This post about what’s gluten-free at Pizza Hut includes affiliate links. The Facebook Live featured in this post was sponsored by Nima Sensor. Please see my disclosures for more information.
You may not realize this, but more than 2,100 Pizza Hut restaurants carry certified gluten-free pizza. This is exciting news for the gluten-free community, as it appears that Pizza Hut is trying hard to do gluten-free right unlike their competitors – Domino’s, Papa Murphy’s and Papa John’s – which offer gluten-free options that are UNSAFE for those with celiac disease and who are serious about avoiding gluten.
While it upsets me that so many pizza places offer gluten-free options that aren’t serious about avoiding cross contact with gluten, the bright light is that Pizza Hut is doing it right.
Pizza Hut is careful.
I know this to be true because I went to Pizza Hut today and tested the pizza for gluten using my Nima Sensor. I put a small portion of the pizza inside the Nima Sensor test capsule and the Nima Sensor came back all smiles! (A smiley face means it’s gluten-free, a “Gluten Found” message means Nima found gluten.)
You can watch my Facebook Live test below (I lost connection midway through – so watch Part I first, then Part II):
Now I’d like to share a bit more about the safe practices in place that make eating gluten-free at Pizza Hut a little safer for those of us on strict gluten-free diet.
The Crust:
Pizza Hut’s gluten-free pizza is made with Udi’s certified gluten-free crust and select Pizza Hut gluten-free toppings. The crust is stored in a separate container and on a separate shelf in the fridge. Each crust is 10″ and is cut into eight slices. It serves 1-2 people.
Udi’s gluten-free crust includes the following ingredients: Water, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Canola Oil, Egg Whites, Dried Cane Syrup, Tapioca Syrup, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Yeast, Cultured Corn Syrup Solids And Citric Acid (Mold Inhibitor), Enzymes.
The Toppings:
The cheese, marinara sauce and pepperoni are stored in a separate gluten-free designated area. As you know, a lot of cross contamination exists when the pizza makers are grabbing at the same cheese and same sauces to make the regular pizza as the GF pizza.
The Process:
Every gluten-free pizza at Pizza Hut is freshly baked on designated parchment paper in the oven. Because the ovens are shared with the gluten-full pizzas, there is always a risk of cross contact with gluten even if precautions are taken. Team members who make the gluten-free pizza know to wear gloves and use a designated gluten-free pizza cutter to cut the pizza to minimize the chance of cross contact between the regular pizzas and the gluten-free pizzas.
The Certification:
Pizza Hut has been certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), which is the leading gluten-free certification program in the U.S. Pizza Hut partnered with GIG to create a GF pizza preparation processes and training standards that ensure the gluten-free pizza and ingredients are kept away from gluten-containing ingredients, thereby mitigating the risk of cross-contamination. I spoke with my server and she said that she underwent a good amount of training so she could properly handle gluten-free requests.
[I had the pleasure of interviewing Cynthia Kupper, CEO of the Gluten Intolerance Group, on my blog. Learn more about Kupper and how the GIG works in this article.]
What Else Is Gluten-Free at Pizza Hut?
While only the cheese and pepperoni can be reliably made gluten-free, there are a number of products on the menu that are gluten-free at Pizza Hut, like the wings and some salads (without croutons). However, these products are not prepared using the the certified process set forth by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) at this time and should be consumed with caution.
Additional Information
While it’s exciting that Pizza Hut offers certified gluten-free pizza, don’t forget that just because it’s gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s healthy or nutritious. Here is the nutrition information of one slice of the gluten-free pizza.
That said, I really enjoyed indulging in my pizza from Pizza Hut. The crust was thin and soft, the sauce was tasty and the cheese, we’ll, it’s yummy cheese, nuff said. My family shared the pizza pie with me, so we each enjoyed two slices and that made for a nice snack in the middle of the day.
About the Nima Sensor
You can learn more about the Nima Sensor gluten detecting device in this post, What You Need to Know About the Nima Sensor. Nima sponsored my Facebook Live test at Pizza Hut. I also have a coupon code for 15% off a Nima Sensor Starter Kit – simply enter the code GOODFORYOU18 at checkout at Nima Sensor online.
I hope you enjoyed this information about what’s gluten-free at Pizza Hut. I’ve tested other popular chain restaurants using my Nima Sensor, including Jersey Mike’s, Chick-fil-A, Panera and Chili’s. What would you like to see me test next?
Also note that another restaurant offering “certified gluten-free pizza” is California Pizza Kitchen. Watch me test CPK for gluten on Facebook Live – and read more about what’s gluten-free at California Pizza Kitchen.
Tips for Eating Out Gluten-Free
Eating out is difficult for those of us serious about avoiding gluten.
I invite you to read my ebook, Eating Out Gluten-Free, to learn all my tips and tricks to eating out safely with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities.
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