I Tried 5 Frozen Pepperoni Pizzas and Ranked Them From Worst to Best
Frozen pizza has evolved. It's come a long way from the cardboard crust slopped with sauce and haphazard ingredients that it used to be. Now, a surplus of boxes line grocery store freezer shelves, many of which could fall into the category of gourmet, or at the very least, a quick and satisfying meal replacement.
The amount of options out there can even get overwhelming as each brand vies for our attention using bold graphics and even bolder claims of oven-baked authenticity. But it just means that consumers have more opportunities to find the pizza that really speaks to their taste buds.
This type of pie-to-pie comparison can be challenging. But, what about if you start with the great pizza equilizer? The pepperoni. It offers a familiar slice of comfort and can be found in all brands' repertoires. Plus, with just four components to judge–the crust, the sauce, the cheese, and the pepperonis–it makes for the perfect cheesy benchmark.
To give you a head start on your search, we've sampled five different frozen pepperoni pizzas from five very prominent pizza brands. Hailing from celebrities, families, and other Italian food enthusiasts, let's find out which pie does the classic variety proud.
Red Baron Brick Oven Crust Pepperoni Pizza
The Red Baron himself, decked out in a red scarf and flight goggles, swoops in to save mealtime with quick-and-easy frozen pizzas. The brand, which has been around since 1976, tends to keep things more simple with classic crusts and standard flavors like cheese and pepperoni. However, at some grocery stores, you can see it branching out into the world of French bread, deep dish, stuffed crust, and extravagantly-topped specialty pies.
For this specific taste test, I happened to snag a Brick Oven Crust Pepperoni Pizza from the Baron for $7.29. It consists of 100% real mozzarella cheese and pepperonis made with pork, chicken, and beef.
The Look: Extra flimsy and greasy. Even after its required 18 minutes in the oven, the crust came out pale, the cheese hardly looked melted, and the bright red pepperonis at the center were left swimming in oil.
The Taste: For me, this Red Baron pick didn't quite take flight. It's just about as average as a frozen pizza gets. There's a decent amount of cheese spread throughout, but it's not liquified enough to deliver that ooey-gooey texture. The pepperonis had a greasy (imagine that) and artificial flair, while the sauce left much to be desired. Flavor enhancers like garlic or seasonings were scant, with the exception of salt, which seemed to be available in excess. The only thing that really stood out was the crust. The sections hiding underneath the toppings were a bit soggy and weighed down. But, the edges were browned with a crunchiness that tasted like the pie really had just been pulled from a brick oven rather than my standard conventional one.
DiGiorno Hand-Tossed Style Crust Pepperoni Pizza
DiGiorno has been battling delivery pizza businesses since it got its start in 1995. But today, it's going head-to-head with other frozen aisle finds instead. The brand is undoubtedly most famous for its rising crust but also its crust innovation in general–right now, an astounding 10 different crust types are a part of its lineup. Hand-tossed is one such style that makes the list, and that's the kind of pie I indulged in, speckled with pork, chicken, and beef pepperonis. The pizza also features mozzarella cheese and a classic red tomato sauce. It rang up at $5.99.
The Look: The asymmetrical shape gave it more of a homemade look, and the crust was of medium thickness–thick compared to many other frozen pizzas but thin compared to other DiGiorno creations. The white cheese was plentiful and bubbly on the fringes. On top of that, the pepperonis displayed a deep shade of crimson.
The Taste: Nearly neck and neck with Red Baron, with just a few features that make it more memorable. First: the cheese. In its abundance, the mozzarella blankets each slice with a creamy texture that builds into a singed crisp as you approach the outer perimeter. Next up: the crust. It's airy and even doughy in some areas (which I happen to enjoy). Its lightly sweetened taste also helps you to overlook the fact that it does get chewy in other spots.
On the other hand, the fatty pepperonis themselves are nothing to praise or complain about. Plus, the sauce could definitely use some work. It's hardly noticeable, and even when you do get a small helping, smooshed between the bread and cheese, it resolves to a bland paste.
Rao's Brick Oven Crust Uncured Pepperoni Pizza
From exclusive New York City restaurant to jarred pasta sauce to frozen pizza, the Rao family is a busy one. Hitting grocery shelves in 2022, the latter is one of the brand's latest endeavors and one I was excited to try for the first time. The pepperoni pizza variety (which joins three others), of course, features Rao's Made for Home pizza sauce made using vine-ripened Italian tomatoes and basil. The cheese is born from a blend of mozzarella, provolone, fontina, parmesan, and romano. Then, the pièce de résistance, uncured pork and beef pepperonis. Everything lies on a bed of brick oven crust for a total of $13.99 (yikes).
The Look: Comparatively, a more petite pie only donning 13 total pepperonis throughout. The thin cheese layer became golden in the oven, and seasoning flecks were abundant.
The Taste: I came in with high expectations, and I was mildly let down (especially for the price). Typically, Rao's sauces are my kitchen go-tos. But here, the sauce boils down to a boring marinara with no zest. The cheese amalgamation is melty, diverse, and crowd-pleasing, however, there simply isn't enough of it for my liking. The crust carries a fine texture, and the red discs on top added an interesting taste element that reminded me more of prosciutto than pepperoni. In my opinion, what really sets this pizza back, though, is that it comes on too strong with seasonings. Some blend of Italian spices like oregano and basil covers almost every square inch, taking away from the core components that should be the star of the show.
Freschetta Naturally Rising Crust Pepperoni
The name "Freschetta" is a not-so-subtle hint that this frozen pizza brand is built on fresh dough and high-quality ingredients. It has a handful of crust options to choose from, including its signature naturally rising crust. Tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and pepperonis made with pork, chicken, and beef gather on this made-from-scratch rising dough to make the brand's classic pepperoni za.
I paid $7.29 for the box, and the packaging clued me in that Freschetta is playing the numbers game in order to stand out among competitors. The box claims that it contains 10% more pizza than DiGiorno Rising Crust Ultimate Pepperoni (slightly different from what I tried), standing at 27.35 ounces.
The Look: A larger frozen pizza. It starts wide and then also grows thick in the oven during its 21-24 minute stint–the rising crust at work. The ends are pale with stuck-on cheese, much like a Bosco stick. The middle is completely overlaid with cheese, and greasy pepperonis congregate toward the middle.
The Taste: The rising crust is a win…for the most part. It serves as a strong base for all its toppings and delivers not only a fresh bread aroma but also taste. The only issue is that when you get to the backend of the slice, it becomes overbearing, too dry with nothing to offset its plumpness. The extra cheesiness of this pie also caught my eye, making it easy to forgive the mediocre red sauce slathered underneath. Lastly, the pepperonis leave you with an interesting sensation. They nearly melt in your mouth before sending forth a spicy punch. They are peculiar, but at the same time, they kept me coming back for more.
Newman's Own Sourdough Crust Pepperoni and Ricotta Pizza
Newman's Own is the brainchild of Paul Newman–yes, that Paul Newman–American actor and film director who also tried his hand at the grocery business. But unlike other brands on our list, this one comes with a few twists. First, Newman's Own didn't launch with pizza (or even anything remotely Italian), but rather salad dressings in the early '80s. Additionally, 100% of its profits go to charity, meaning it's doing good slice by slice.
For this taste test, I grabbed the brand's Sourdough Crust Pepperoni & Ricotta Pizza–a unique offering among the many options in its lineup. It comes topped with a tomato and ricotta cheese sauce, whole milk mozzarella, and uncured pepperoni, all resting on a thick sourdough crust. The box cost $9.99.
The Look: The hefty crust is pale, and the white cheese comes in larger globs as opposed to small, spread-out shreds. Cheese-spotted pepperonis cover nearly every square inch, but you can still see an orange-colored sauce peeking through from below.
The Taste: The sourdough smells divine as it bakes and tastes even better. It's thick but not overwhelming, supple yet crisp, and, most importantly, it offers that quintessential sourdough tang. Thus, the groundwork was laid for a winning pie. Next came the one-of-a-kind sauce, a fusion of tomato and ricotta that resulted in a luscious consistency and even richer flavor. Throw in plenty of buttery cheese, bold salami-like pepperonis, and hints of garlic, and it was game over. Plus, every slice tastes even better knowing it's for a good cause.
Sign up for our newsletter!
