Gluten free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people adopting a gluten free lifestyle for health or personal reasons. For those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, eating gluten free is a medical necessity. But even for those without an intolerance, eliminating gluten can provide digestive and inflammatory relief for some individuals. With the rising demand for gluten free options, many restaurants have expanded their menus to cater to gluten free diners. One such restaurant is Blaze Pizza, a build-your-own pizza chain with locations across the United States. But does Blaze Pizza offer gluten free crust and other gluten free menu options? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Blaze Pizza?
Blaze Pizza is a fast casual pizza restaurant that opened its first location in Irvine, California in 2012. The founders set out to create an efficient pizza experience where customers could quickly build custom pizzas from a selection of fresh ingredients. Similar to Chipotle’s build-your-own burrito model, Blaze Pizza diners walk down an assembly line choosing their crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings as their personal pizza is built in front of them. The pizzas then go into a gas-fired oven where they cook in just three minutes. Blaze Pizza has seen tremendous growth since 2012, expanding to over 340 restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. The fast cooking time and ability to customize pizzas has made Blaze Pizza a popular destination for pizza lovers. But is it a good option for those with dietary restrictions like gluten free eaters?
What gluten free options does Blaze Pizza offer?
The good news is that Blaze Pizza does offer gluten free options for guests looking to avoid gluten. Here are the key things to know about Blaze Pizza’s gluten free offerings:
Gluten Free Crust
The centerpiece of Blaze Pizza’s gluten free menu is their gluten free pizza crust. This thin, 12-inch gluten free crust is made without wheat, barley, or rye. According to Blaze Pizza’s website, the gluten free crust is prepared in a common kitchen using shared cooking surfaces. They do not have dedicated gluten free kitchen areas. So while they take precautions to avoid cross-contamination, they cannot guarantee a 100% gluten free environment. The gluten free crust does cost an additional $2 to add to any pizza.
Gluten Free Toppings and Sauces
In addition to the gluten free crust, Blaze Pizza also offers a variety of naturally gluten free toppings and sauces. All meats, vegetables, and cheeses at Blaze Pizza are gluten free. Several of their sauces are also labeled gluten free, including the classic red sauce, spicy red sauce, olive oil, BBQ sauce, and Sriracha sauce. The balsamic glaze and creamy lemon vinaigrette are not gluten free.
Dressings and Drinks
Blaze Pizza has three salad dressings, of which two are gluten free. The vinaigrette is gluten free, while the ranch and caesar dressings contain gluten. For beverages, Blaze offers Coca-Cola brand sodas, which are gluten free, along with fresh lemonade. They also serve a rotating selection of local craft beers, so gluten free status will depend on the brand.
Cross-Contamination Precautions
As mentioned above, Blaze Pizza kitchens are shared spaces and not completely gluten free. While they try to avoid cross-contamination, gluten exposure is still a risk for highly sensitive individuals. When ordering, you can request a change of gloves and preparation on a clean surface. But there still may be trace amounts of gluten present in the restaurant environment. If you have celiac disease or are highly sensitive, cross-contamination may be a concern at Blaze Pizza.
What do experts and celiacs say about eating at Blaze Pizza?
To further evaluate Blaze Pizza’s gluten free practices, we asked gluten free experts and members of the celiac community about their experiences eating gluten free at Blaze. Here is what they had to say:
Expert Opinions
“As a registered dietitian who counsels celiac patients, I appreciate that Blaze Pizza offers a gluten free crust option on their menu. However, I would only recommend it to patients who are not highly sensitive, due to the risks of cross-contamination in a shared kitchen. I advise my highly sensitive patients to avoid Blaze Pizza and other chains without dedicated gluten free areas.” – Dr. Jessica Wilson, RD
“While not perfect, Blaze Pizza provides reasonable gluten free accommodations for a fast food environment. I would be comfortable eating there occasionally, though celiacs highly sensitive to trace gluten should still exercise caution.” – Melissa Dennis, MS, RDN, LDN
Celiac Customer Reviews
“I’ve eaten at Blaze Pizza a few times and felt fine afterwards. But I have mild celiac symptoms and can tolerate occasional cross-contamination. If you are diligent about requesting glove changes and avoiding busy times, it seems reasonably safe.” – Steve L., celiac in Los Angeles
“I have severe reactions to small amounts of gluten. Based on Blaze’s kitchen practices, I avoid eating there. While the risk might be low, it’s not worth me getting sick over pizza.” – Hannah T., celiac in Chicago
“I appreciate that Blaze offers gluten free crust, but have opted not to eat there after learning about their shared kitchen. I wish they could provide some dedicated prep areas to reduce cross-contamination.” – James P., celiac in Houston
Should you eat at Blaze Pizza with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity?
Whether or not Blaze Pizza is a safe choice for you depends on your comfort level with possible cross-contamination and your sensitivity to trace gluten.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding if Blaze Pizza fits your gluten free diet:
- Blaze Pizza takes steps to reduce contamination, but cannot guarantee a 100% gluten free environment.
- The risk of trace gluten exposure may be low, but is not zero.
- Highly sensitive celiacs and those with severe reactions may want to avoid eating at Blaze Pizza.
- If you do choose to eat at Blaze, take precautions like coming during off-peak hours, requesting fresh gloves, and using a clean prep area.
- Stick to basic gluten free options like meats, veggies, and cheese toppings to reduce cross-contact with ingredients that contain gluten.
While not fully gluten free, Blaze Pizza provides reasonable accommodations for those wishing to customize a gluten free pizza. Just use caution, communicate with staff, and know the risks based on your individual sensitivity and reaction to trace gluten. Many celiacs are able to enjoy Blaze Pizza without issue, while more sensitive individuals may want to avoid it or only eat there occasionally after taking precautions.
Tips for ordering gluten free pizza from Blaze Pizza
If you do choose to eat at Blaze Pizza, here are some tips to order gluten free safely:
- Tell your server you need to order gluten free at the start of the order.
- Ask them to change gloves before handling your gluten free crust.
- Request that they prep your pizza on a clean pizza cutter and clean area of the counter.
- Choose gluten free sauces like classic red, spicy red, olive oil, BBQ or Sriracha.
- Avoid balsamic glaze and creamy lemon vinaigrette.
- Stick to naturally gluten free toppings like meats, cheeses, and veggies.
- Skip more processed toppings like roast garlic cloves or meatballs, which may contain gluten.
- Ask about possible gluten in the herb mix, just in case.
- For salad, choose vinaigrette dressing and croutons on the side.
- Check craft beer selections for gluten free options.
- Opt for soda, lemonade, or water.
- Kindly remind them to change gloves again before handing you your completed gluten free pizza.
Following these tips will help mitigate the risk of cross-contamination when ordering gluten free at Blaze Pizza. Keep open communication with the staff as your best defense against trace gluten exposure.
Blaze Pizza gluten free crust nutrition facts
If you are following a gluten free diet, paying attention to nutritional content is important, especially when dining out. Here are the nutrition facts for Blaze Pizza’s 11-inch gluten free crust:
| Nutrition Facts | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 260 |
| Fat | 5g |
| Carbohydrates | 41g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 2g |
| Protein | 8g |
| Sodium | 580mg |
The gluten free crust is higher in carbohydrates and calories compared to a thin, standard pizza crust. This comes from rice flour being the main ingredient. There are 41 grams of carbohydrates per serving and 260 calories, so keep that in mind for your dietary needs. Overall, it offers a good nutrient profile and key calories from protein and fiber.
Blaze Pizza gluten free side dishes
In addition to customizable gluten free pizzas, Blaze Pizza also offers salads and side dishes that can be prepared gluten free upon request. Here are some recommended gluten free options:
Salads
Build a gluten free salad with mixed greens, diced chicken, crumbled bacon, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetable toppings. Request no croutons and ask for vinaigrette dressing on the side.
Drinks
Soda, lemonade, and gluten free beer options make good gluten free beverage choices at Blaze Pizza.
Desserts
Blaze Pizza currently does not offer any gluten free dessert options, as items like s’mores pies, brownies, and cookies are made with wheat. Hopefully gluten free desserts will be added to the menu in the future!
Is Blaze Pizza celiac friendly? Final verdict
In summary, here are the key takeaways on whether Blaze Pizza can be considered celiac friendly:
- Blaze Pizza makes an effort to accommodate gluten free diners but their kitchen is not fully gluten free.
- Gluten free crust and many toppings are available, but cross-contamination is possible.
- Celiacs who are not highly sensitive generally do well at Blaze Pizza.
- Highly sensitive celiacs may want to avoid eating at Blaze or only go during off-peak times and after taking added precautions.
- Communication with staff about gluten free preparation is important.
- In general, Blaze Pizza is reasonably celiac friendly, but not entirely without risk.
While not perfect, Blaze Pizza is one of the better gluten free fast food options available. By arming yourself with information on their kitchen protocols and potential risks, celiac customers can make an informed decision on whether eating at Blaze Pizza fits into their gluten free diet and lifestyle needs. Careful choices and thoughtful precautions can allow many gluten-intolerant individuals the option to safely enjoy Blaze’s customizable pizzas.
