Ah Naples. If you’ve ever been there then you know that pizza is their specialty. In fact many epic Italian dishes were perfected in the region, but their pizzas, baked in wood burning ovens, are absolutely delicious and seemingly not available anywhere else in the world. But what about when you can’t get there? Well, for those occasions we’ve got 7 of the greatest frozen pizzas that’ll have you thinking you’re in Naples after all.
Remember you’ve got to be objective here. It is frozen pizzas we are talking about, and it won’t taste exactly like the succulent offerings from Naples or anywhere else in Italy, where pizza was essentially perfected and honed over generations, the recipes passed down from parent to child, like so many of the other rich recipes found in the rich Italian cuisine.
I got the chance to taste this pizza for the first time on a trip to Italy in my youth. I’ve written about the experience before many times, and as great as that experience was, it sort of ruins any other type of pizza for you, because in the end nothing ever measures up. Or perhaps I should say, it’s hard to find something that comes at least close.
Delivery doesn’t always cut it, and let’s be honest, everything is getting expensive out there. So where do you go for a decent piece of pizza that can at least transport you slightly to the region of Naples in Italy? Your freezer section at your local grocery store, that’s where.
Here are 7 delicious frozen pizzas that’ll have you thinking you’re in Naples, or at least come decently close to it…
7. Amy’s Pizza – 4 Cheese
The organic flour and tomatoes sure go a long way with this one. Perhaps the key here is also simplicity…tomato sauce, four types of cheese, that classic oregano and basil taste…this one will satisfy your craving for a classic Margherita pizza for sure.
6. Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Pepperoni
Yes, Paul Newman was a classic actor and the star of such classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and who can forget The Color of Money, with Tom Cruise? Newman did his part to cement his legacy as a Hollywood actor, but the man left his mark on the food industry as well with the launching of the Newman’s Own Company…sauces, other items and in this case pizza.
The pizza is delicious and better than your average variety. Its claim to fame is that uncured thin crust and the pepperoni is great to.
5. DiGiorno Rising Crust
Okay so if thin crust isn’t your thing, DiGiorno does it right. The crust is moist like fresh baked bread and the toppings are good enough to let your taste buds explode favorably. It isn’t up there with some of the best pizza you’ve ever eaten, but it is acceptable.
4. Trader Joe’s BBQ Chicken Pizza
I don’t think they’ve got BBQ chicken pizza anywhere in Italy, but what’s surprising here is the crust. It’s done right. Now that’s not to say the chicken isn’t great because it is, but this one blends the best of American cuisine and Italian cuisine beautifully, which on a busy weeknight is always appreciated…especially because it’s ready in a jiffy and you don’t have to tip the deliver guy.
3. Tony’s
This one surprised me, I must say. It boasts a pizzeria style crust and it fooled even me. It doesn’t taste like an expensive pizzeria’s crust, but if you’re looking for that dive-style pizza place with the checkered table cloths next to the local bar a few blocks away from the movie theater, this one nails that taste for sure.
2. Dr. Oetker’s Ristorante Vegan Margherita Pomodori
Honestly, this one comes the closest to that pizza I tasted in Naples. They do the sauce differently and really it’s that sauce that takes it to the level its needs to be at to deliver that fresh basil taste, and more than any other brand out there. But why isn’t it number one you ask?
1. Screamin Sicilian Mambo Italiano
Because this one takes the cake, Guilty Eaters. It’s called the Mambo Italiano, and really there’s no greater pie, than a meatball pie. A little over the top? Sure, but in the end, this one will have you sailing the shores around Italy in no time…just close your eyes and you’ll be there.
Any frozen pizza favorites you’d like to tell us about dear readers? Let us know.