Boboli® Pizza Crust
Published January 10, 2021
As I mentioned in my caprese pesto flatbread recipe, my sister makes delicious snacks when I stop by to visit.
My sister finds the best deals too, which is how I was first introduced to Boboli® pizza crusts. She served me a cheesy pizza and I was shocked to find that the crust was premade! I have since been hooked on Boboli® pizza crusts and always keep a pack on hand for weekday recipes.
This week, I’ve decided to share my thoughts about Boboli® pizza crusts and my favorite recipe to make with Boboli® crusts.
The History of Boboli® Pizza Crust
Boboli® products are a sub-brand of Bimbo Bakeries USA, which has been around since the early 1900s. Bimbo Bakeries USA has acquired major brands over the years, including Sara Lee, Entenmann’s, Nature’s Harvest, and Thomas’ to name a few.
Boboli® pizza crust has been available in California since the 1970s. The product was sold to General Foods in 1985, and distributed to Northern and Midwest groceries by the early 1990s.
Boboli® pizza crust was invented by Eugene deChristopher and named after the Boboli Gardens in Florence, Italy.
Where can I buy Boboli® pizza crust?
Since I’m in New Jersey, these are the stores that sell Boboli® pizza crust for me:
Shoprite
Stop & Shop
Walmart
Target
Acme
Amazon also sells Boboli® pizza crusts and kits, but they are pricey compared to what I pay in store, so I would not recommend ordering through Amazon, unless you cannot get Boboli® crusts anywhere else.
You can also go directly to the Boboli® website and use their search bar to find Boboli® products based on your location.
Ingredient Review
As a full-time product manager, I have experience working with branding, user experience, and communicating a company’s mission and vision through their product.
As a foodie, I can apply this background when thinking about how I approach new ingredients and how I perceive their brand when shopping.
Boboli® Packaging | Score 8/10
I give the Boboli® pizza crust an 8/10 for its packaging and branding.
After some research, I see that the Boboli® brand has updated their packaging and logo. The floral-looking detail was moved to the “O” in Boboli®, as you see above, for a cleaner-looking logo.
After reading about the motivation for the name “Boboli®” the flower-detail, in my opinion, seems fitting. Adding it as a pattern to the background of the packaging is a clever way to create a pattern that still feels on-brand.
The updated font style and limited amount of text on the front of the packing, allows the consumer to recognize the brand and the product first, without having to read text to understand what it’s for. The Italian colors, and additional imagery of Italian ingredients supports this idea.
I have two recommendations for improving this packaging:
When buying a 2-pack of mini 8” crusts, it would make sense to have a zipper / resealable package. That way, if you don’t use both of the crusts at the same time, you can still store the crust in its original packaging — with the recipe / directions on the back — so you can make it again.
The “tear here” on the top left of the packaging doesn’t have a perforation, so it’s not possible to tear. I used scissors to open mine, which is fine, but making a pre-cut area, especially if the packaging is pointing this out, would be helpful.
Boboli® Price | Score 10/10
For this blog, I bought a package of the 8” mini Boboli® crusts and a 12” thin crust. I normally buy the 12” original crust, but Shoprite did not have the original.
Each package cost $3.99, which I think is a reasonable price, especially for the 12” crust. I did not buy or try Boboli®’s sauce, which was also available to purchase alongside the crust.
Boboli® Texture and Flavor | Score 10/10
Considering this is a premade, precooked crust that you can eat right from the packaging, I am impressed!
This is what the crust looks like right out of the package. You can see it is already cooked, with a sprinkling of cheese across the top. This may seem surprising, since you’re not required to refrigerate this crust, but that’s the magic of food production these days.
The crust is soft enough that it can tear if you’re not careful, especially if you’re working with the thin crust. However, it is sturdy enough to hold a decent amount of toppings, before you bake it. Just be sure to use two hands when placing in the oven.
The baked cheese gives the crust flavor. However, the more toppings and seasoning you put on, the better your final pizza will be. I made sure to add Italian seasoning and garlic to my Boboli® pizza crust with pesto and mozzarella.
Baking the Boboli® crust is what makes it special. It has the chewy texture that most premade and frozen pizzas lack. There are air pockets in the dough that gives it a bit of fluffiness, while the very outer edges with the pre-baked cheese have a crispy, ASMR-worthy sound.
When baked for the full 10-minutes, the crust is nearly sturdy enough to hold one handed with all of my toppings. It’s not dry or brittle, so if you like extra sauce like I do, the crust will hold up to the challenge.
Ingredients for Boboli® Pizza Crust with Pesto and Mozzarella Recipe
You can use homemade pesto and tomato sauce for your pizza, or store bought.
If you prefer a cheesier pizza, feel free to adjust the measurements for this recipe. I prefer a saucier pizza, so I eye-balled my ingredients and added a light layer of shredded cheese, and more pesto.
How to Make Boboli® Pizza Crust with Pesto and Mozzarella Recipe
I’ve made this recipe using a cookie sheet, and placing the crust directly on my oven’s rack. The crust turns out much better when baking directly on the rack.
To place your pizza on the rack, be sure to use two hands and pull the oven rack partially from the oven to make it easier to place without moving or adjusting. When removing from the oven, use a spatula and help slide the pizza onto a cookie sheet.
If, for whatever reason, your pizza crust has a slight rip, still place it directly on the rack to bake, and place a cookie sheet underneath to catch any sauce that may drip down as it bakes.
K. Martinelli’s Boboli® Pizza Crust with Pesto and Mozzarella Recipe
Have you tried Boboli® pizza crust before?
Do you have a favorite pizza crust that I should try? Have you used Boboli® pizza crust before? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you!
Note: All of these opinions are my own and were not sponsored by Boboli® or its affiliates
