Udi’s Pizza Crusts

… Welcome Into My Gluten Free World!

Is there a certain food you’ve been missing, longing for, fantasizing about since you’ve gone gluten free? One that perhaps wasn’t necessarily your all-time favorite, but it’s a food that is distinctly not gluten-free … and you want it? Well, there is for me. It’s pizza! Over the course of my gluten-free food journey I’ve been able to recreate most recipes or favorite foods to fit our gluten-free, dairy-free lifestyle with pleasing and satisfying success. There’s always been, however, something sub-par to the pizzas we’ve tried … the crust. I’ve tried many makeovers of traditional crust recipes. I’ve tried using packaged mixes (some were fairly good). I’ve even done numerous taste tests of ready-made gluten-free pizza crusts. Some of these were not really something I’m that interested in revisiting. 

I recently discovered a product that has brought delicious, homemade, kicked-up and creative pizzas back into my gluten-free, dairy-free world … Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crust. This is the first, and only to date, crust I’ve found that has the perfect chewiness and “tooth” to it.

I would consider it a medium-thickness crust, not so much crust that it becomes the dominant ingredient, but enough to provide a substantial base for all the toppings I like to load on. The crust has a “pizza crust” flavor, which is really important in my recipe rule book. It’s not a “grain” flavor, or one that screams of chemical enhancements. It just tastes like a “real flour” crust tastes. It also has a bit of a very mild flour/corn meal type of dusting on it which, again, gives it the “real” appearance and taste. 

Our favorite way to cook a homemade pizza is to barbecue it on a pizza stone. This can be difficult to impossible with most pizza crust mixes. It worked out perfectly with Udi’s pizza crusts. My Better Half figured out a cooking process that brought heavenly pizza back into our world, and tears to my eyes (yes, literally). And it’s simple. He brushed a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil over the top surface and outer edges of the crust. Then he heated it on the hot pizza stone for five minutes. At this point, the crust was removed from the barbecue and the sauce and toppings were applied. Back onto the pizza stone for another 8-10 minutes of additional cooking. The result … Ahhhh! Angels singing, I believe I remember hearing. Be sure to stay tuned for my Chicken, Caramelized Onion and Roasted Red Potato BBQ Pizza recipe. It’s my, “You want it? You got it!” answer to the perfect pizza … featuring Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crust, of course.   

Udi's crust is very versatile too, so I’m in the process of creating new recipes to show off Udi’s various personalities. Be sure to watch for these as well. I can’t wait to share. 

As for the nutrition and food facts about Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crusts, they are certified gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and nut free. These crusts do contain eggs. The package, containing 2 9” pizza crusts, states the shelf life as, “7 days on the counter or 6 months in the freezer.” I have let them thaw on the counter from a frozen state, and the taste and performance was just as if they’d never been frozen. 

Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crusts can be found in most local grocery stores, as well as many co-op and specialty stores. In some locations I’ve found them on the shelf, other locations have placed them in the freezer section. Be sure to ask your grocer if you don’t see them. They’re worth it! (I just noticed on the Udi’s website that they now make ready-made pizzas as well. I’ll be checking those out for possible quick weeknight meal options.)

So in conclusion, I’m thrilled to say that I’ve welcomed Pizza back into my culinary repertoire with open arms. No longer must I consider pizza a “distinctly not gluten free” food. Thanks, Udi’s!

Is there a certain food you're missing in your gluten free diet? What would satisfy your craving? 

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Udi’s Gluten Free 

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Safe food is a journey … Thrive!™