Cheese and tomato pizza remains a go-to dinner choice across the UK. It is convenient, straightforward, and frequently delicious when paired with garlic bread or a fresh salad. While nobody would dispute that homemade pizza or authentic Italian pizzeria offerings are superior, supermarkets now provide some remarkably good alternatives.
With this in mind, I set out to test Aldi's cheese and tomato pizzas to determine the best value for money. I sampled five different pizzas, including both fresh and frozen varieties, across various price ranges to establish which delivered the best taste.
How They Ranked
5. Everyday Essentials Cheese & Tomato Pizza
Price: 58p for 114g or 99p for 293g
Score: 2/5
Basically, a doughy pizza base topped with tomato paste and a light scattering of cheese, this was not destined for any accolades. The overall taste was acceptable, with the cheese offering a salty, tangy flavour while the tomato paste provided pleasant sweetness. However, the base was the primary problem. It was somewhat soggy and evoked memories of school dinner pizza. On the whole, it is passable and would likely improve with additional toppings such as ham, diced sundried tomatoes, or a drizzle of Marmite.
4. Takeaway Classic Crust The Big Cheese Pizza
Price: £2.49 for 531g
Score: 3/5
'Takeaway' perfectly sums up this pizza, as it tasted precisely like something from a major takeaway chain. The sauce was rather sweet, and the cheese was so abundant that it formed an impenetrable blanket. The crust was thick and crispy. The flavours were not particularly remarkable, with no traces of garlic, basil, or oregano beyond the sweet tomato. As the pizza cooled, it dried rapidly and took on a cardboard-like quality. The standout element was the crust, which had a satisfying crunch.
3. Stonebaked Margherita Pizza
Price: £1.99 for 305g
Score: 3.5/5
This is typically my preferred pizza. It takes 12 minutes to cook and delivers a genuinely lovely traditional margherita flavour. The sauce is packed with herbs and garlic, and the cheese provides satisfying cheese pulls. The tomato sauce extends to the edge of the base, ensuring every slice is bursting with flavour. The only drawback is the base, which can turn somewhat soggy, causing toppings to slip off. I tend to cook it a little longer or at a slightly higher temperature.
2. Specially Selected Mozzarella & Slow Roasted Tomato Wood Fired Sourdough Pizza
Price: £2.89 for 210g
Score: 4/5
This is a 'personal pizza', ideal for one. From Aldi's Specially Selected range, it did not disappoint on taste. The creamy mozzarella, slow-roasted tomatoes, and basil pesto combined to create a wonderfully authentic flavour. The '30-hour slow-fermented dough' base, crafted from '00' flour, was crisp with a charred finish. However, the distribution of toppings was uneven, with some sections bare of cheese. For a premium small pizza at £2.89, I expected more consistency.
1. Carlos Stonebaked Sourdough Mozzarella Pizza
Price: £2.49 for 355g
Score: 4.5/5
I had not anticipated this frozen pizza would emerge as the winner, but the flavour, toppings, crust, and base genuinely impressed me. It features a rich tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, a spinach and basil sauce, and cubed tomatoes. The sauce had a lovely garlicky flavour and was bursting with herby notes. The basil and spinach sauce brought freshness without dominating. The sourdough base was crispy with a satisfying chew. The main downside was the cooking duration: it required nearly 20 minutes instead of the suggested 12 minutes to properly melt the cheese and crisp the base.
The Verdict
All things considered, the frozen Carlos Sourdough Mozzarella Pizza was my top pick, offering excellent value at £2.49. If you are seeking something slightly more upmarket and prefer a smaller portion, Aldi's Specially Selected Mozzarella and Slow-Roasted Tomato Wood-Fired Sourdough Pizza is a great option. For budget-conscious shoppers, the Stonebaked Margherita Pizza for under £2 is unbeatable.
