Margherita pizza

noun

Mar·​ghe·​ri·​ta pizza ˌmär-gə-ˈrē-tə- 

variants or margherita pizza or less commonly Pizza Margherita or pizza Margherita or pizza margherita

plural Margherita pizzas or margherita pizzas

: a Neapolitan pizza traditionally topped with crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil

There's a reason why Margherita pizza remains a timeless favorite. This dish, originating in Naples, Italy, showcases the beauty of fresh, high-quality ingredients coming together in perfect harmony.

—Kayla Bell

I judge a great pizza as one that doesn't need a pile of ingredients heaped on it, one that stands out in its simplicity. If it's made well, a simple Margherita pizza is all you need.

—Lisa Crovo

My go-to restaurant is … a culinary gem that makes exquisite margherita pizzas …

—Maria Salvati

… a simple pizza margherita with tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella …

—Sam Sifton

Word History

Etymology

probably after Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna of Savoy (1851-1926), Queen of Italy as the wife of King Umberto I

Note: According to a popular and oft-reproduced account, a pizza with these ingredients was one of three presented to Queen Margherita at the Capodimonte Palace in Naples by a Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza-maker) Raffaele Esposito in June, 1889, on the occasion of a visit by the Queen and King Umberto to Naples. Testimony of the Queen's approval of the pizza is allegedly preserved in a letter from the royal chamberlain displayed in the pizzeria owned by the successors to Raffaele Esposito. This story is effectively proven to be spurious in an article by Zachary Nowak, "Folklore, Fakelore, History: Invented Tradition and the Origins of the Pizza Margherita," Food, Culture & Society, vol. 17, issue 1 (March, 2014), pp. 103-24. The letter is very likely a forgery created on the basis of family legend in the 1930's.

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined above