Here's a new twist to Little Caesars' menu.
The Detroit-based pizza chain, the third-largest in the world, on Monday began offering "Planteroni pizza" with soy-free pea protein as a pepperoni alternative. The mock meat comes from a 24-year-old Seattle company called Field Roast.
The $8.49 pie, which rolled out in Detroit and four other U.S. markets, is "the first pepperoni alternative to be made with pea protein, rather than soy, and is non-GMO and made without artificial flavors," a release says. It's seasoned with fennel, black pepper, garlic and paprika to mimic pork pepperoni.
The Detroit Free Press sampled the creation and says:
The texture was a little too soft, tasters said, and unlike regular pepperoni with its sometimes chewy texture. Tasters also missed the slightly crispy edges of pepperoni. Though others didn't mind the texture.
Janelle James, a Free Press intern who is vegan and consumes a lot of meat substitutes, liked that the pepperoni was well seasoned. The spice reminded her of the taste of pork pepperoni. James also liked that the texture was thicker and not greasy like pork pepperoni.
