Best thin crust pizza dough to buy

Fresh, yeasty pizza dough topped with sauce, cheese, veggies and more is a perfect dinner. No time to mix and knead dough? No problem. There are premade pizza crusts galore in your supermarket’s bread aisle and freezer section, in an array of styles, sizes and flavors. Whether they’re made with whole grain or no grain at all, they offer a great solution for those who want pizza in minutes.

Of course, there’s no such thing as the perfect crust. Just as the pizza found in Italy differs from region to region, premade pizza crusts vary. Some are thick and chewy, capable of holding big, sloppy toppings and tons of cheese. Others are extra-thin, perfect for those who prefer Roman-style, minimalist pie.

That said, we opted to nix thickness as an issue, and focus instead on flavor and texture. The best of the bunch are fresh, simple crusts that play the perfect supporting role. The worst are gummy, tough, or laced with odd, unwelcome flavors.

Here’s the scoop on the best oven-ready pizza crusts and the discs that shouldn’t exist.

Engine 2 Plant-Strong Stone Baked Pizza Crusts

This one is outstanding. Nutty wheat flour is baked into a stout crust capable of supporting generous toppings. It’s worth noting, too, that this crust has the shortest ingredient list. A 42-gram serving has 110 calories, 1 g fat, 110 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $5.49 for a 17.6-ounce 2-pack at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Against the Grain Gourmet Gluten-Free Pizza Shell

This underdog has no cooking instructions and no poetic embellishments. But topped with a sprinkling of cheeses, the results are both light and chewy, with a croissantlike layering of dough. A 70 g serving has 260 calories, 14 g fat, 85 mg sodium, 6 g protein. $7.99 for a 12-ounce crust at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Smart Flour Foods’ Original Gluten-Free Pizza Crusts

Made with a creative mix of tapioca, sorghum, teff and amaranth flours, these crusts from the freezer section have a fresh, nutty flavor and an impressively stout texture. A 45-gram serving has 100 calories, 2 g fat, 220 mg sodium, 1 g protein. $3.79 for a 9.46-ounce bag of two crusts at Whole Foods. (3 1/2 stars)

Vicolo Original San Francisco Corn Meal Pizza Crusts

As daunting as this 2-pack of uber-thick, individual-sized crusts look, a trip through the oven transforms them. They are both crunchy and tender, with understated corn flavor that complements traditional pizza toppings. A 60-gram serving has 240 calories, 10 g fat, 260 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $5.49 for a 16.5-ounce bag of two at Whole Foods. (3 1/2 stars)

Rustic Crust Old World Flatbreads Sea Salt & Basil Ciabatta

Those who like a thicker, ciabatta-type crust that bakes up crispy and chewy will appreciate this garlic and herb-laced flatbread. It has enough heft to hold generous toppings. The slightly less flavorful whole-grain version is thinner but also enjoyable. A 46-gram serving has 111 calories, 1 g fat, 334 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $4.99 for a 13-ounce crust at Sprouts. (3 stars)

365 Organic Rustic White Thin & Crispy Pizza Crusts

Pizza cravings without the guilt are entirely possible with these cracker-thin, 12-inch crusts. These work best with minimal toppings, eaten New York-style, i.e., folded in two. A 47-gram serving — a third of the pizza — has 150 calories, 2 g fat, 40 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $4.99 for a 10-ounce bag with two 10-inch crusts at Whole Foods. (3 stars)

Trader Giotto’s Olive Oil & Garlic Flatbread Pizza Crust

These tasty crusts are sold fully cooked. By the time you top them with items that need more than a few minutes in the oven, the bake-time turns them unpleasantly crunchy. A 71-gram serving has 280 calories 12 g fat, 240 mg. sodium, 8 g protein. $2.49 for a 10-ounce bag with two crusts. (2 1/2 stars)

Kontos Pizza Parlor Crust

These slightly sweet, tortilla-sized rounds look a lot like pita bread, but they bake up into fine, thin pizza crusts. The whole-grain variety has similar attributes. A 79-gram serving has 230 calories, 4 g fat, 370 mg sodium, 8 g protein. $2.99 for a 14-ounce pack of five at Sprouts Market. (2 stars)

Udi’s Gluten Free Thin & Crisp

No flavor and little texture isn’t a great start, but these  hold toppings, are inoffensive and could be a great discovery for the gluten-free eater. A 57-gram serving has 200 calories, 5 g fat, 350 mg sodium, 4 g protein. $5.99 for an 8-ounce pack of two at Sprouts. (2 stars)

Trader Giotto’s Organic Par-Baked Pizza Crusts

These disappointingly flat, taste-free crusts from the freezer section bake up stiffly enough to hold a fair dose of toppings, but the dough is slightly gummy. A 50-gram serving has 130 calories, 1.5 g fat, 380 mg sodium, 3 g protein. $2.99 for a 14.1-ounce bag of 2 crusts. (1 1/2 stars)

Boboli Original Crust

These extra-thick, hefty crusts look delicious and have a pleasantly dense, chewy texture, but the flavor is chalky and unpleasant. A 50-gram serving has 140 calories, 2.5 g fat, 290 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $4.69 for a 14-ounce crust at Safeway. (1 star)

Safeway Signature Kitchens Original Pizza Crust

The pronounced sweet flavor of preservatives kills what is otherwise a decent-textured, thick-style crust. A 50-gram serving has 140 calories, 4 g fat, 300 mg sodium, 3 g protein. $3.99 for a 14-ounce bag of two crusts. (1/2 a star)

Raley’s Fire Roasted Thin Pizza Crust

Epic fail. Whoever thought liquid smoke belonged in a pizza crust was wrong. A 59-gram serving has 180 calories, 3.5 g fat, 45 mg sodium, 5 g protein. $3.99 for a 12.5-ounce bag of two crusts at Raley’s. (No stars)

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at . Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.

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