Frozen pizza is the ultimate convenience meal. It can go from the freezer to hot and ready to slice in approximately 20 minutes and is easily upgradable with an extra grating of cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, or a drizzle of your favorite olive oil. At its best, a frozen pizza can rival a fresh one from your neighborhood slice shop; at its worst, a frozen pizza emerges a soggy, doughy mess, worse than a delivery pizza that steams and softens on its way to you. To find out which ones actually deserve a spot in your freezer, we taste-tested 17 side by side. Read on to discover the five that came out on top.
How we selected pizzas
To select the pizzas, we first defined our two primary categories: topping and crust. Initially, our team considered testing both plain cheese and pepperoni because of their popularity. We narrowed our focus to the most classic and straightforward option: cheese pizza.
Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of pizza crust styles to choose from. Generally, crust style refers to both thickness and how the dough is prepared. All the crusts we tested were flour-based — we excluded nontraditional options such as gluten-free, cauliflower, whole wheat, and stuffed crust.
To keep the test fair, we split it across two days: We tested brands labeled “thin crust” in one round, and tackled the remaining styles, including Neapolitan, hand-tossed, and tavern style, in another batch round. On that note, we excluded deep-dish pizzas, considering them too different to compare on the same scale. With our parameters set, we selected 17 of the most popular frozen pizzas sold nationwide and widely available at major grocery stores.
How we tested
We prepared each frozen pizza according to its package instructions. From pizza to pizza, the bake time and temperature varied. All of the brands instructed us to bake the pizzas directly on the center oven rack.
Our test was brand-concealed so our editors could judge each pizza fairly. They evaluated overall flavor and texture, and considered specifics like how well the cheese melted, the seasoning of the tomato sauce, and the crust’s structure. Testers also assigned an overall score based on how much they liked each pizza and whether they’d purchase or recommend it.
As the test continued, we realized everyone wants something a little different from a cheese pizza. After averaging the scores, we landed on the five frozen pizzas below — consider these your best options when you want to skip delivery.
Best overall: Tombstone Original Thin Crust 5 Cheese Pizza
Food & Wine / Société des Produits Nestlé
Tombstone took us completely by surprise. Created at Wisconsin’s Tombstone Tap bar (located across from a cemetery) in the 1960s, this pizza features a quarter-inch crust that baked up thin and crackly with deep browning. Two editors described the crust as “crackerlike” but not dry. It delivered a gorgeous snap without crumbling, stayed pliable, and — despite its thinness — never turned soggy.
The tomato sauce was incredibly flavorful and well-balanced, and did not lean too sweet. “The sauce is garlicky, which I like — tastes like good marinara without the kind of sweetness you find in cheap pizzas,” said Senior Food Editor Ann Taylor Pittman. “There’s plenty of cheese on this guy, too.”
Those cheeses include sharp, nutty Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano as well as mild mozzarella and creamy cheddar. This pizza punches way above its price tag — about $5 for an 18.5-ounce pie — making it tempting to squirrel away a few boxes.
Best thick-crust pizza: Freschetta Naturally Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza
Food & Wine / Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc.
Freschetta’s crust is made with real yeast (no chemical leaveners) and rises into a seriously impressive thick, puffy base. As it baked, it developed complex notes of honey and toasted cereal thanks to the inclusion of malted barley flour. It had a moderate chew, a bit like ciabatta, but still felt light and airy. Bonus points for the visible flecks of yellow cornmeal, which added to the fresh-from-the-oven feel.
“This is the best one of the bunch,” said Associate Art Director Ann Martin Foley. “The light, bready crust leaves me wanting more,” added Creative Director Winslow Taft.
The crust wasn’t the only standout. The rich four-cheese blend — which includes white cheddar and provolone — felt like a departure from several pies that rely on a common mix. The white cheddar amped up the pizza’s buttery richness, while the provolone delivered excellent cheese pulls. Some editors felt the sauce was overly sweet, but others noted it had a pop of peppery tang.
Best for cheese lovers: Screamin’ Sicilian Bessie’s Revenge Cheese Pizza
Food & Wine / Screamin’ Sicilian Pizza
Another Wisconsin creation, Screamin’ Sicilian was founded by Gaspare “Papa Palermo” Falluca and named after the brand’s “resident cow,” Bessie. This pie was blanketed edge to edge with garlicky tomato sauce and a lush layer of shredded Wisconsin mozzarella and white cheddar. The true stars, though, were the thick rounds of fresh mozzarella, which melted into gooey, creamy pools.
It was a favorite of Food Editor (and resident pizza expert) Paige Grandjean, who spent countless hours developing recipes for The F&W Guide to Making Pizza at Home.“Best cheese flavor by far,” she said. “This pizza feels the closest to something you would find at a solid pizza restaurant.”
For that Instagram-worthy cheese pull, you’ll want a slice of this pie.
Best tomato sauce: Rao’s Made for Home Brick Oven Crust Five Cheese Pizza
Food & Wine / Rao’s Specialty Goods
Rao’s reputation for stellar jarred sauces carries over to its frozen pizza. Released in 2022, this pie features a sauce made with Italian tomatoes that was tangy and deeply savory. Unlike many of the pizza sauces we tasted, it wasn’t overly sweet. “The sauce has a nice tang, and is also not too salty or sweet. I’d happily eat an entire slice of this,” said Executive Editor Karen Shimizu.
We also loved the blend of mozzarella, provolone, fontina, Romano, and Parmesan. If you don’t want a whole pie, you can buy Rao’s pizza sauce separately for DIY pizza night or use it as a base for chicken Parmesan or baked ziti.
Best for DIY toppings: Sprouts Classic Four Cheese Pizza
Food & Wine / SFM LLC
This frozen cheese pizza secured a spot in our top five for its bright, fresh flavor. It tasted like a pie from a buzzy pizza pop-up, and its slices, akin to what you’d find in a school cafeteria, struck a satisfyingly nostalgic note. It paired a simple, tomato-forward sauce with an even layer of shredded mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, and Romano. The pie also had almost no visible grease, which made for an enjoyable eating experience. The thin crust baked up with crisp, browned edges, which would make it an ideal base for DIY toppings like pepperoni or sliced veggies.
The full list of contenders, ranked from highest to lowest
Tombstone Original Thin Crust 5 Cheese Pizza Freschetta Naturally Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza Screamin’ Sicilian Bessie’s Revenge Cheese PizzaRao’s Made for Home Brick Oven Crust Five Cheese PizzaSprouts Classic Four Cheese Pizza Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Four Cheese Pizza DiGiorno Thin Crust Four Cheese Pizza Urban Pie Thin Artisan Crust Eight Cheese Marinara Pizza California Pizza Kitchen Thin Crust Frozen Four Cheese PizzaDiGiorno Four Cheese Rising Crust OriginalRed Baron Classic Crust Four Cheese Pizza Home Run Inn Classic Cheese Frozen Pizza 365 Whole Foods Market Thin Crust Four Cheese PizzaScreamin’ Sicilian Pizza Co. I’m Thin & Crispy Cheese Pizza Market Pantry Four Cheese Thin Crust Pizza Trader Giotto’s Organic 3 Cheese Pizza Tony’s Cheese Pizza
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