I Tried Banza's New Chickpea Frozen Pizza; Here's Everything You Need To Know

    The chickpea crust is gluten free — and IMO, tastier than cauliflower crust.

    Hannah Loewentheil
    by Hannah Loewentheil

    BuzzFeed Staff

    I really love pizza. In fact, it's one of those foods I could eat almost every day without getting sick of it.

    A slice of Neopolitan pizza with tomato sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    While I usually treat myself to the real stuff — a slightly crispy, delightfully doughy, cheesy New York slice — I'll admit I sometimes get lazy. And that's what frozen pizza is for.

    I usually keep a box of Trader Joe's cheese pizza with a cauliflower crust on hand for an easy comforting meal that is a bit more nutritious than normal pizza. But recently I saw that Banza (the brand behind my favorite chickpea pasta) came out with a frozen chickpea crust pizza.

    So of course, I wanted to try it! While the market has become saturated with cauliflower crust pizzas, to the best of my knowledge, this is the only chickpea crust pizza you can buy.

    Eat Caulipower / Via eatcaulipower.com, Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    Banza currently offers three kinds of pre-made frozen chickpea pizza: Margherita, four cheese, and roasted veggie.

    Four different kinds of Banza frozen chickpea pizza.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    There's also a plain pizza crust onto which you can add your own toppings.

    I decided to try the four-cheese pizza first because the more cheese, the better. Thanks to chickpea crust, this frozen pizza is gluten-free and one half of the pizza contains 17g of protein.

    The front of a box of Banza four cheese chickpea crust pizza.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    In terms of calories and carbs, the whole Banza pizza is similar to your standard frozen pie. It contains 830 calories and 97 grams of carbohydrates compared to Amy's four cheese pizza (890 calories and 89 carbs). But it does contain more fiber and protein.

    A nutrition label on the back of a Banza chickpea crust pizza.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    A whole Amy's pizza contains 4 g fiber and 1780 mg of sodium while a Banza pie contains 10 grams of fiber (more than double) and 1260 mg of sodium (significantly less).

    The four-cheese pizza is made with mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, and white cheddar. To cook it, I followed the package directions and heated my oven to 400°F and placed the frozen pizza directly on the middle rack.

    A frozen Banza chickpea pizza covered with shredded cheese.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    After 10 minutes, the crust had begun to turn golden brown and the cheese was all melted. It's worth noting that chickpea crust pizza is much sturdier than any cauliflower pizza I've tried. When I removed the pizza from the oven and onto a plate, it stayed in tact completely. In fact, the crust looked a lot like a real flour crust. But as for the taste test...

    I garnished the Banza pie with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and basil because #gourmet. The slices have a good amount of flop to them, and each slice is covered in a nice coating of cheese. The tomato sauce is minimal, but you can taste it.

    A cooked Banza pizza cut into slices and topped with red pepper and basil.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    The Banza pizza does taste good, and I wouldn't hesitate to eat it again. If you like cauliflower crust pizza, you'll probably love the chickpea version. And if you're gluten-free, it's worth trying. BUT...

    Me holding a slice of Banza pizza over the whole pie.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    My husband, who isn't one to seek out the more ~nutritious~ option, actually really enjoyed the Banza pie. He said he'd choose it over cauliflower pizza every time.

    Chickpea pizza just isn't the same as wheat-based pizza, TBH. The Banza crust is crispy but not really chewy (it tastes more like a flatbread), and there's not much to sink your teeth into.

    Plan B Entertainment

    While it won't replace regular pizza for me, it's still a satisfying, comforting, cheesy easy weeknight dinner when you don't feel like cooking.

    If you're interested in trying out Banza's new chickpea crust pizza for yourself, you can find it nationwide at Target, Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, and more.

    Me holding a slice of Banza pizza above the pie.
    Hannah Loewentheil/BuzzFeed

    You can also get a pack of four pizzas from Amazon for $49.99.

    What's your favorite alternative-crust pizza? Tell me in the comments below!