Can Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni Handle the Heat? A High-Temp Pizza Test
Pepperoni is a classic pizza topping, but what happens when you swap out the traditional meat for koji-based pepperoni? That’s exactly what I wanted to find out by making a Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni Neapolitan Pizza. Would it hold up in the blistering heat of an 800°F pizza oven? Would it crisp up like traditional pepperoni, or would it stay soft? We’re going to find out!
To put it to the test, I made a Neapolitan-style pizza using Trader Joe’s Plain Pizza Dough, a great store-bought option that bakes up light and airy – more on that in another of our articles. I topped it with a simple tomato sauce (Mutti in this case), fresh mozzarella, and Koji Pepperoni, then slid it into the oven. Finish with a couple of basil leaves The results? This fungi-based pepperoni survived the heat of this grueling test – and to our delight, it tasted even better after cooking!
Pepperoni: A Pizza Classic, Reinvented
Pepperoni has long been the go-to topping for pizza lovers—spicy, smoky, and rich with umami. But traditional pepperoni comes with cholesterol, nitrates, and a hefty environmental footprint. That’s where Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni comes in, offering an alternative made from Aspergillus oryzae, commonly known as koji—a naturally fibrous, umami-rich fungi used in Japanese fermentation.
While some meat alternatives lack depth of flavor or struggle to cook properly, I was curious to see if koji-based pepperoni could deliver the full experience of a traditional slice—both in taste and texture.
What Is Koji and Why Does It Matter?
If you’re unfamiliar with koji, it’s a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine, used to ferment soy sauce, miso, and sake. Its natural structure is fibrous and meaty, making it an ideal base for deli-style meats. Unlike soy- or gluten-based alternatives, koji requires minimal processing, which means it retains more natural umami flavor and texture.
Prime Roots has harnessed koji’s unique properties to create realistic, koji-based deli meats that cook like their traditional counterparts—without the cholesterol, nitrates, or additives found in animal-based versions.
How I Made My Neapolitan Koji Pepperoni Pizza
To put Koji Pepperoni to the test, I went with a simple but classic Neapolitan pizza:
- Dough: 320g Trader Joe’s Plain Pizza Dough
- Sauce: 3 ounces of fresh tomato sauce
- Cheese: 2 ounces of fresh mozzarella
- Topping: 50g (1.8 oz) of Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni
- Baking Temperature: 800°F in a Neapolitan-style pizza oven
- Final Touch: A few fresh basil leaves
Trader Joe’s dough has a good balance of elasticity and structure, so it when used Neapolitan style, it bakes up light, airy, puffy, and crispy! – perfect for testing toppings in extreme heat.
How Did Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni Cook?
One of my biggest questions was how Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni would hold up under intense Neapolitan pizza oven conditions. In our oven-baked New York-style, Prime Roots did very well.
And while some alternative meats burn, dry out, or don’t develop much texture at Neapolitan temperatures, I was happy to see that Koji Pepperoni performed well here too:
- The edges crisped up slightly, adding just a bit of texture.
- It didn’t shrink or curl too much, keeping its original size.
- It darkened slightly, enhancing its rich, spiced aroma.
- Unlike some pepperoni alternatives that stay soft or rubbery, this one developed a noticeable depth of flavor when baked.
Straight out of the package, Koji Pepperoni was decent but not particularly exciting—but once cooked, the flavors really came alive.
How Did It Taste?
The transformation from raw to cooked was huge. The spices intensified, bringing forward a well-balanced blend of smokiness, garlic, and black pepper. It had a nice bite—firmer than some alternatives but not dry.
What stood out most was how well it absorbed the heat and enhanced the overall pizza experience. Unlike some koji-based meats that stay overly soft or oily, this one crisped just enough to add a great texture contrast to the melty mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce.
Koji Pepperoni vs. Traditional Pepperoni
How It Compares:
✅ Texture: Holds up well to heat, doesn’t shrink much, gets slightly crisp.
✅ Flavor: Deep, spicy, smoky—more complex when cooked.
✅ Performance in High Heat: Cooks like a traditional pepperoni without drying out.
❗ One thing to note: Even at these temperatures, the pepperoni didn’t get truly crispy. Any longer, and the pizza would have burnt. I guess you could pre-sear the pepperoni in a skillet first?
Is Koji Pepperoni a Good Choice for Pizza?
Absolutely. Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni isn’t just a decent alternative – it’s a genuinely good pizza topping. It cooks well, develops flavor under heat, and delivers a spicy, umami-rich experience that pairs beautifully with a Neapolitan-style crust.
Beyond taste, it’s a healthier, more sustainable choice than traditional pepperoni:
- Zero cholesterol, nitrates, hormones, or preservatives
- No soy, wheat, or top-9 allergens
- 5-8g of fungi-based protein per serving
- 92% less water and 91% less land use than conventional meat
If you’re looking for a koji-based pepperoni that actually works on pizza, this is a solid option. Whether you’re avoiding meat, reducing consumption, or just curious, Koji Pepperoni is worth trying—especially if you cook it properly.
Want to try Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni for yourself? Find it near you here or explore their full range of Koji-Meats here.
Prime Roots Koji Pepperoni Neapolitan Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Wood-burning pizza oven This is ideal for a classic Neapolitan style pizza, but use what you've got!
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pizza Cutter
Ingredients
- 9.5 ounces Pizza Dough ball (9~10 ounces) (You can use pre-made dough or refer to our recipe for making AVPN Neapolitan dough)
- 2 Ounces Koji Pepperoni We used 13 slices of Prime Roots koji pepperoni
- 3 Tbsp Flour For dusting your work surface.
- .25 Cups Tomato sauce (Refer to our recipe for making your own sauce from canned tomatoes or try Mutti brand sauce)
- 2.5 Ounces Fresh mozzarella (approximately 1/4 ball)
- 6 leaves Basil To taste
Instructions
- Preheat your pizza oven to ideally about 800°F to 900°F.
Prepare the Dough
- If you are using a pre-made dough ball, give it at least 30 minutes to come to room temperature.We used Trader Joe's Plain Pizza Dough.
- Put 1 tablespoon of flour on your work surface and place the dough.
- Begin stretching your pizza dough on your work surface. With 9 to 10 ounces of pizza dough, you should be able to make an 12" to 14" pizza, depending on the dough. True Neapolitan pizza will leave about a half inch outer ring slightly taller than the center.
Prepare Before Putting the Dough on the Peel
- Put 1 teaspoon of flour on your pizza peel.
- Prepare all of your ingredients – get them ready to apply to the pizza quickly.
- If you are using fresh mozzarella, remove your mozzarella from the water, dry with a paper towel, and chop into slices or strips.
- Check your pizza oven temperature. Add more wood if necessary. Do not proceed to the next step if your oven is not ready.
Apply the Toppings
- Transfer your dough to the pizza peel.
- You will want to quickly apply your toppings and get the pizza into the oven before the dough sticks to the peel.
- Apply the tomato sauce to the center of the pizza. Use a spoon to spread the sauce out from the center in a spiral pattern but keeping the sauce off of the outer ring.
- Distribute your slices of Koji pepperoni on the pizza. We had room for 13 slices but you can adjust to taste.
- Distribute the mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza.
Cooking with an Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Check the pizza oven temperature again. If you have an infrared thermometer, check for the hottest part of the pizza stone.
- Launch the pizza into the oven on the hottest part of the stone without being in the flames.
- Before rotating the pizza, make sure that Rotate the pizza one quarter turn every 45 seconds. Generally, the pizza will be done in 6 minutes or less. So watch it closely!
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for about 3 minutes.
- Place your basil leaves on the pizza.
- Cut and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are going to cook this in a conventional oven, you’ll want the highest temperature you can get the oven to.
- If you have a pizza stone (or pizza steel), that’s going to help a lot in getting the most authentic crust. If not, a pizza pan (or cookie sheet) will still turn out a great pizza.
- You can either start the pizza on a pan (or cookie sheet) and transfer it to the stone after about 15 minutes (when the crust is firm enough to be safely transferred). At this point, turn off the oven and let the pizza cook on the stone for another 5 minutes. Remove and let rest on a cutting board for another 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
- Alternatively, you can start by launching the pizza directly to the pizza stone in your oven. This is more tricky and you might want to practice with some dough with no toppings!
Nutrition
Todd’s cooking skills have revolved around the grill since about age 12, when he developed a love for grilling and took over for Mom at the BBQ. He worked at Wendy’s and at Earl’s Tin Palace (a restaurant chain in Canada) but never really did any sort of baking…until he and Heather started making pizza together! Now he’s often making dough in the mornings and pizza in the evenings.