What Italian cheese is traditionally used on pizza margherita?

What Italian cheese is traditionally used on pizza margherita? Mozzarella is the traditional cheese used on pizza margherita.

The classic Neapolitan combination pairs tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil, salt, and olive oil. Together, the red, white, and green ingredients are commonly associated with the colors of the Italian flag, although the familiar origin story surrounding Queen Margherita has been debated by food historians.

Traditional versions may use fior di latte, a cow’s-milk mozzarella, or mozzarella di bufala, made from Italian buffalo milk. Both are mozzarella cheeses, so the broader quiz answer remains mozzarella. The cheese is added in pieces or slices so it melts into soft, milky patches rather than forming the uniformly browned layer typical of some American-style pizzas.

Parmesan is a frequent mix-up because it is an Italian cheese often grated over pasta and pizza. Gouda and cheddar can work on modern pizzas, but neither is the defining traditional cheese of pizza margherita.