Smashed Potato Pizza Crust

This Potato Pizza Crust is a brilliant gluten-free crust made out of a whole Russet potato. That's it! A one-ingredient crust, and it's really amazing!

There are all sorts of gluten-free pizza crusts available these days, but I assure you, this is one you won't find in any market.

This potato pizza crust is simply one large smashed potato. (This is not to be confused with mashed potato pizza crust or a grated potato crust, which are both quite different.) The smashed potato makes for an incredibly crispy and delicious potato pizza base for essentially any toppings you like.

Does it taste or behave like a typical pizza dough or crust?

Nope. It's not potato pizza dough, it's a potato that becomes a scrumptious flat and crisp crust. There is no flour, no water, no yeast, etc.

The Ingredients

(I often suggest brands I love and use — these are only suggestions and this is not a sponsored post.)

• Russet potato - Choose potatoes that are firm, smooth and free of sprouts. For this recipe, the more evenly shaped the potato the better.
• extra virgin olive oil - I like this one. (You can also use regular olive oil.)
• salt - Potatoes love salt! I cook (and bake) with Kosher salt. I prefer it for a few reasons: its larger flake size, it's less refined and usually doesn't contain additives, and it does a great job enhancing the flavor of foods without making them taste salty.
• black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Recipe Tips

• To save at least 1 hour, you can bake the potato in a microwave. I've made the potato pizza crust by baking it in the oven and microwave, and both work well. (Instructions for both methods are below.)
• Be sure to use all 2 tablespoons of the olive oil when you're coating the bottom of the skillet. Not only will it keep it from sticking to the pan, but it is part of what makes it crispy.
• It's important to use the right size pan, so it's easy to invert the smashed potato onto the baking sheet when it's done sautéing. Ideally it should be a 10-inch pan. (I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet, which works well. A lighter skillet is a bit easier for inverting -- use what feels comfortable. And non-stick is okay, too.)
• My final tip is not to be daunted by the numerous steps to make this crust -- each one is quite simple, the visual step-by-step guide will be very helpful to look at as you make it.

How to Make it

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 425°F, and adjust a rack to the center.

Step 2:  Start with a large Russet potato - use an approximately 1-pound potato for a 10-inch pizza crust.

Step 3:  After you wash and dry the potato, rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

Step 4:  Use a fork to make several pricks all around the potato.

Step 5:  Place the prepared potato on a baking sheet or heavy-duty foil, and place it in the preheated oven.  Bake until it's fully cooked and tender. This should take 1 to 1½ hours. Turn the potato over about half way through the cooking time.

* Alternately, if you want to save time, use a microwave instead of the oven. Once the potato is pierced, place it on a paper towel in the microwave and turn it on high for 4 minutes. Flip it over and microwave for 4more minutes. (Times may vary.)

Step 6:  Turn the oven down to 400°F now if you're going to add toppings and immediately make a pizza after making the crust. Otherwise turn it off.

Step 7:  Coat the bottom of a 10-inch skillet with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Place the baked potato in the center of the skillet.

Step 8:  Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the potato, and then place a second skillet, the same size or a bit smaller, on top of it. Gently press down on the center of the inside of the top skillet until you can feel that the potato has flattened just about to the edges of the pan.

Step 9: Remove the top skillet and the parchment paper.

Step 10: Place the pan over medium heat and sauté until the bottom is golden and crispy, about 8 minutes. You can check by using a small spatula to gently lift it at its edge.

Step 11:  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle more olive oil over the top of the smashed potato. Then place the parchment-lined baking sheet upside down, on top of the sauté pan.

Step 12: Using two pot holders, invert the smashed potato onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 13:  At this point you would add your choice of toppings to make your favorite pizza recipe. Bake until the bottom is crisp, cheese is melted and the toppings are hot.

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Serving Suggestions

• This recipe is for a small pizza for a main course for two. You can cut it into as many slices as you'd like and share it with more people for an appetizer.
• The possibilities are endless as far as pizza toppings go -- like they are for any type of pizza crust. Top the potato crust with absolutely anything you like.
• A pizza made with this crust is one of my favorite main dishes to serve with fun salads, especially this fried lemon salad.
• Below are my two favorite examples of recipes using this this potato pizza crust: Smashed Potato Onion-Tomato Pizza and Smashed Potato Egg Pizza with Bacon.

More Smashed Potato Recipes

• Garlic-Herb Smashed Potatoes
• Smashed Potato Casserole
• Curry Smashed Potato Stew

Making it Ahead

Ideally, you should use the crust for your pizza right after it's made.

It can however, be made a few hours ahead of time. Once it's on the baking sheet ready for toppings, let it cool to room temperature and then lightly cover it with foil until you're ready. No need to refrigerate it.

Can you make this crust with a sweet potato?

You can BUT, it will be much more fragile and soft. It doesn't stay together nearly as well as the Russet potato does. Additionally, the bottom won't crisp the with the Russet will when you've added the toppings and are baking the pizza. That said, it's still tasty.

I hope you find this gluten-free potato pizza crust as awesome as I do. (And as tasty!)

Enjoy!

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