LaRosa’s Launches Plant-Based Pizza That’s All About The Taste

LaRosa’s today announces its latest family recipes - Deluxe and Create Your Own pizzas -- made with new plant-based toppings that taste remarkably similar to LaRosa’s family recipe pizzas that its guests have enjoyed for nearly 70 years. LaRosa’s has been testing the pizzas with plant-based toppings in two Cincinnati-area pizzerias and incorporating guest feedback to hone the recipes that roll out to all 66 LaRosa’s Family Pizzerias in Greater Cincinnati, Central Kentucky and Southwest Indiana today.

“This is a significant addition to our menu. Over 60% of what we serve is pizza, and we wanted to offer plant-based toppings to our Guests who love our pizza, but who are trying to limit the amount of meat they eat. So, we needed to get this right.

Development took us longer than we anticipated, but we think our guests will be thrilled. The toppings are plant-based for flexitarians, vegetarians and even vegans -- but the taste is all LaRosa’s,” said Mark LaRosa, President and Chief Culinary Officer, LaRosa’s, Inc. LaRosa and LaRosa’s Research and Development Chef Connie Banning and their team worked cooperatively with ingredient partners to find toppings with the best possible flavor profile.

“Not only was it critical to complement our signature LaRosa’s flavor, but the visual appeal of the plant-based toppings we sought was just as important”, Mark LaRosa noted.

Plant-based toppings include pepperoni, Italian sausage, meatless chicken and vegan cheese. Plant-based Deluxe Pizza includes any crust, LaRosa’s family recipe pizza sauce, plant-based pepperoni and Italian sausage, green peppers, onions and vegan cheese. Create-your-own pizzas are available with any crust, LaRosa’s family recipe pizza sauce, and any (or all) new plant-based toppings: pepperoni, Italian sausage or meatless chicken.

Pepperoni and Italian sausage are vegan. Provolone cheese can be substituted for vegan cheese as a flavor option. All LaRosa’s sauces- LaRosa’s family recipe pizza sauce, buttery garlic sauce, Montgomery Inn Barbecue Sauce and focaccia sauce are all vegan.