CLEVELAND, Ohio — The age-old argument about what makes a great pizza topping is often a heated one. Whether you are a fan of pineapple or anchovies, you can’t go wrong with a classic cheese when it comes to ordering for a large group or for the kids.
While pepperoni still ranks No. 1 with adult pizza lovers — only 8% of adults prefer cheese — cheese pizza still gets high marks from the younger set — kids, age three to 11.
Before the pandemic took hold world-wide, we tasted and ranked 130 frozen pizzas, including 24 cheese pizzas. Thanks to the coronavirus, sales of the frozen pizzas have sky-rocketed 21 percent since last March and continue to hold steady, even as we take steps back toward “normal” life.
Check out how the cheese pizzas we sampled fared. Our top pick was the Three Cheese by Outsiders Pizza Company, a division of Nestle, in Solon.
Related: See rankings of all 130 frozen pizzas we sampled
Editor’s note: Pricing indicated in the rankings is the price we paid when doing the original taste test in 2019.
Where we bought it: Walmart, $1
Box says: No description
We say: For a cheese pizza, this one has too little cheese, and tastes a bit chalky. You can find something better to eat for a dollar.
Where we bought it: Giant Eagle, $6.99
Box says: “No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives”
We say: This crust was not as soggy as the other Green Giant pie. But where’s the sauce? There was a nice ratio of cheese to crust, but there was little sauce and what was there was sweet.
Where we bought it: Target, $2,79
Box says: “100% real cheese. Good source of calcium”
We say: This one is better than the pepperoni version, but there is still nothing special about it.
Where we bought it: Aldi, $5.49
Box says: No description but the box carries both the Good Housekeeping and National Celiac Association seals
We say: A decent gluten-free crust with a thick layer of cheese.
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Where we bought it: Target, $9.99
Box says: “New improved recipe. Crispier crust. 40% more cheese”
We say: A good option for those looking for gluten-free pizzas, though we wish it had a bit more cheese and was more consistent in its coverage of the crust. Makes you wonder what it was like before they added 40% more cheese.
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Where we bought it: Whole Foods, $6.99
Box says: “Our commitment to you: Handmade, all natural, hormone-free, humanely raised. This is the best frozen pizza you have ever had.”
We say: Where’s the cheese? Not enough on this pizza to cover the entire pie, considering it is “three cheese.” Though you could detect the different flavors of the cheeses when we did get a cheesy bite.
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Where we bought it: Acme, $8.99
Box says: “Chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella and Romano cheese on an Uno rust”
We say: Cheesy, thick and gooey, but it’s not a true deep dish without sauce atop the cheese.
Where we bought it: Walmart, $6.48
Box says: “Imported from Italy. Premium hand-made wood-fired gourmet pizza.”
We say: Simple, but good — with a light Vodka-type sauce and a crust reminiscent of French bread.
Where we bought it: Lucky’s Market, $5.99
Box says: “Low moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese. Grana Padano cheese. Cheddar. Italian pecorino Romano cheese made from sheep’s milk.”
We say: The thin crust plays host to lots of ooey-gooey cheese. The sauce was a little on the absent side though.
Where we bought it: Dave’s, $3
Box says: “Made with 100% real mozzarella cheese. Sauce made with real tomatoes. No artificial flavors.”
We say: Not bad for a basic no-frills pizza, but we all agreed there was not enough cheese for a cheese-only pizza.
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Where we bought it: Meijer, $4
Box says: “Ultra-thin crust, 290 calories per 1/3 pizza, 14 g protein, 26 g carbs”
We say: This one had a decidedly sweet taste throughout.
Where we bought it: Aldi, $3.99
Box says: “Fresh baked taste. Topped with organic pizza sauce, organic mozzarella, organic provolone and organic elemental cheese”
We say: The mellow sauce allows the cheeses to shine through. Be forewarned, the cheese is cut into small discs so it doesn’t cover the entire pie as pictured.
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Where we bought it: Target, $3.99
Box says: “Since 1962. Buttery crispy crust. Zesty sauce.”
We say: Better among the “unboxed” pizzas, with a good ratio of crust, sauce and cheese. It was a tad on the salty side.
Where we bought it: Whole Foods, $8.69
Box says: “Hand-crafted to perfection. Handmade, wood-fired, thin and crispy.”
We say: Attention, Daiya: This is how vegan cheese is meant to be! It melted well and delivered a smooth, creamy flavor. It was an excellent complement to the whole wheat crust.
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Where we bought it: Fresh Thyme, $5.99
Box says: “Wood-fired. With mozzarella, provolone, asiago & aged hard cheese.”
We say: One of our team members expressed disappointment in this effort by the Fresh Thyme brand. Both the crust and the sauce were on the sweet side and the cheese was sparse and sporadic. The chewiness of the crust saved this one.
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Where we bought it: Nature’s Oasis (Shaker Heights location), $7.99
Box says: “Harvest tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan”
We say: As solid as a basic plain cheese pizza can get, though it did feel more like a cheesy garlic bread you’d eat with pasta rather than a pizza.
Where we bought it: Target, $6.79
Box says: “Hand-stretched crust. Made with organic flour and tomatoes.”
We say: No doubt this sauce is made with fresh tomatoes since there are seeds and bits of tomato skins in it, which had a tinge of garlic present as well. There’s plenty of cheese on this one, unlike others we have seen. This is an above average cheese pizza.
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Where we bought it: Dave’s, $7.49
Box says: “Made with whole milk mozzarella cheese. No artificial flavors. No artificial colors. No preservatives.”
We say: There is nothing fancy about this pizza, but it does deliver plenty of mellow cheese flavor.
Where we bought it: Meijer, $6.99
Box says: “Real provolone, asiago, parmesan and mozzarella cheese with sauce from vine-ripened tomatoes and basil”
We say: Good crust-to-sauce ratio and thick, melty cheese blend stretches all the way to the edges of the crust. Davis said it was “one of the best cheese blends we have had in terms of flavor and texture. The different flavors really come through.”
Where we bought it: Lucky’s Market, $6.99
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 390 | Fat 21g | Sodium 530mg | Carbs 38g | Protein 14g
Box says: “Thin and crispy pan-style pizza made with our signature wheat flour and cornmeal crust.”
We say: Every judge enjoyed the unique cornbread crust of this pizza. For a cheese pizza, this one was “hearty.” Plenty of taste from the rich tomato sauce, which did not overwhelm the subtle blend of cheeses.
Where we bought it: Whole Foods, $9.99
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 370 | Fat 15g | Sodium 850mg | Carbs 41g | Protein 19g
Box says: “Handmade thin & crispy pizza baked in a wood-fired oven”
We say: In the world of frozen pizza, this one could serve as more of an appetizer for an Italian dinner rather than its own meal. The thin whole-grain crust has a rich flavor and crisps nicely. The garlic and olive oil base is not overly done and the chewy cheese browned nicely during cooking, giving it an earthy taste.
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Where we bought it: Walmart, $7.98
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 330 | Fat 15g | Sodium 590mg | Carbs 34g | Protein 14g
Box says: “Detroit-style deep dish pizza”
We say: This buttery crust was delicious, like that of a good deep dish. The sauce was a bit sweet, yet hearty and full of flavor. The cheese blend was mild and generous – so much so it melted down the sides of the crust and caramelized while cooking.
Where we bought it: Walmart, $4.97
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 390 | Fat 16g | Sodium 790mg | Carbs 43g | Protein 18g
Box says: “Mozzarella, provolone, fresh mozzarella, white cheddar, fontina, Romano and parmesan”
We say: There are plenty of three- and four-cheese blends out there, but seven?! And the seven varieties all manage to meld well for a rich texture and flavor, yet you can taste the individual cheeses as well. This takes cheese pizza to a whole new level.
Where we bought it: Target, $8.99
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 430 | Fat 23g | Sodium 590mg | Carbs 37g | Protein 18g
Box says: “Damn good pizza! Thick, pillowy crust. Light and airy on the inside. Carmelized cheese around the outside. Real Wisconsin brick cheese, white cheddar and fontina.”
We say: While we had never heard of Outsiders Pizza Company before this journey, we are now big fans. You need to be hungry if you are going to indulge in this pizza. The crust is thick and filling, yet not so heavy you will be weighed down. The tangy sauce shines through despite the thick crust. Did we mention the cheese? There is lots of blended cheese and it overflowed the crust once it melted. This is a great “stay at home for pizza and a movie” night.
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About our pizza cooker:
If it feels too hot to turn on your oven, check out the Presto Pizzazz Plus Rotating Pizza Oven ($53.89, with free delivery from Amazon) that we used to cook more than 130 frozen pizzas — not to mention a few other convenience foods like appetizers and cookies. It’s also available at Walmart ($54, free delivery).
Watch the time-lapsed video below to see how a frozen pizza goes from freezer to steaming hot at the kitchen table in less than 15 minutes.
More grocery store food rankings:
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We ate 174 pasta sauces from Greater Cleveland grocery stores and ranked them, worst to best
Searching for the perfect frozen pizza? See winners in 12 categories, including supreme, sausage, pepperoni, cheese
Best rotisserie chicken? We clucked our way through 8 grocery stores: Taste test results
Ranking 95 frozen appetizers from grocery store freezer cases
What’s the best peanut butter? We ranked 77 jars in blind taste test for National Peanut Butter Day
The best and worst foods we ate during grocery store showdown taste tests 2020
Hot chocolate, anyone? We tasted and ranked 61 cocoa mixes from grocery stores
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