“My big downfall is deep-dish pizza from Chicago. That is why I can’t go vegan – I can’t give up cheese. I can’t give up dairy,” said Parvesh Cheena, an actor from Chicago. Oh Parvesh, I know all too well what you mean, also being from Chicago, birthplace of the deep-dish pizza. When I found out I was not only sensitive to gluten but also dairy, it felt like a slap in the face since pizza was also my downfall. Pizza is one of the most popular foods in the world. How can it not be? The crunchy crust, the rich sauce, so many toppings, and of course, all that gooey cheese. For this reason, it’s probably many people’s downfall. Luckily for pizza lovers with allergies, Amy’s Kitchen and Daiya make gluten and dairy free pizza.
Amy’s Dairy Free, Gluten Free Pizza
From my first post (https://liveglutenanddairyfree.com/com/?p=89) you know I’m a big fan of Amy’s Kitchen gluten and dairy free products. Their pizza is no exception– it is scrumptious! The rice flour crust is crispy and crunchy. Both the cheese and spinach pizzas are made with soy-based mozzarella cheese, which has a very mild flavor, similar to Swiss Cheese. Although both are tasty, I prefer the spinach one because it has a rich flavor. Because dairy free cheese does not melt fully, Amy’s heating instructions recommend broiling for a few seconds, which helps. Not only are the pizzas gluten and dairy free, but they are also free of egg, peanuts and fish.
Daiya Dairy Free, Gluten Free Pizza
I call Daiya the King of Dairy Free because they make so many delicious dairy free foods like cheese and yogurt. Daiya also makes gluten free pizzas topped with their vegan cheeses. Although I like their cheesy flavor, I find that the pizzas needs to be cooked longer than the directions to the point that to be fully cooked, the crust becomes brown and dry. In contrast to Amy’s, Daiya has a more cheesy taste, which is not surprising given how many dairy free cheeses they produce. Also, Daiya has more flavors – Meatless Pepperoni, Supreme, Meatless Meat Lover’s, Spinach & Mushroom, Cheese Lover’s, Margherita, Fire-Roasted Vegetable and Mushroom & Garlic – whew! I’ve also tried the Meatless Meat Lover’s which really tastes like meat. They are also free of egg, peanuts, fish and soy.