Is Pizza Vegetarian? (Rennet & Hidden Toppings)
Is Pizza Vegetarian? (Rennet & Hidden Toppings)
Pizza looks like a safe default, but the cheese and the toppings decide it. Even a plain cheese pizza can be non-vegetarian, because the cheese may use animal rennet. Here is how to check.
Key Takeaways
- Pizza can be vegetarian, but not always: the cheese may be made with animal rennet.
- Parmesan is always animal-rennet; mozzarella varies by brand.
- Pepperoni, sausage, ham and anchovies are the meat toppings to skip.
- For vegan, choose plant-based cheese or a marinara pie.
TL;DR: Pizza can be vegetarian, but not always: the cheese is often made with animal rennet, and classic toppings include pepperoni, sausage and ham. A plain cheese or vegetable pizza is vegetarian; vegan pizza needs plant cheese.
The two things to check
- The cheese: mozzarella can be rennet-based (animal) or microbial. Parmesan/Parmigiano is always animal-rennet. “Cheese pizza” is therefore usually vegetarian but not vegan.
- The toppings: pepperoni, sausage, ham, anchovies and bacon are not vegetarian.
The dough and tomato sauce are usually vegan.
How to order vegetarian or vegan
- Vegetarian: vegetable or plain cheese pizza: ask if the cheese is microbial-rennet if that matters to you.
- Vegan: plant-based cheese (or no cheese) + vegetable toppings.
The bottom line
- Vegetarian? Cheese or vegetable pizza (skip the meat toppings).
- Vegan? Plant cheese + veggies, or a marinara-style pie.
See our Deep Dish Pizza dish guide for the full breakdown.
Check before you eat. The Verify Veg app scans a barcode or reads an ingredient list from a photo and flags ingredients against your diet (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, Jain and more). Download on the App Store - Android is coming soon.
Written by Samir Narain, founder of Verify Veg. Verify Veg helps people check packaged food against their diet by scanning barcodes and reading ingredient lists from photos.
Note: Verify Veg provides ingredient-based compatibility checks, not certification. Recipes and preparations vary by restaurant, region and cook, so always confirm with the restaurant, brand or vendor.