Trader Joe’s Garlic and Pesto Deep Fried Crust Pizza Review – I am a sucker for a new pizza at Trader Joe’s so when I saw this one, I knew I had to get it right away. At first glance, it looks like any normal pizza that Trader Joe’s sells in the frozen section, but it’s not. The crust is deep-fried before they put on the toppings. You might say, “Deep fried pizza???” and you would be correct. It is a thing and it’s delicious!
If you’ve ever heard of Frybread, it’s essentially the same thing except the pizza dough is only fried for a couple of minutes in a light vegetable or olive oil and then topped with pizza toppings and baked in the oven for a while. This creates a pizza that is super light and airy with a nice crust crunch.
Trader Joe’s says on their website that they worked with their supplier in Sicily to come up with a frozen version of this pizza and I think they’ve knocked it out of the park!
Basically, you just pop this pizza in the hot oven. This time I put it on a baking pan. I think it helps get the fried crust a little crispier on the bottom.
The Trader Joe’s deep fried pesto and garlic pizza has fairly simple toppings, a variety of cheese and basil pesto. But sometimes simple is better.
After I baked it I let it cool for a couple of minutes.
When I cut the pizza I was amazed at how light and fluffy the interior of the crust was. The toppings were perfectly baked. But, Oh my god, when you put it in your mouth, you will be blown away at how nice the crust is.
All Trader Joe’s pizza crusts should be deep fried from now on. It tasted like a pizza that was just handmade.
I guess that’s the power of deep frying the crust before you freeze it. It’s simply amazing. The toppings were pretty good too. I really like the mélange of cheeses and the pesto topping. No complaints there. Everyone in my house thought the same thing when they tried it, the crust was crazy good.
One pizza is probably too much for a person, even though it looks small, it’s packed with calories due to the deep frying so just a word of caution there. The whole pizza is 1260 calories so it can be a little deceiving.
The Final Verdict on the Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic and Pesto Pizza with Deep Fried Crust
I don’t know what to say here, this is simply one of the best Trader Joe’s products of all time. I am stocking up on as many as I can get because you know how things work at Trader Joe’s, just as you find something you really love, they pull it from the shelves!
The deep frying of the crust, before you bake it again in the oven with toppings, makes for a super light and airy crust with a nice crunchy exterior. There is just enough pesto and cheese to keep it all together and give it lots of flavor. It just melts in your mouth.
I was blown away by this pizza and I am going to give it 9 Bells!
INGREDIENTS:
WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, BURRATA CHEESE: INGREDIENTS (MOZZARELLA CHEESE [PASTEURIZED COW’S MILK, SALT, CITRIC ACID {ACIDULANT}, MICROBIAL ENZYME], CREAM, MILK, XANTHAN GUM [STABILIZER], MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES OF FATTY ACIDS), MOZZARELLA CHEESE (MILK, SALT, MICROBIAL ENZYME), PROVOLONE CHEESE (MILK, SALT, MICROBIAL RENNET), PESTO SAUCE (SUNFLOWER SEED OIL, BASIL OIL [BASIL, SUNFLOWER SEED OIL, SALT], CASHEWS, DEHYDRATED CHEESE [MILK, SALT, ANIMAL RENNET], PINE NUTS, WHEY POWDER, DRIED GARLIC, SALT, NATURAL FLAVORS, ASCORBIC ACID [TO PRESERVE]), GARLIC, SUNFLOWER SEED OIL, PARMIGIANO REGGIANO CHEESE (MILK, SALT, ANIMAL RENNET), SALT, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, YEAST.
CONTAINS MILK, WHEAT, CASHEW, PINE NUT. MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF EGG, SOY, COD, CRAB, LOBSTER, SHRIMP.
NUTRITION FACTS:
3 servings per container | Serving size 1/3 pizza (132g) | Amount per serving: Calories 420
Total Fat 20g (26% DV), Saturated Fat 9g (45% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 25mg (8% DV), Sodium 890mg (39% DV), Total Carbohydrate 43g (16% DV), Dietary Fiber 3g (11% DV), Total Sugars 1g—Includes 0g Added Sugars (2% DV), Protein 16g, Vitamin D (2% DV), Calcium (20% DV), Iron (6% DV), Potassium (4% DV).
The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Totally agree!! Reminded me of Balloon Bread as it puffs up during baking. I topped with fresh grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. Reheats well and is also delicious with a drizzle of TJ’s spicy honey!
I thought this was one of the best things Trader Joe’s has sold in years.