Chompie's Keto Pizza Crust Review

Review: Chompie's Low Carb, High Protein Pizza Crust

They say there's a first time for everything, and here at the Your Best Low Carb Life blog, today is our first time posting a review. We haven't been asked (or paid) to review this product; it's just something we discovered and decided to try.

What is it?

I guess the obvious answer is, it's a low-carb pizza crust! But to give a little more background, this is a product made by the same folks as the Chompie's low-carb sandwich bread we've written about, which we buy and use on a regular basis. Unfortunately for us, while the bread is available in our local Sprouts store, this pizza crust had to be ordered directly from the manufacturer's online store. They're actually a full-service restaurant, bakery and deli based in Arizona, but it's their low-carb bread that made us aware of them.

Aside from that, looking at the label gives a few more details about what this pizza crust is. It's a product that contains some wheat ingredients, including vital wheat gluten, crude wheat bran, unbleached wheat flour and cultured wheat. However, the amounts of non-fiber carbohydrates from these ingredients are minimal, as the whole crust has only 6 grams of net carbs. You can read the label for the other ingredients, but we wanted to point out the wheat as some prefer not to make any wheat product a part of their ketogenic lifestyle.

It's worth noting that this crust is intended to be two servings, with 3 grams of net carbs each. We found that to be a very reasonable and realistic portion size, as the crust is around 8" in diameter (not perfectly round, so an approximate measurement is the best we can do). 

If you're hungry enough that half a pizza won't satisfy you, it will pair well with an Italian-style salad (adding some salami and pepperoni to your salad will help increase the fat, and there are plenty of dressings to buy or make that don't add carbs). Alternatively, if you've saved most of your carbs up for one meal and you're hungry enough, you can eat the whole thing. Once sauced and topped, the way we do it, the entire pie comes out to around 12-13 grams of net carbs.

One other thing to consider is that it's labeled as "high protein," which isn't the goal on keto. But at 10 grams per serving, you can add enough fat via toppings to easily keep your macros intact.

How does it compare to the "real thing"?

This is a hard question to answer in some ways. To us, it tastes fantastic and we like it as much as a traditional pizza crust. However, that doesn't mean it's entirely similar to a traditional pizza crust! It's a different kind of crust, that we like just as much.

The main differences are in both taste and texture. There's no white flour in this, so it's going to have more of a whole-grain flavor. And much like Chompie's sandwich breads, it is denser than you're probably accustomed to. Again, for us, that's not a negative thing. It actually gives it a satisfying chewiness on the inside where the sauce and toppings are. The outside edge bakes up with a nice crispiness like a typical thin-crust pizza.

If you've eaten Chompie's low-carb multigrain bread, think about that in comparison to a slice of white bread. That's the best way to describe how this compares to a traditional pizza crust.

The verdict

We enjoyed this product and definitely recommend it, with the following caveats:

• You have to know what to expect; the taste and texture won't make you feel like you're eating at your favorite pizzeria, but they are pretty enjoyable in their own right.
• In our opinion, this is a "treat yourself" product due to the cost -- not an everyday item. The retail price isn't too bad for what you get, which is 3 packages (6 crusts) for $21, or $3.50 per crust. However, when you add in the cost of UPS shipping, it's a little on the pricey side. Still affordable enough to be worth it every now and then, however.

We're very interested to hear your thoughts if you've tried this pizza crust, or any other low-carb option (outside of the usual suspects: cauliflower or fathead pizza doughs). Let us know about it in the comments!