I thought I was the perfect person to taste, review, and rank frozen pizzas for the Simply Recipes Grocery Awards. I’m married to an Italian American from New Jersey, I eat pizza all the time in New Jersey and in New York City, and I have a lot of opinions. Imagine my shock, and not the good kind, when one of the pizzas that arrived at my doorstep was gluten-free.
I have always been unabashedly pro-gluten. I have a breakfast and brunch blog that leans heavily on biscuits, after all. So, I never imagined that a gluten-free pizza could win me over. Yet, here I am, writing all about how Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Cheese Pizza completely shocked me and my entire family with its deliciousness. I walked into this tasting expecting to rank it near the bottom. Instead, it emerged as the hands-down winner, leaving its gluten-filled competitors in the dust.
Simply Recipes / Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Cheese Pizza With a Cauliflower Crust
- Price: $5.49 for an 11.6-ounce pizza
- Why I Love It: This is one of the best frozen pizzas I’ve ever had despite it being gluten-free. The crust is impressively crispy, it’s topped with the perfect amount of cheese, and the sauce is tangy and bright.
Why I Love Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Cheese Pizza
The first thing that struck me about this pizza was the crust. It’s impressively crispy—not the crumbly, cardboard-like texture I’ve come to associate with many gluten-free products. There was plenty of cheese, although not the cheese-pulling amount, but tasty and not overly salty. The tomato sauce was another standout: tangy, bright, and perfectly seasoned with a hint of sweetness and herbal notes of oregano and basil. It added the right balance of acidity and sweetness to the pizza.
The preparation couldn’t have been simpler. I followed the package directions and placed it on a baking sheet at 425°F for about 12 minutes. The edges turned a lovely golden color, the bottom was surprisingly crispy, and the cheese developed those irresistible brown spots that make any pizza feel a little more gourmet.
I cooked the second pizza (yes, I liked it enough to buy another one) directly on the rack and added an extra two minutes to the baking time, but the crust did not get any crispier. I added a little crushed red pepper and some grated Parmesan (we call it sprinkle cheese), but honestly, it didn’t need any extras to shine.
What set this pizza apart is how much it didn’t feel like a compromise. Even as someone who doesn’t avoid gluten, I would gladly choose this over most traditional frozen pizzas. It’s perfect for those hectic weeknights when you want something quick and satisfying without sacrificing quality or flavor.
Whether you’re gluten free by necessity or simply curious, Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Cheese Pizza deserves a spot in your freezer. It’s proof that gluten free doesn’t have to mean flavor-free and that sometimes, breaking out of your culinary comfort zone can lead to the most delightful surprises.
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