Mini Pizza Potato Skins – one bite baby potato skins with a pepperoni pizza topping! Great appetiser to pass around at parties that you can prepare ahead then just pop into the oven when you’re ready to serve.
We love the classic Cheese and Bacon Crispy Potato Skins, but anything pizza flavoured is always a winner!
I love pizza and I love potato (oh – and cheese), so it was inevitable that I would do a mash up of the two. I’ve made pizza potato skins in the past using full size potatoes, but I found that there was too much pizza sauce and cheese required to fill the potato skin (because the scooped out potato bowl is quite deep). So I like making them using baby potatoes because you get a good potato / pizza sauce / cheese / topping ratio.
In Australia, we call baby potatoes Chat Potatoes. They are about the size of a golf ball and are great for roasting and using in salads. I am reliably informed by my friend Meggan from Culinary Hill that baby potatoes are called New or Salad potatoes in America. Basically, any small potato will work for this recipe. Or large. You choose. 🙂
These are quite fast to make if you do it “my way” and cook the potatoes in the microwave first, then bake them briefly in a cranked up oven to get the skin crispy. Scooping out the potato is a breeze because one scoop of a teaspoon is all it takes. Then fill them with pizza sauce, top with cheese and whatever other toppings take your fancy. I just kept it simple and popped on a few mini pepperoni slices.
“Each time I scooped potato out of the skin, I kept accidentally eating it. I really need to get to a Potato-holics Anonymous meeting.”
One of the (many) reasons I love making these when entertaining is because you can assemble it ahead then just pop it into the oven when you’re ready to serve. They take just over 5 minutes to heat through and for the cheese to melt. I do find that the skin isn’t quite as crispy as when you make them fresh, but that’s a small sacrifice to make for the convenience of being able to have these ready to go.
For those in the US, you have the benefit of being able to buy pre sliced mini pepperoni. For us poor sods in Australia, we have to slice it up ourselves. You can buy mini pepperoni sticks at the deli counter in Coles and Woolworths. Or just buy normal pepperoni and dice it up. I actually prefer to do this most of the time because the large pepperoni has a stronger flavour.
I haven’t been able to stop popping these in my mouth as I write up this post. I better sign off so I can pack them away before I demolish the whole plate!
– Nagi
Everything Pizza!
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Mini Pizza Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 8 baby potatoes , about the size of a golf ball (chat, new or salad potatoes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil , or oil spray
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce , preferably homemade (see notes)
- 1 cup grated melting cheese (I used mozzarella. Tasty, cheddar, gruyere and swiss would also also well)
- 48 pieces mini pepperoni slices (see notes)
- Finely chopped parsley , to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C/430F.
- Prick each potato 2 to 3 times with a fork. Spread them out evenly around the edge of the microwave turntable (or in a circle for microwaves without a turntable). Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Turn potatoes over then microwave for a further 2 minutes, or until just cooked. Remove from microwave.
- Cut each potato in half, then use a teaspoon to scoop the filling out, leaving a thin layer of potato.
- Place the potatoes on a baking tray, skin side up.
- Brush with olive oil (or spray) then sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Bake skins for 10 minutes or until the skin is browned and a bit crispy.
- Turn the grill (broiler) on.
- Flip the potato skins over so the bowl side is facing up.
- Fill each potato skin with about 1 1/2 tsp of pizza sauce, then top with grated cheese.
- Place 2 to 3 pepperoni's on each, then place under the grill (broiler) for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the pepperoni is just starting to brown.
- Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
We had these tonight and they were delicious! I added a dollop of ricotta to the bottom of each shell for creaminess. They smelled amazing in the oven and were reasonably quick to make. Thank you for a wonderful idea – we love pizza potato shells!
Woo hoo! The ricotta sounds soooo good!! N x
Hi Nagi,
Have come across your recipes previously but only today have I read your blog in depth. My husband and I have had a good chuckle this morning at your narrations while preparing the recipes – so refreshing to actually hearing “Aussie” comments on a recipe site and see use of Aussie products rather than the pre-packed American things that are not available here.
Love your site and I’ll be visiting often to get my daily inspiration for the day’s baking.
Thank you so much Mel! I didn’t even think of myself sounding “Aussie” but I know what you mean! I was just in the US and I stocked up on ingredients that I see all the time in American recipes that we can’t get here. Like canned green chilis, light corn syrup etc. It is frustrating! So rest assured, every recipe on my blog is made with ingredients available in Australia – or with simple substitutions. 🙂
Nagi, they look great! and easy to make.
I see them with cheese, pancetta, fresh rosemary and garlic oil.
Looking forward trying them.. tonight!
Your vision is MUCH fancier than mine – I love!! N x
OMG I’m in heaven….these are amazing, thanks so much Nagi love love love them! 🙂
So glad you love them Christine!!! These are dangerous, I can consume way too many in row! 🙂
Nagi,
I love bite-size appetizers and these look delicious. Love that you used the mini pepperoni on them.
Linda
Hi Linda! Your timing is incredible, I just responded to an email from my friend who made your banana bread over the weekend! She sent me a pic too, I’ll ask her if I can forward it to you or share it on social 😉 Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! Did your son come home for it?
Hi Nagi,
That’s great! I hope the recipe turned out good for your friend. Yes, my son was able to make it home for the 4th. so it was a very special weekend!
Hugs,
Linda
Just a thought, but if you wanted to use normal sized pepperoni or salami but still wanted to make it look pretty with the little circles, you could always cut the pieces out of the slices with an apple corer?
That’s a great idea!! Thanks Amanda! 🙂
Made this for a New Year’s Eve party. Used tri-colored potatoes and in the bottom of each potato as the first layer was some crumbled hot Italian sausage with onion and bell peppers that was left-over from previous day. Then added the other ingredients as directed, subbing shredded Mexican 4 cheese. Made about 40 and all were quickly gone! Only negative comment is the prep time shown as 5 minutes…Way, way less than actual time even if doing only 8 potatoes. Scooping out the potatoes from the skin for 8 potatoes (16 halves) took over 10 minutes in itself…then adding the various layers another 15 minutes. So much more time consuming that 5 minute prep time indicated.
Hi Lorraine! Thank you SO much for your wonderful comment, and wow, what a sensational filling you used!! Thank you for your comment on the prep time, I’ll have another look at it. So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I make similar skins. However, I use a prawn or a piece of cooked crab meat instead of the pepperoni.
They are great for snacks with drinks.
WOW – you go fancy with yours Jamil!! Jealous! 🙂
om nom nom!
That pretty much says it!!
Oh man! These look SO freakin’ good! Girl… you’re speaking to my ‘inner carb-queen’ 😉 I think I could make a plate of these and just eat these, and only these for dinner! And they’re the perfect size for just a bite – or two, or three, or four….
This is such a Carb Monster treat. It is seriously dangerous. I can’t think the last time I took photos SO FAST. And quite a few went missing while transferring between the baking tray and plate….I am HOPELESS!!!
Ooooh, my boys will be all over this one! They adore little bites of savory foods, and anything with melty cheese and a bit of pepperoni will make their day. Thanks for this delicious idea 🙂
Thanks Amy! And I agree with your boys!!
*raises hand* I would like to be a part of potato-holics anonymous. I can eat potatos for days, and these look like the perfect appetizers to a dinner party. You can even use the scooped out potatos for mashed potatoes like the meatloaf and mashed potato cupcakes you posted earlier! Yum! Pinned!
Yay, I have a Potato-holics buddy!!! I can eat potatoes every day for every meal. I’m obsessed!!
These are the greatest little appetizers, perfect for game day!
Thanks Matt! Yep, these are absolutely perfect for game day 🙂
Ha, thanks for the shout-out on the potatoes! Now I will have mobs chasing me down if I’m wrong. 🙂 But I swear I gave you my best answer! In other news, I was just about to type something like, “HEY you found mini pepperonis!” But you didn’t. But you made it work. Maybe someday Hormel will get their act together and send the little guys your way. I’ll see if I can lobby Congress on that. How fabulous is this recipe, though? So simple, so delicious. You didn’t mention that it’s accidentally gluten-free but I suspect it is. I suppose it depends on what’s in your pepperoni sticks, but the mini pepperonis all say GF over here. It’s like a healthier version of pizza, and so adorable! Okay I better wrap up this comment. 🙂 Pinning!
I had to give my source a mention!!! I appreciate your help interpreting the ingredients list for the American market – can’t have you guys getting the wrong potatoes for these!!
I have a slight potato skin addiction – but I’ve never had pizza potato skins! Can’t wait to give these a try 🙂
Never had potato skins??!! Tara, you need to change that!!