Say what you will about them, but frozen pizzas are a staple component of many, many kitchens. They take no
preparation and heat up wonderfully in the oven in the amount of time that it would take to have a pizza delivered.
Well, some of them heat up wonderfully. There are some pizzas that are not even worth turning on the oven for.
In my opinion, the best frozen pizza is a homemade one, but I know that not all people have the time or energy to freeze their own, unbaked pizzas. Fair enough, even though you can buy pre-made, uncooked dough at many supermarkets nowadays. Though certainly not covering all of the possible options for frozen pizza that there are, here is a quick guide to some of the pizza choices that will be waiting at your fingertips when you take a stroll through the freezer section:
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DiGiorno - 9/10 - Did you know that the pepperoni pizza has little bits of pepperoni in the sauce, too? That's what takes this thick-crusted pizza over the edge, though offering a half-cheese/half-pepperoni option is a great idea. The rising crust is perhaps a little thicker than fresh pizza, but very tasty.
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California Pizza Kitchen - 10/10 - These pizzas come out of the oven tasting darn close to what you'll get in a restaurant. It's great that they come in more unusual flavors than pepperoni, too. Try the Thai Chicken!
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Freschetta - 8/10 - Just like the DiGiorno, the crust gets crisp on the outside and relatively chewy overall, without being too dense. They're usually seasoned well, particularly the Tomato, Basil and 3-Cheese
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Amy's Organics - 7/10 - It's great that these are organic, and they're pretty tasty, too. Fortunately, they are becoming easier to find, though it seems that markets tend to carry only the very basic kinds - more cornmeal crusts, please! All the veggie options are a great change from the meat-laden (if you're lucky) mainstream pizzas.
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Tombstone - 6/10 - These never seem to have quite enough sauce on them, though the flavor is good and they are usually very cheesy. The crust has a hard time crisping up in the oven, too, and is a bit on the soggy side - possibly from the amount of cheese. Of course, if you like a ton of cheese, you're in luck with this brand.
- Stouffer's French Bread - 6/10 - Not in the same class as the rest of the frozen pizzas because it doesn't have a true pizza crust. Nevertheless, the crust does crisp up well and the toppings are of the usual quality for Stouffer's products - which is to say that it's good. They make a great snack, but are not quite the real thing.
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Red Baron - 4/10 - The crust on these never really gets crispy, or else it burns, but if you like your crust on the doughy side, they're not that bad. The cheese can definitely get rubbery, something that you can almost tell by looking at the pictures on the package. If they can't make it look tasty, that's not a good sign.
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Celeste - 1/10 - They taste bad and are much smaller even than you would expect from the size of the box. Don't waste your money even when they are on sale at 10/$10.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
4-20-2006 @ 8:17AM
mike said...
How are you cooking these, with a pan or directly on the oven racks? I usually go with right on the rack or use a 'pizza pan' that's non-stick(ish) aluminum and perforated to let steam escape.
I like my crusts crispy and they always turn out that way unless my wife wants in on the pizza - she prefers a softer crust.
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4-20-2006 @ 8:46AM
Angelica said...
To add to the previous comment I always bake directly on the rack, it's no brick oven, but you definitely get a crispier crust. I also boost up the temperature 10-15 degrees and shorten the cooking time accordingly.
I'll agree that some of the pizzas that you mentioned are pretty decent, and I will buy occassionally. If I may suggest the frozen pizzas at Trader Joe's (if you have one in your area). They are GREAT! And they have a super variety and cost anywhere from 3.99$+ depending on the toppings and cheese. They have a really good goat cheese one that my kids (four and two) just love!
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4-20-2006 @ 8:49AM
Nicole Weston said...
TJs does have good frozen pizzas, but I'll usually skip to the fresh dough if I'm in the store. I don't like on-the-rack baking because I hate it when cheese (or whatever) drips down into my oven. I'll use a pizza stone or, occasionally, a sheet pan of some sort. Non-insulated ones will give better crusts than insulated will.
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4-20-2006 @ 10:03AM
Brian said...
The best frozen pizza I ever had was was Palermo's: http://palermospizza.com My local Food Lion had them on sale buy on eget one free and I had never seen them before. they looked good so I tried them. OH MY GOD. Best frozen pizza ever. I had their Primo Thin Pepperoni and also a Chicken Caesar.
Give them a try if you can find them. Their normal price was $5.99 each which is pricey, but it was SOOOO good.
Brian
http://candyaddict.com
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4-20-2006 @ 10:45AM
OPAlex said...
For a fast dinner, I place a bunch of veggies (thin sliced onions, bell peppers, brocolli, green olives - whatever's in the fridge) on a Tombstone Cheese pizza and bake it on the rack. Comes out pretty good - especially when we're tired & hungry.
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4-20-2006 @ 11:11AM
sal said...
http://www.americanflatbread.com/
enough said.
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4-20-2006 @ 2:37PM
matt said...
The Market Basket store-brand little pizza rectangle things are surprisingly good and probably like $1 for a box tops.
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4-21-2006 @ 5:43PM
Rob Poitras said...
The trader joes pizzas are awesome. I like the BBQ Chicken pizza the most.
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4-21-2006 @ 7:39PM
Sir Not Appearing in this Blog said...
I beg to differ on one point: The Celeste pizzas are AWESOME. Well, the Zesty Four Cheese pizza is, anyway. It's got a great crust and there's some kind of herb mixture under the cheese that gives it a little extra zing. They're certainly worth a buck a pie.
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4-28-2006 @ 6:23AM
Dick said...
Taste, taste, taste, taste. There was no information on Trans-fatty acids, MSG or hidden MSG in the article. That should be the baseline information before you make any comparisons. Read "Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills." Pizza Uno is my current choice.
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4-28-2006 @ 6:40AM
Bob said...
Trans-fatty acid? MSG? Look you heath nut, you don't eat these things for nutrition. Taste does matter, if it taste like cardboard, but has vitamins would you still eat it? Maybe you should make your next Pizza out of acorns and berrys. Take out is best, but the better brands will do in a fix, even micro-wave if you're hungry enough..
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4-28-2006 @ 6:50AM
Bob said...
I am a frozen pizza addict! There is something about the Digiorno that I can't stomach. I've tried them several times but I keep forgetting that I don't like the sauce. There is something in the sauce that I cannot identify. Anyone? So, I opt for the delicios Palermos (Chicken Ceasar/Supreme) or Mystic Pizza. Mystic used to have a B-B-Q Chicken that was excellent! I wish they would bring it back. :(
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4-28-2006 @ 6:59AM
Amy said...
I love Trader Joe's pizza!!! But when I can't get to TJ's I buy, and don't laugh cause this is ultra cheesy [and I don't mean the topping], Mystic Pizza. Can't help it. It's good. As far as its health value ... Pizza is one of those foods you crave when on a diet and you want junk food ... hence why it's the most popular dorm food ...
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4-28-2006 @ 7:13AM
Billly Holden said...
The best home made alternative to Pizza parlor taste? ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZA! Thomas's (only) English muffins, topped with quality ketchup (Heinz preferably) and shredded cheese. Broil till bubbly. Mmmmmmmm!
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4-28-2006 @ 7:55AM
LATOYIA said...
I LIKE DIGIORNOS PIZZA IT HAS GREAT FLAVOR. PLUS ITS BETTER THAN THE PIZZA WRAP IN PLASTIC. NOW THATS GROSS!!!!!!!!
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4-28-2006 @ 8:07AM
Dave Hagen said...
Frozen are good for a quick snack, but I wish I could find a place that made pizza like the Brothers 3 did in Chippewa Falls Wi.Closest I've found is The Fill Inn in Chippewa.
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4-28-2006 @ 8:15AM
ken dimarco said...
Amy's pizza should be a "2". The others are by far, better.
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4-28-2006 @ 8:17AM
JOHN BRINEGAR said...
Forget the Frozen Pizza's..MAMA MARYS PIZZA CRUST IS THE BEST that I have ever had. Just put sauce , cheese and whatever toppings you want for a homemade Pizza...try their NEW THIN AND CRISPY. They are available in all supermarkets.
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4-28-2006 @ 8:18AM
James Kall said...
PALERMO"S !!!!! All the way. Their pizza tastes the most home-made. Great crust. Such fresh toppings. I can't get enough of the BBQ Chicken pizza or the Hawaiian variety. Look for Palermo's. You won't be disappointed.
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4-28-2006 @ 8:18AM
rob lavergne said...
publix pepperoni pizza is great, lots of pepperoni, good sauce. the four cheese is great also for the less calorie minded. dont know about the others
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