airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place slices in a covered dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the bottom is crispy again. You can also place on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven. The best way to reheat pizza is an air fryer for a few minutes!

Dietary Notes

This anchovy pizza recipe is pescatarian.

Best Anchovy Pizza

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Anchovies on pizza? It’s a classic flavor combination that’s seriously good! Here’s how to make an Italian style anchovy pizza.

Author: Sonja
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
Yield: 8 slices 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

1 ball Best Pizza Dough (or Food Processor Dough or Thin Crust Dough)
⅓ cup Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
2 to 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
6 anchovy fillets from a jar or can
8 Kalamata olives
1 handful thinly sliced red onion
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, for grating
Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel

Instructions

Make the pizza dough: Follow the Best Pizza Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.)
Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here’s the pizza oven we use).
Make the pizza sauce: Make the 5 Minute Pizza Sauce.
Prepare the toppings: If using fresh mozzarella cheese, slice it into ¼ inch thick pieces (see the photo). If it’s incredibly watery fresh mozzarella (all brands vary), you may want to let it sit on a paper towel to remove moisture for about 15 minutes then dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to remove any additional moisture.
Thinly slice the red onion.
Bake the pizza: When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel.
Spread the pizza sauce over the dough using the back of a spoon to create a thin layer. Add the mozzarella cheese, anchovy fillets, Kalamata olives and red onion. Top with a thin layer of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.
Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

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