Dish guides
What is a pizza diavola?
A pizza diavola ("devil's pizza") is a tomato and mozzarella pizza topped with spicy salami, salame piccante. It is the closest thing in Italy to an American pepperoni pizza. You'll find it in the pizze rosse (tomato-based pizzas) on almost every pizzeria menu.
- At a glance
- Pizza diavola
- Tomato and mozzarella pizza with spicy salami.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like PEET-tsah DYAH-voh-lah · IPA /ˈpittsa ˈdjaːvola/
- Also written as
- diavola, pizza alla diavola, pinsa diavola, pizza al salame piccante
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- pizza dough (wheat flour, water, salt, yeast)
- tomato
- mozzarella
- salame piccante (spicy pork salami)
Often added
- fresh or dried chilli
- chilli oil (olio piccante)
- 'nduja (spreadable Calabrian salami)
- black olives
- basil
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Typically contains |
| Dairy | Typically contains |
| Eggs | Rarely contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Shellfish | Rarely contains |
| Fish | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Mustard | 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 on request; the salami itself is usually made without gluten, but check 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 diavola
A diavola starts from the same base as a margherita: tomato and mozzarella on a thin, hand-stretched dough. On top go slices of salame piccante, a cured pork salami seasoned with chilli and paprika. In the oven the slices curl at the edges and release a little orange, spicy fat into the cheese. Some pizzerias add fresh chilli or a few drops of chilli oil. In southern Italy, especially Calabria, you may get spoonfuls of 'nduja, a soft, fiery salami that melts into the sauce.
Italian spicy salami is usually milder than the name suggests. If you want more heat, ask for olio piccante. Many pizzerias keep a bottle on the table or will bring one.
The pepperoni trap
Many visitors order a "pepperoni pizza" in Italy and get a pizza with bell peppers. In Italian, peperoni (one p in the middle) means peppers, and a pizza ai peperoni is a vegetable pizza. The pizza you probably have in mind is the diavola, sometimes listed simply as salame piccante. In some regions the menu calls it pizza alla diavola.
Typical price
Median price 11 EUR
Typical range 7.5–15 EUR.
Median of 39 menus, 2025-05 – 2026-02. Basis: Italian-language menus scanned with MenuGuide.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Una diavola, per favore. | A diavola, please. |
| È molto piccante? | Is it very spicy? |
| Il salame è di maiale? | Is the salami made from pork? |
Not to be confused with
- Pepperoni pizza (US) — Similar spicy salami pizza; in Italy, "peperoni" means bell peppers, not salami.
- Pizza margherita — The same tomato and mozzarella base, with basil and no salami.
- Pizza capricciosa — Cooked ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives instead of spicy salami.
Frequently asked questions
Is diavola pizza the same as pepperoni pizza?
Almost. Both are tomato and mozzarella pizzas topped with spicy cured pork salami. Italian salame piccante is usually sliced a little thicker, and its flavour varies more by region and producer than American pepperoni does. Don't ask for "pepperoni" in Italy, though: peperoni means bell peppers, so you'll get a vegetable pizza.
How spicy is a pizza diavola?
Usually only mildly to moderately spicy. Most of the heat comes from the chilli in the salami, which varies by brand and region. Calabrian versions with 'nduja or fresh chillies can be much hotter. You can ask "È molto piccante?" (Is it very spicy?) and add chilli oil at the table if you want more.
What does diavola mean?
Diavola means "she-devil", and "alla diavola" means "devil's style". In Italian cooking the phrase describes something hot and spicy. The pizza gets the name from its spicy salami and chilli. The same phrase appears in pollo alla diavola, a spatchcocked chicken grilled with plenty of black pepper or chilli.
Is pizza diavola halal?
Normally not. Salame piccante in Italy is almost always made from pork, and pizzerias rarely have halal certification. Some restaurants catering to Muslim guests use beef or chicken salami, but you should ask directly: "Il salame è di maiale?" (Is the salami pork?). Shared ovens and utensils are also normal in pizzerias.
