Costco's Frozen Cauliflower Crust Pizza Is A Gluten-Free Favorite
Some gluten-free foods might miss the mark, but Costo's frozen pizza made with a cauliflower crust isn't one of them. Redditors have hailed this frozen pizza as a must-buy for gluten-free diners or anyone who wants to try something different and delicious. Costco's Kirkland Signature Cauliflower Crust Pizza comes in a two-pack and is loaded with pepperoni, sausage, roasted veggies, and a three-cheese blend. In addition to using a cauliflower crust instead of a typical wheat flour pizza crust, the pizza is free of rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin), an artificial growth hormone used to increase milk production in cows. At 310 calories and 15 grams of total fat per quarter slice of pizza, it is the healthier option when compared to the Kirkland Signature Pepperoni Thin Crust frozen pizza (400 calories, 24 grams of total fat per quarter slice).
Thanks to a lot more gluten-free options in grocery stores and restaurants, it has become easier to find yummy foods that are typically otherwise made with wheat flour, like pizza. Costco offers a wide variety of gluten-free groceries including snacks, noodles (like Taste Republic's Gluten Free Fresh Pasta), non-wheat flour for your baking and cooking needs, and other frozen foods. But it's hard to find a more raved-about gluten-free food at Costco than the Kirkland cauliflower crust pizza. In fact, this yummy pizza isn't just recognized as a delicious gluten-free option, but as the tastiest frozen pizza of them all.
Redditors agree this tasty pizza outdoes the rest
Some gluten-free pizzas might be good relative to the rest of the options available in the gluten-free category, but Redditors rave about how Costco's cauliflower crust pizza is the best frozen pizza they've had in general. In the Costco subreddit, responding to a post about how "fire" the pizza is, Redditors expressed their agreement, stating, "This is our favorite frozen pizza now," "I like it more than most other pizza," and "This is my favorite frozen pizza of all time, and [to be honest] it's better than a lot of fresh pizza." Others said they couldn't have gluten for various reasons and also agreed that this is the best gluten-free crust they've tried.
Many also agree that the delicious cauliflower crust is super crispy — a big plus for gluten-free pizza, which can sometimes taste chewy and doughy. A Redditor who was surprised by the tastiness of the crust exclaimed, "This is the best frozen pizza I've ever tried — I've been curious about the cauliflower crust but [was] too chicken to try it until recently." Another wrote, "Can confirm it is SO good. I couldn't believe it was cauliflower crust[,] it was so crisp and just perfectly thin."
Some people advised overcooking it a bit to achieve a perfectly crispy crust, keeping it in the oven a few minutes longer than what the instructions recommend to boost the crunchiness. In addition to the crunchy thin crust, the sauce and the roasted veggies — which include bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini — are all big draws to this gluten-free frozen pizza.
Undoubtedly delicious, but is it healthier?
You won't find many (if any) Redditors on the thread opposing the taste of Costco's cauliflower crust pizza, but some do question whether it's a healthier option. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, although people who consume a gluten-free diet often lose weight, foods that are labeled gluten-free aren't inherently better for you and can still have high levels of sodium, fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. One Redditor seemed to assume that the cauliflower crust made this option a low-carb pizza, writing, "I don't care about carbs, I'll eat them all every day. But I have to say this pizza is good." Another user responded that the pizza "only has two less carbs per serving than the regular pizza. Cauliflower crust pizzas are very deceiving." Comparing nutrition labels reveals that the gluten-free frozen pizza indeed has only two fewer carbs per serving than Kirkland's thin crust frozen pepperoni pizza (29 versus 31 grams).
A couple of other Redditors expressed disappointment over finding out that cauliflower crust doesn't mean it has fewer carbohydrates. One person, who questioned the cauliflower content, stated, "This is still packed with carbs. The name is deceiving. The crust is mostly rice flour and rice starch. Think it has tapioca in it too, but it's been a little while since I looked." But still, as another Redditor pointed out, it may not have fewer carbs, but it is still gluten-free, which makes it an excellent option for those with gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, or celiac disease.