As much as I love cooking, there are some nights that I absolutely cannot fathom doing more than turning on the oven and heating up a frozen pizza. While I won’t turn my nose up at any frozen pizza, I still want to have the best pizza experience I possibly can.
To help me determine which frozen pizzas are worth purchasing, I reached out to a few chefs to see what they keep in their freezers. After all, even professional chefs have been known to enjoy a frozen pizza.
The Chefs I Spoke To
The Frozen Pizzas Chefs Recommend
Credit: Simply Recipes / Walmart
Rao’s Brick Oven Frozen Pizza
Rao’s is Skogen’s pick for frozen pizza: “It does not compromise the flavor, and it is convenient whenever you’re not in the mood to cook.” She called out that the sauce is excellent because it doesn’t overpower the cheese and other pizza toppings.
Credit: Simply Recipes / La Rossi Pizza
La Rossi Frozen Pizza
Viana says La Rossi is the pizza he keeps on hand at home. He noted that the brand “emphasizes regional grains and great sourcing, and you can really taste that difference. The crust is crispy, and the toppings have a bright freshness to them.”
He also says that it’s “family- and women-owned and run, so I like that I’m supporting actual people versus a big box brand.” Because it’s a smaller brand, the best place to shop for it is online from grocers such as Misfits Market.
Credit: Simply Recipes / DiGiorno
DiGiorno Classic Crust
Campbell’s recommendation is one you’ve probably seen a thousand times (and likely bought a time or two). “I almost always go for DiGiorno pizza … It’s delicious, and you can find it in most stores, almost everywhere, a great easy option.” She specifically recommended the Classic Crust cheese pizza from the brand.
Campbell says the primary reason she reaches for this one is down to the crust. “I love a good, crisp crust, which is perfect in this pizza … it’s the perfect crisp outside but a little puffy in the middle.”
What To Look for in a Frozen Pizza
I asked the chefs what they look for in a frozen pizza, and they highlighted a few things. First, all three agreed that a good crust is vital. “A crust that gets crisp without leaving the chewiness in it—this one is always at the top of the list [of qualities to look for in a frozen pizza],” says Skogen.
The second thing is the right balance of ingredients. “[…] pizza brands bury their ingredients with too much pizza dough,” says Viana. He always looks for a reasonable “crust-to-topping ratio.”
Skogen notes that cheese can sometimes dominate a frozen pizza, and adds that there should be enough to complement the sauce and crust, but not overpower the flavor of the pie. Skip the extra cheese options—you can always sprinkle on a bit of additional cheese at home if it’s looking scant.
When you’re at the grocery store, think about what you want from your frozen pizza. If you’re looking for something that tastes familiar, DiGiorno might have the pie for you. If you want to pay a little more money for organic and/or local ingredients, keep an eye out for more niche or up-and-coming brands. Don’t think too hard about it, though. At the end of the day, Viana says it best: “Even bad frozen pizza is good.”
Read the original article on Simply Recipes