National Pepperoni Pizza Day 🍕

Overview

National Pepperoni Pizza Day, observed annually on September 20th, is a delicious occasion dedicated to celebrating one of America's most beloved and iconic pizza toppings. This unofficial holiday encourages pizza enthusiasts across the nation to indulge in and appreciate the savory, slightly spicy, and universally appealing flavor of pepperoni, often found as the star ingredient on countless pizza pies, highlighting its enduring popularity in culinary culture.

Origin and story

Pepperoni is consistently ranked as the most popular pizza topping in the United States.

The word "pepperoni" is an American adaptation, not a traditional Italian word for a type of salami, derived from the Italian word "peperoni" for bell peppers.

Quick facts

• DateSeptember 20
• TypeFood / Dessert
• Great forFoodies, Chocolate lovers, Home bakers

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Ways to celebrate

Pepperoni sounds like it should be from Italy — but it's actually an American invention that doesn't exist under that name anywhere in Italy itself.

Trace it to Italian-American butchers in New York

The first recorded mention of pepperoni dates to 1919 in New York City, where Italian immigrant butchers, unable to source the same ingredients they'd used back home, combined traditional Italian sausage-making with American ingredients like smoked paprika and chili spices to create something new.

Know why the name is a bit of a mistranslation

"Pepperoni" comes from the Italian "peperoni," the plural of "peperone," meaning bell pepper — the American spelling with two p's emerged only within Italian-American communities and never existed in actual Italian usage.

Read the fuller history

Helpful resources:

• The Non-Italian Origins of Pepperoni Pizza (The Daily Meal)

Did you know?

In Italy, "peperoni" still just means bell peppers — pepperoni the meat isn't made or sold there under that name at all, making it essentially a food that exists only outside its supposed home country.

Fun facts

• Pepperoni is consistently ranked as the most popular pizza topping in the United States.
• The word "pepperoni" is an American adaptation, not a traditional Italian word for a type of salami, derived from the Italian word "peperoni" for bell peppers.
• When baked, pepperoni slices often curl up at the edges into small 'cups,' a phenomenon enjoyed by many pizza lovers.

Sources and attribution

The Non-Italian Origins of Pepperoni Pizza (The Daily Meal)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

Continue your streak

Open one more holiday before you go to build daily momentum.

• Yesterday: Butterscotch Pudding DayQuick context from the day before.
• Tomorrow: Miniature Golf DayKeep the streak going with tomorrow's pick.
• Random pick: National Pizza DayJump to another surprise holiday.
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FAQ

When is National Pepperoni Pizza Day?

It is observed on September 20 each year.

What is National Pepperoni Pizza Day?

National Pepperoni Pizza Day, observed annually on September 20th, is a delicious occasion dedicated to celebrating one of America's most beloved and iconic pizza toppings. This unofficial holiday encourages pizza enthusiasts across the nation to indulge in and appreciate the savory, slightly spicy, and universally appealing flavor of pepperoni, often found as the star ingredient on countless pizza pies, highlighting its enduring popularity in culinary culture.

How do people celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day?

Order a pepperoni pizza and consider it's actually an American invention — Italian immigrant butchers in 1919 New York created it, and pepperoni still isn't made or sold under that name in Italy today.

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