We got an exclusive taste of the new Beyond Meat pizza at Pizza Hut

The New Year is here, and whether you’ve made a manifestation mood board, wrote intentions down in your journal, or just pondered self-betterment amidst driving to point B, many of us tend to set overly ambitious resolutions.

So why not approach 2022 a little differently? What if instead of grandiose ideas of drastic change, we started with attainable steps towards a well-rounded lifestyle?

The everyday choices we make can better ourselves and our planet. Plant-based proteins are on the rise, and incorporating more into our diets is a small but significant step towards betterment that should be celebrated.

And what better way to celebrate than with pizza? As Beyond Meat menu items are launching across Canada this week, we tried Pizza Hut’s The Great Beyond pizza — and it did not disappoint. 

The Great Beyond pizza features Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles, sliced red onions, and tangy banana peppers. (Pizza Hut)

There’s nothing better than the feeling of knowing you’re about to eat great food — second only to the feeling of actually eating said great food. Anticipation naturally builds when you’re on your way home with takeout. I’m in the passenger seat of the car on a rainy weekday evening, the feeling of a warm pizza radiating through the cardboard box on my lap — anybody hungry yet?

We get home, set the table (and by that I mean put plates and a roll of paper towel on the coffee table), unseal the box, and dive in. 

Immediately The Great Beyond is a sight for sore eyes. It’s a full-bodied cloud of dough topped with the colours of the vibrant food rainbow. Each ingredient’s dimension is evident, the balls of Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles act as rolling hills across plains of lightly caramelized cheese. 

The Great Beyond pizza (Pizza Hut)

The first bite surprises me a little with the spice of the banana peppers. The red onion adds a slight crunch and minimal yet competitive acidity. 

The Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles take you aback — genuinely because of how good and indistinguishable it is from traditional Italian sausage. After thoughtful chews and breaking a piece apart to check for ourselves that it really is plant-based, you notice the literal seeds of savoury goodness inside. The best part of the sausage — other than that it’s a more sustainable version of its predecessor — is the way it melts in your mouth without a greasy residue. Turns out, it’s made with simple, plant-based ingredients without GMOs, and contains 20 grams of protein per serving — that primarily comes from peas. 

Pizza Hut’s classic pillowy crust ties it all together, supporting the primo ratio of toppings. But if you like a thinner or thicker base, no fear, you can choose any Pizza Hut crust option you’d like.

The only sounds heard in our apartment as we ate were the constant “mmhmm”s or “yup” and “good stuff” — as my partner tends to utter while eating a good meal.

The Great Beyond pizza (Sophia Delafontaine/Daily Hive)

If you’re anything like us, this pizza will quickly become one of your new favourites — the gooey cheese, delicious crust, and all-around goodness. And this time, you can feel better about the choice you’ve made for yourself and the planet. And once you’ve crushed the pie, tossed your napkin on your plate, and broken down the box, you can celebrate the subtle victory of your newfound flexitarian lifestyle — a resolution easy to stick to.

And let’s be honest, food always tastes a little better when it’s free. In honour of this week’s national launch and the new year, Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat are celebrating all the little flexes in life — like opting for a flexitarian meal — by rewarding Canadians with a free Great Beyond pizza. From now to January 24 (or until supplies last), visit @PizzaHutCanada on Instagram to share one of your everyday victories and you could win a free pie.

Other items from Pizza Hut’s collaboration with Beyond Meat include the Beyond Italian Sausage Alfredo Loaded Flatbread, the Beyond Creamy Alfredo pasta, and the option to add Beyond Italian Sausage Crumbles to any pizza.

Order the Beyond Meat menu items by visiting Pizza Hut’s website, using the Pizza Hut app, or visiting your nearest Pizza Hut location. To find the Pizza Hut location nearest to you, visit pizzahut.ca.