Rao's Made For Home Pizzas Review: They Were Good, But Didn't Wow Us
Pizza is a beloved staple of many households and a top comfort food. Whether it's a quick dinner solution after a long day or a centerpiece for gatherings with friends and family, the perfect slice can elevate any occasion. No matter the reason, the first question one must ask is: Frozen, homemade, or takeout?
In a market saturated with options, discerning pizza enthusiasts seek a balance between indulgence and health consciousness, along with convenience and affordability. Rao's, known for its commitment to crafting artisanal sauces and wholesome Italian fare, has extended its expertise to the realm of frozen pizzas as well, promising an experience that rivals homemade. I had the chance to taste-test the brand's four Made for Home frozen pizzas to see how they hold up to the rest of the competition in the frozen food aisle.
Join me as I delve into the world of Rao's frozen pizzas, dissecting each flavor to uncover the nuances of taste, assessing their value proposition against competing brands, and evaluating their nutritional merits to help you make an informed decision during your next frozen pizza run. Nothing is as good as homemade, but let's see if these pizzas can come close!
Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.
Five Cheese
First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to frozen food, but I have to say — Rao's frozen pizza looked like a homemade pizza. This gave me hope as I popped it in the oven. The Five Cheese option had good cheese coverage, and I particularly liked the thick crust. It looked like something you'd get at a pizza shop. The smell as it cooked was enticing, too, with an array of herbs filling my nostrils.
When it came to taste, the pizza was good, not great. The herbs overtook the flavor profile, and the sauce was pretty tomato-heavy. This was surprising, as Rao's pasta sauces hold more depth and complexity than what I found on this pizza. The taste reminded me of old-school Papa Gino's pizza from the early '90s, when they actually made the pizzas in-house. To be clear, it wasn't bad; I just expected more. The cheese was also underwhelming, and any lingering flavor was covered by the herbs. The best part was the dough. It cooked up perfectly in 14 minutes with a crunchy bottom and crust and fluffy interior.
Overall, this pizza was pretty solid, but it wasn't anything to write home about. The price range, depending on the store, is between $9 and $11, and for that amount, I want a little more pizazz from my pie. I will say this pizza tasted clean, unlike some other frozen options packed with additives and sodium. A quarter-pie has 660 milligrams of sodium and only 320 calories.
Uncured Pepperoni
Next up, I tried the Uncured Pepperoni option, which is my go-to topping. This pizza had the same professional look that the Five Cheese featured, so I was eager to try it.
The pepperoni option also cooked up perfectly in 14 minutes and smelled great out of the oven. It had a good pepperoni taste, which, as you can imagine, took over the flavor profile. However, it wasn't overpowering. The pepperoni had a little spice to it but nothing that lingered or blew out my taste buds. The rest of the profile was a mix of dough and sauce without much complexity. This was another solid, but not notable, frozen pizza.
As for nutritional info, it's about the same as the Five Cheese. One fourth of the pizza features 310 calories and 690 milligrams of sodium, along with no added nitrates or nitrites in the pepperoni. It's the same price as the Five Cheese option, ringing in anywhere between $9 and $11. I definitely liked this one more than the Five Cheese and would absolutely eat it again.
Meat Trio
For the next taste test, I went with Rao's Meat Trio Pizza, featuring sausage, uncured pepperoni, and uncured bacon. I am not a huge fan of a meat lover's pizza, so I was happy to see fewer toppings than some of the brand's competitors. This could be a draw or deterrent depending on your preferences.
The scent from the oven was enticing. I could smell all the meat options, especially the bacon. For the most part, this pizza had the same taste as the pepperoni, with the addition of sausage. While I could smell the bacon, I didn't really taste it, and when I pulled off some pieces to try solo, I wasn't pleased. The pieces were very small, fatty, and tasted more like ham than bacon, which was interesting because when eaten with the rest of the pizza, I didn't find those flavors at all. The sausage made up for it, featuring the flavors of a traditional Italian sausage, which were a welcome addition.
Overall, this one was pretty good and surprisingly my favorite. It had the most flavor, and it wasn't overpowering, with a solid balance of meats. This option is 360 calories per serving, but it features a whopping 860 milligrams of sodium, which is to be expected from the toppings. For $9 to $11, this one feels worth it. Try it out — it cooks up wonderfully in just 17 minutes.
Fire Roasted Vegetable
Last but certainly not least, I tried the brand's Fire Roasted Vegetable Pizza, and I was surprised at how much I liked it! This option features bell peppers, cremini mushrooms, and red onions, and you can smell those bell peppers right out of the oven. After a 17-minute cooking time, I found the cheese melted the best on this one, and you could actually taste it. The crust cooked up really nice, too, but I have to say, that's true of all the frozen pizza options from Rao's.
Typically, what I don't love about veggie pizza is how the veggies look and taste. Often, they don't look fresh, have a weird texture, or both, but Rao's was a vastly different experience. The selection on this pizza looked and tasted fresh. However, there wasn't a lot of flavor, but to be clear, it wasn't bad at all. I think this one was the most balanced. There wasn't one ingredient that stood out. Regarding craft, this pizza was definitely the best! It's good, but again, it's nothing to write home about.
This flavor option has only 290 calories and 640 milligrams of sodium per serving and is the same price as the others at $9 to $11, depending on the store. If you're a veggie lover, you absolutely have to give this frozen pie a try.
Final thoughts
Overall, Rao's makes a solid frozen pizza. I enjoyed all four of the brand's options, especially Meat Trio and Fire Roasted Vegetable. The dough was a true standout, cooking up with a balance of crispy edges and charred bottom with a soft and fluffy inside. There were no real negatives to report.
While these didn't wow me, the fresh ingredients and clean taste make me want to seek them out again. If you're looking for a delicious frozen pizza that has a good nutritional profile and consistent quality, give Rao's a try!