Yahoo Lifestyle We Tried the 14 New Blaze Pizza Menu Items—Here's What Needs to Be on Your Must-Order List
It’s a common trope that all pizza is good pizza, and while that's philosophically true, pizza that’s made fresh to order in a wood-fired oven is on another level. Nothing that’s made hours ago and then reheated (I’m not going to even acknowledge freezer pizza) can begin to compare. The freshly melted cheese, quality toppings, and fire-kissed crust just make for a tastier pie, no matter how you slice it (but do slice it correctly please).
And one of the best and easiest ways to grab a slice of wood-fired pizza is by stopping by Blaze Pizza, a restaurant franchise with almost 300 locations across the U.S. The restaurant was founded in 2011 by Rick and Elise Wetzel (yup of Wetzel’s Pretzels fame) and a year later LeBron James joined as an investor and paid endorser of the brand. The restaurants specialize in making 11-inch "fast fire'd" pizzas in just 180 minutes. Talk about fast food!
I was invited to Blaze Pizza in Disney Springs for an exclusive tasting of their new menu. The event was a dream, with all-you-can-eat pizza, dessert and salad, plus live music and a caricature artist. Blaze's new menu includes 14 new items; some are on the menu now and others will pop up on menus in the next few months.
“This is the biggest transformation this company has ever gone through” said CEO Beto Guajardo. “We are going to reinvent and rewire ourselves to deliver a better guest experience with more exciting food and a bigger, broader menu.”
In addition to the new menu items, the chain is launching its Trail Blazing Pie-oneers Program “It is actually at the heart and soul of what I believe, and my team believes in what my franchisees believe that we can be, which is a business that operates with purpose, with real purpose,” says Guajardo.
The first recipient is Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, CEO and founder of Folds of Honor, a foundation that offers scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled members of the military and first responders. Blaze will donate $10,000 to the program which has, since 2007, awarded nearly 55,000 scholarships.
The second Pie-oneer recipient is Wayne Albritton, the program franchisee who started the Flames of Support program at the Disney Springs location. $10k went to the voluntary contribution program which allows “employees to rally around employees facing catastrophic events by providing short-term financial assistance.”
So you can have your pizza and enjoy it knowing you're helping people who are making the world a little bit nicer. And with new menu items this delicious (see below) you will definitely enjoy your next visit to Blaze. Read on so you can fine-tune your order.
Blaze Pizza
What’s on Blaze Pizza's New Fast-Fire’d Signature Collection Menu?
Carnivore Pizza
This is a meat lover's pizza that won’t make you feel like a slob. I don’t typically go for a meat loaded pizza since it feels too heavy on the gut but this was more like the meat section of a charcuterie board. It feels fancier and therefore better for you (I’m not a doctor). The balsamic reduction drizzle generously across the top really gives it that fantastic finish shared by many of the new offerings.
MUST-ORDER: Meatball Pie
OK, this one tasted like a classic Italian meal with each bite. The red sauce is a great blend of tomatoes (that you can actually taste!) and warm herbs and spice. The meatball is perfectly crumbly but still moist and flavorful. This one was my favorite until I tried the next pizza...
MUST-ORDER: Blazed BBQ Pizza
This was by far my favorite of the collection. The flavor of individual ingredients rang through clearly in each bite. All too often BBQ pizza is drenched in the sauce, drowning out anything else going on. Not this pizza. I could taste the tender chicken, the creamy mozzarella, the sharp red onions and peppers and the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce smoothed out with my beloved ranch. When you get a good bite of the pickled jalapeno peppers it’s a jolt of heat that really brings the whole thing home.
Four Cheese Pizza
I think the highest praise I can give this is that my 4-year-old, who usually survives off of mac n’ cheese and air, had several slices. It's what cheese pizzas dreams are made of. The creaminess of the two mozzarellas and ricotta blended so nicely with the sharper parmesan and the finishing drizzle of olive oil. It's a great option for those who are less adventurous (of any age) but still appreciate great flavors.
Herbivore Pizza
A great counterpoint to the Carnivore pizza, this pie will please the veggie lovers. The toppings were roasted to perfection, not too crunchy or limp. The flavor profile was very earthy with a good amount of heat to it. The sauce has an appreciable amount of chili oil, and the distribution across the pie can vary so herbivores beware, you may find a slice that lulls you into a false sense of security only to find the next lights up more than just your taste buds.
MUST-ORDER: Cinnamon Bread
Don’t ask me how many slices I had of this because I lost count after four. Was I already stuffed with pizza? Yes. Do I wish I had more cinnamon bread while writing this? Also yes. It might just be impossible to just have one slice. I was overwhelmed with nostalgia as it transported me back to when I would stay home sick from school and my parents would make me cinnamon toast. The cinnamon read was buttery, sweet, and had the perfect amount of cinnamon. It's available in all locations in July.
Related: Hidden Valley Has 7 New Ranch Dressings—Our Favorite Was a Flavor We Never Knew We Needed
What Menu Items Are in Blaze Pizza's New Spicy & Sweet Collection?
Come August, things are definitely heating up at Blaze Pizza when their new spicy and sweet menu drops. Here's my hot take on those menu items.
Sweet Hot Honey Drizzle
Blaze is of course jumping on the swicy (sweet/spicy) trend. This combo of honey, fiery red chili peppers and tangy vinegar has inspired some of the new menu options but also is available solo so customers can spice up whatever they're eating.
Hot Chili Oil Drizzle
Hot chili oil is a necessity for any respectable spicy pizza lover. This spicy, smoky mix of olive oil and Calabrian chiles adds just the right amount of flavor to pizza without overwhelming the other flavors.
Spicy Pepperoni Pizza
Blaze is giving this classic slice a kick. It's perfect for people who are tempted to carry a hot sauce holster with them wherever they go. This pie turns up the temp by doubling the pepperoni and adding garlic, jalapeños and your choice of spicy drizzle.
Spicy Cheesy Bread
Look I was happy with the cheesy bread as she was but for those who want some heat, this is very well-balanced and delicious. Now I don’t want to stir up the generational conflict between the cheesy bread with dipping sauce and the cheesy bread alone camps, this rendition really has all the flavor and complexity it needs to comfortably stand alone. The amount of spicy drizzle you add is up to you.
Spicy Pepperoni Fold
This Fold (Blaze's take on a calzone-stromboli hybrid) brings all the complexity and deliciousness of the traditional spicy pepperoni pie and doubled down on the intensity. The dough is wrapped around a melty mix of mozz, ricotta and Parmesan, plus some oregano, a triple portion of pepperoni and either a spicy heat or spicy sweet drizzle. This item is also part of Blaze Pizza’s new mission to do good. In honor of Folds of Honor, which this spicy fold is named after, Blaze will offer a roundup program (on the entire menu) allowing guests to round up their total to make a donation to Folds of Honor starting Aug. 1.
MUST-ORDER: Spicy Fast Fire’d Meatballs
These meatballs, which can be an entree or a side, bring a good amount of spice that blends well with the rich tomato sauce the ricotta on top cools things off and the pickled jalapeños bring a tangy hit of heat. Because these take a turn in the woodfired oven they have a beautiful smoky note, and cook to perfection hot and fast, which helps them stay very juicy.
Related: 65+ Homemade Pizza Recipes
What Are Blaze Pizza's New Salads?
Because even pizza lovers need to eat their greens.
MUST-ORDER: Pizza Shop Chop Salad
Think of this as a classic pizza shop that got a master's degree in being a salad. This upgrade on the traditional pizza side is a mix of romaine lettuce, sliced mushrooms, red onion, tangy banana peppers, salty black olives and shredded cheese. The house-made Blaze Goddess dressing has a fresh herby flavor that really brings the whole dish together.
Blaze Pizza
Grapes, Gorgonzola & Green Salad
I should win a medal for the amount of restraint I showed not dragging my chair over to the banquet where this salad pizza was being brought out. My husband, who had approximately 5 servings, shared my enthusiasm. What makes this salad so great? The balsamic vinaigrette-dressed greens, red and green peppers, onions, gorgonzola cheese and grapes is served on a pizza crust. Yes, please!
Up next: Swap Your Regular Pies for One of These 30 Good-to-the-Last-Slice White Pizzas
