I Was a Pizza Chef for 5 Years, and This Is the Only Grocery Store Pizza I’ve Bought More Than Once
I spent five years as a wood-burning oven cook, and I must say that managing a blazing 800 degree fire, hand stretching the dough, and wrangling multiple pizzas at a time was one of my favorite jobs ever. It also made me a total pizza snob. I usually make my own pizza, but I’m not always up to the task.
And yet, I’ve never found a fresh packaged pizza that was worth buying twice and frozen pizzas always leave me cold. Then I tried Tutta Bella pizzas and never looked back.
When I first spotted Tutta Bella’s fresh heat-and-serve pizzas in my local Costco in Portland, Oregon, I was cautiously optimistic. The bubbly, slightly charred crust looked like the Neapolitan-style thin crust pizzas I used to make and there was plenty of cheese and bright green herbs scattered on top. Still, I wondered is it even possible to translate the wood-burning-oven pizza experience to a heat and eat pizza at home? I’m happy to report that the answer is, “yes!”
What’s So Great About Tutta Bella Classic Margherita Pizza?
It makes sense that these pizzas taste like they came straight from an Italian restaurant because they are made by the same team behind Tutta Bella, a small chain of Italian restaurants that specialize in Neapolitan-style pizza in Seattle. The heat-and-eat fresh pizza line was started as a pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic and proved so popular, they’re now available at Costco and Fred Meyer grocery stores in Oregon and Washington, with more stores being added regularly.
The dough is made with Italian 00 flour, hand tossed, and then par baked in small batches in rotating wood-fired deck ovens so the crust is bubbled and charred in places, with a great chew you expect from Neapolitan pizza. The sauce tastes like pure, ripe tomatoes, though I do occasionally add a bit more marinara if I have it on hand for a slightly saucier experience. The mozzarella cheese adds lovely stretchiness, and Tutta Bella sprinkles it with just the right amount of salty Pecorino Romano. A bit of basil and parsley adds a touch of color.
Because the pies are parbaked (never frozen), they need just 10 minutes in a 400°F oven. While I’m a purest and prefer the margherita pizza, Tutta Bella does make pepperoni and sausage-mushroom heat-and-eat pies as well, if you prefer a meatier experience.
What’s the Best Way to Enjoy Tutta Bella Classic Margherita Pizza?
Be sure to follow the instructions on the package, putting the pizza directly on your center oven rack so the crust can crisp up. If you bake it on a baking sheet, the crust will be missing the characteristic crispy edges of a true Neapolitan pie. I’ve tried cooking them in my toaster oven-style air fryer with great results as well.
While the Tutta Bella pizza is great as is, I brush the crust with peppery extra virgin olive oil right before serving, as I learned to do during my stint as a pizzaiola. The olive gives the crust extra sheen and flavor and makes it look (almost) homemade. When I have fresh basil on hand, I’ll tear up a few leaves and sprinkle them over the pie right before serving. If you’re in the mood for even more green, add a tangle of arugula over the top and eat the pizza whole with a fork and knife, just like they do in Italy’s best pizza restaurants. At around $7.70 per pie, it’s a screaming deal, no matter how you slice it.
Find it in stores: Tutta Bella Classic Margherita Pizza, $15.39 for 2 (19-ounce) pizzas at Costco
What’s your favorite frozen pizza to buy at Costco? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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