Frozen cheese pizza reigns supreme in American freezers thanks to its trifecta of affordability, convenience, and childhood nostalgia. It offers a quick, budget-friendly meal solution, requiring minimal prep and cleanup. The pizzas on our list all have familiar cheesy goodness that evokes memories of carefree childhood lunches and family movie nights. A frozen cheese pizza is a comfort food classic. But what makes for the best frozen pizza? We sought to find out.
Every element of a frozen pizza plays a part in the end result. The crust is the foundation, a crispy canvas for the toppings. It should be thin enough to have a satisfying snap yet sturdy enough to hold its own under a generous load without coming out soggy. You also want a flavorful sauce with cheese that melts like a fresh pizza. Remember, the best pizzas aren’t just about convenience, they’re about culinary artistry frozen in time. But, how did it all start?
The History of Frozen Pizza:
- Doughy Pioneers: Philadelphia native Joseph Bucci filed the first patent for “Method for Making Frozen Pizza” in 1950, setting the stage for a culinary revolution. Though not the first to market, his efforts highlighted the potential of this frozen convenience staple.
- From Novelty to Necessity: Early frozen pizzas, like Celentano’s 1957 supermarket debut, were seen as a quirky novelty. But rising incomes, increasing home freezers, and busy lifestyles in the postwar era fueled their popularity as a quick and easy meal option.
- From Humble Pie to Marketing Marvel: Pizza giants like Totino’s, Tombstone, and Tony’s entered the arena, employing catchy jingles and playful presentations like pizza rolls or French bread pizza to target families and children. Frozen pizza became synonymous with fun, affordable dinners.
- Microwavable Mania: The 1980s saw the rise of the microwave, further boosting frozen pizza’s convenience factor. Families could now have a hot, cheesy meal in minutes, solidifying its place as a weeknight dinner champion.
- Evolution of an Icon: Beyond the classic cheese, frozen pizza has branched out with topping-loaded options, gourmet crusts, and even personal-sized varieties. Catering to changing tastes and dietary needs, it keeps pace with a growing market, proving its adaptability.
Today, frozen cheese pizza remains a cultural touchstone, a symbol of childhood memories and comfort food cravings. Its journey from a novel idea to a ubiquitous icon reflects the changing landscapes of American kitchens and culinary preferences. Our sources helped us learn about the best frozen cheese pizzas you should have stocked in your freezer based on which pies were recommended most across 10 reviews. Let us know your favorites in the comments below!
The List: Best Frozen Cheese Pizzas, According to Foodies
1. Screamin’ Sicilian Bessie’s Revenge Cheese Pizza
This Wisconsin brand takes advantage of the dairy state’s amazing cheeses. In a comparison of frozen cheese pizzas, the cheese is undoubtably the most important ingredient. Tasting Table explains, “Some may think this is cheese overload, but we feel it was the perfect amount of cheesy deliciousness. We didn’t think a frozen cheese pizza could be this good … we were wrong. The simplicity of this pizza having no toppings makes it great for any meal and those picky pizza people in your life. Plus, its cheese-only format means you can always add the toppings of your choosing if you’re really craving something specific.”
Allrecipes writes another favorable review: “The crust was crispy, with an oily-in-a-good-way texture. It was fluffy without being gooey and crunchy without being too cracker-like. The sauce was the saltiest out of all the pies tested, but it was a welcome reprieve from the bland and too-sweet sauces the other pizzas offered.”
The Cheese Professor states that this cheese-forward pizza is one of their favorites. Why? “This is obviously the work of America’s dairy state, as Screamin’ Sicilian hails from Wisconsin, (care of a Sicilian immigrant,) which I trust with these sorts of decisions… cheddar also brings a richer flavor than mozzarella can on its own, with a deep hint of allium. This Wisconsin-based pizza also utilizes butter in the crust, because, bless them.”
2. Red Baron
Red Baron is a budget-friendly pizza that also happens to be quite tasty. The flavor is balanced and savory. Allrecipes raves, “This pizza was the sleeper hit; I found myself munching on an extra piece after the testing was done. The crust was one of the most flavorful; we liked the yeasty flavor that really reminded us of actual pizza dough, not just flour. The sauce was not sweet like DiGiorno’s and Tony’s and actually had a good savory note without tasting too much like canned tomatoes.”
Bon Appétit speaks to the ingredients and flavor profile: “Mozzarella, Parmesan, cheddar, provolone, and tomatoes are the bulk of the ingredients in this pizza. It also features sugar, dried garlic, paprika, and dried onion all of which likely contribute to its balanced taste.”
Cheap pizza can be good pizza. Today says to “be gone with your negativity. It may be one of the cheapest options, but Red Baron proves you don’t need expensive ingredients to deliver on flavor. In fact, for a pie so well-priced, it didn’t skimp on cheese or sauce, which made me heart every layered bite oh-so-very much.”
3. Amy’s Pizza
Amy’s Kitchen is a well-reviewed brand that produces a variety of flavorful frozen foods. The cheese pizza is highly rated with our sources. Food Network says, “I’d have to say this is a tie for me between Newman’s Own and Amy’s. I love the super thin crust on a Newman’s frozen pizza, they have a good selection of different toppings and the profits go to charity which is always a plus. Amy’s I love because it always has the perfect amount of cheese and the rice crust gets extra crispy if you leave it in the oven for a minute or two longer than the box suggests.”
As with many of our sources, Delish describes cheese as the central determinant of pizza quality. They write: “When we were picking our favorite cheese pizzas, our most important factor was the quality of the cheese itself. Amy’s Cheese Pizza offered the most flavorful pie with a distinctly high-quality cheese. Our tasters also loved the sauce to cheese to crust ratio, which made for a balanced bite that still allowed the cheese to shine.”
Consumer Reports elaborates on Amy’s nuanced flavor profile: “In addition to being very tasty—a little cheesy, garlicky, and salty, plus a strong toasted flavor—the crust browns nicely and is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The crust impressed deputy editor Diane Umansky and her family. ‘It’s more substantial than a thin crust pie, but it’s not overly bready.'”
4. Tombstone Original Five Cheese Pizza
Tombstone is an affordable cheese pizza that comes out great with a little care in preparation. Not-too-salty with a crisp crust, Tombstone is a contender for the best frozen cheese pizza crown. Allrecipes says, “Another contender in the ‘plastic-wrapped’ category, this Tombstone pizza scored relatively well in our taste test. Perhaps the extra four types of cheeses helped its cause, but testers liked the flavor and the appearance of this pizza. The crust didn’t win big in flavor, but it was crispy enough that testers were able to ignore how boring it was.”
Tasting Table details that this classic frozen pie just plain tastes good, “We’ve tried many cheese pizzas over the years, but this one is seriously a top contender. It packs so much flavor for a pizza without toppings. Usually, we suggest adding your favorite toppings with some frozen cheese pizzas, but the Tombstone Original 5 Cheese Pizza is perfect on its own. We found it in stock at many of our local grocery stores, so you should have no trouble picking up a box for your next pizza night.”
Today does say that toppings would make this pie a little more exciting, despite ranking this pizza as their number six overall. They add, “While I didn’t entirely hate this pie, its uninspired recipe could have definitely benefited from toppings. Tombstone is only as good as the ingredients on top of it, which is why I am a huge fan of the company’s Supreme variety (which, frankly, would blow most of this competition out of the oven).”
5. DiGiorno Original Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza
DiGiorno is a strong contender with their many types of cheese pizza styles. The original rising crust style gets singled out as one of the best. According to Tasting Table, “DiGiorno has been a favorite of ours for years. C’mon, if mom is always keeping one of these in the freezer, you know it’s going to be good. We love the rising crust, as it’s the ideal amount of fluffy and crispy, and the cheese coverage is perfect for our liking. The DiGiorno Original Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza is a frozen pizza you need to add to your weekly rotation.”
Today asserts that nostalgia is a definite aspect of this brand’s appeal: “The distinct flavor brought me back to the days of my mom not wanting to cook dinner and firing up one of these bad boys. Where DiGiorno shone was its pillowy crust that really did ‘rise’ to great lengths. The cheese also melted and coated the entire surface flawlessly, resulting in ooey-gooey mozzarella strands worthy of an Instagram Reel.”
Bon Appétit mentions that their review team was able to quickly identify this pizza in a blind taste test. Their review states, “DiGiorno started off strong—Sinha noted an enticing cheese pull while grabbing her slice… Although the cheese had that tempting, gooey, melty texture we know and love, it ultimately tasted waxy. Anguiano quickly identified the pizza as DiGiorno’s based on the air pockets in the brand’s signature ‘rising’ crust.”
6. Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Crust Four Cheese Pizza
Newman’s Own is a brand that offers several different frozen pizza options. In the realm of the cheese pizza, it’s the thin & crispy crust four cheese pizza that earns acclaim. Bon Appétit reviews, “The Newman’s Own pizza features a multigrain crust which, among other things, contains flaxseed. It seems to be mostly mozzarella, but also features Asiago, cheddar, and, of course, Parmesan.”
Eat This, Not That! claims to have been pleasantly surprised with this pizza. Why? They say it is “pretty tasty, which came as a surprise to me since I’ve never tried or given much thought to the Newman’s brand before. The layer of cheese was super flavorful, well-seasoned, and funky, but the super crispy crust was the real star of the show. My only complaint about this option is that it needed more sauce, but I liked the cheese and crust so much that I didn’t really care.”
Today was critical in their feedback: “It was very one-noted, except this time a salty Parmesan emerged in the battle for taste-bud attention. I didn’t mind the crust, which tasted ‘grainy,’ if you will, but the lack of sauce really drove the nail in my first slice’s coffin.”
7. California Pizza Kitchen Four Cheese Crispy Thin Crust Pizza
California Pizza Kitchen or CPK made a name for themselves by offering non-traditional flavors like BBQ chicken. When considering their frozen cheese pizza, it seems that the inclusion of smoked Gouda is divisive. Business Insider’s chef reviewer compliments, “In particular, the smokiness of the Gouda stood out as an unexpected flavor, which may not be for everyone. Despite the multiple kinds of cheese, the toppings melted evenly and had pretty good coverage, extending all the way to the very edge of the crust.”
Eat This, Not That! assures that they were impressed with the flavor of this pie. Their reviewer notes that “this is truly one of the better frozen pizzas I’ve had in my life. While some of the other pizzas I tried lacked the cheesy stretch factor you usually get from a fresh pizza, CPK’s frozen pie delivered on that tasty criteria. The sauce was herby, well-seasoned, and flavorful, and all the different types of cheeses added a flavor nuance that I’ve rarely ever found in a frozen pizza.”
Today is critical but ranked CPK in their top ten. Why? “Off the bat, the smoked gouda was a touch too overpowering. While I did appreciate the four-cheese blend with herbs like thyme, there just wasn’t a harmonious balance between each of them. Also, this pizza was going through a bit of an identity crisis. Was it flatbread? Was it pizza?”
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Sources:
- Allrecipes
- Bon Appétit
- Today
- Tasting Table
- The Cheese Professor
- Food Network
- Delish
- Consumer Reports
- Eat This, Not That!
- Business Insider
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This article may contain affiliate links in which we receive a commission if you make a purchase.