Dish guides
What is a pizza capricciosa?
A pizza capricciosa is a loaded tomato and mozzarella pizza topped with cooked ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives, all mixed together. The name means "capricious" or "whimsical". It's one of the standard pizze rosse on Italian menus, usually listed among the pizzas with several toppings.
- At a glance
- Pizza capricciosa
- Pizza with tomato, mozzarella, cooked ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like PEET-tsah kah-preet-CHOH-sah · IPA /ˈpittsa kapritˈtʃoːsa/
- Also written as
- capricciosa, pizza capricciosa, pinsa capricciosa, capricciosa pizza
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- pizza dough (wheat flour, water, salt, yeast)
- tomato
- mozzarella
- prosciutto cotto (cooked ham)
- mushrooms
- artichokes (carciofini, usually preserved in oil)
- olives
Often added
- anchovies
- hard-boiled egg
- frankfurter-style sausage (würstel)
- salami
- oregano or basil
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Typically contains |
| Dairy | Typically contains |
| Fish | Sometimes contains |
| Eggs | Sometimes contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Shellfish | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Sulphites | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Pescatarian | No |
| Halal | No |
| Kosher | No |
| Gluten-free | Depends — Only with a gluten-free base, which some pizzerias offer; cooked ham can contain added ingredients, so ask if you have coeliac disease. |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
What's on a capricciosa
The usual capricciosa is tomato and mozzarella covered with prosciutto cotto (cooked ham, not cured prosciutto crudo), sliced mushrooms, small artichoke hearts preserved in oil and black or green olives. The toppings are scattered over the whole pizza, so every slice has a bit of everything.
There is no single fixed recipe, which suits the name. Some pizzerias add anchovies, and some add slices of hard-boiled egg. In northern Italy you might find würstel (frankfurter-style sausage) or salami. If you avoid fish or eggs, it's worth asking what goes on it at that particular pizzeria.
Where the name comes from
The capricciosa is usually credited to La Capricciosa, a restaurant in Rome that is said to have created it in 1937 and given it its own name. The story is widely repeated but hard to verify independently, as with many classic dishes. Either way, the pizza spread well beyond Rome and today appears on nearly every pizza menu in Italy.
Capricciosa or quattro stagioni?
The two pizzas are often confused because they share most of their ingredients. On a quattro stagioni ("four seasons") the pizza is divided into four sectors, one per season, each with its own topping; artichokes, mushrooms, ham and olives are the usual four. On a capricciosa the same ingredients are mixed together over the whole surface. If you like to eat around one topping, the quattro stagioni is easier. For more on how pizzerias lay out their menus, see the Italy menu guide.
Typical price
Median price 11.5 EUR
Typical range 8–14 EUR.
Median of 37 menus, 2025-05 – 2026-04. Basis: Italian-language menus scanned with MenuGuide.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Una capricciosa, per favore. | A capricciosa, please. |
| Ci sono acciughe o uova sulla capricciosa? | Are there anchovies or eggs on the capricciosa? |
| Senza prosciutto, per favore. | Without the ham, please. |
Not to be confused with
- Pizza quattro stagioni — Similar toppings, but each one sits in its own quarter of the pizza, one for each season.
- Pizza prosciutto e funghi — Just cooked ham and mushrooms, without artichokes or olives.
- Pizza diavola — One topping only: spicy salami.
Frequently asked questions
What is on a capricciosa pizza?
A capricciosa normally has tomato, mozzarella, cooked ham (prosciutto cotto), mushrooms, artichokes and olives. The exact mix changes from one pizzeria to the next: some add anchovies, hard-boiled egg, salami or würstel sausage. If an ingredient matters to you, ask before ordering, because menus often just say "capricciosa" without listing the toppings.
What does capricciosa mean?
Capricciosa means "capricious" or "whimsical" in Italian, a fitting name for a pizza with a bit of everything and no fixed recipe. The name is usually traced to a Roman restaurant called La Capricciosa, which is said to have created it in 1937. Today it's a standard pizza across Italy.
What's the difference between capricciosa and quattro stagioni?
They use almost the same toppings, but arranged differently. A quattro stagioni divides the pizza into four sections, one topping per section, to represent the four seasons. A capricciosa mixes the ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives over the whole pizza. Both can vary by pizzeria, so the menu description is the best guide.
Does pizza capricciosa have pork?
Yes, normally. The ham on a capricciosa is prosciutto cotto, a cooked pork ham, and some versions add pork salami or sausage too. If you don't eat pork, ask for it "senza prosciutto" (without ham). Bear in mind that pizzerias use shared ovens and utensils, so traces can't be ruled out.
