Crispy Potato Pizza Cups (Easy Appetizer Recipe)
These crispy potato pizza cups smash boiled baby potatoes into a muffin tin and bake them with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni for an easy bite-sized pizza appetizer or snack ready in under an hour.
Servings: 12 pizza cups
Calories: 97kcal
Ingredients
- 12 Klondike Gourmet or baby potatoes similar in size
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for the cooking water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded and divided
- ¾ cup pizza sauce or marinara sauce
- 12 slices pepperoni
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Fresh basil chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Cook the Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain well and let them cool for a few minutes, until they're cool enough to handle.
Smash the Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Place one potato into each muffin cup. Using the bottom of a glass, measuring cup, or the back of a spoon, gently smash each potato until it's flattened and spreads slightly up the sides of the muffin cup.
- Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Crisp the Potato Cups
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are beginning to turn golden and crispy around the edges.
Add the Pizza Toppings
- Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese to the center of each potato cup, then add a small spoonful of pizza sauce on top of cheese and sprinkle more mozzarella cheese. Then top each cup with one slice of pepperoni. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Tip: Keep the sauce and cheese mostly in the center rather than over the edges. This helps the potato cups stay crispy.
Bake Again
- Return the muffin tin to the oven and bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and crisp and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- For extra crispy edges, you can broil for 1–2 minutes at the end. Watch closely so the cheese and pepperoni don't burn.
Cool and Serve
- Let the pizza cups cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes before carefully removing them with a spoon or small spatula.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.
Notes
- Use small potatoes: Baby potatoes that are roughly 1½–2 inches in diameter work best. Try to choose potatoes that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Don't overboil the potatoes: They should be tender enough to smash but still hold their shape. If they're too soft, they'll be difficult to form into cups.
- Dry the potatoes well: Excess water can prevent the potatoes from getting crispy.
- Don't skip the first bake: The initial bake helps create a crispy potato shell before adding the pizza toppings.
- Keep the toppings in the center: Too much sauce around the edges can make the potatoes soggy.
- Cheese: Mozzarella gives you the classic pizza flavor, but you can add a little Parmesan for extra flavor.
- Pepperoni: Mini pepperoni or chopped pepperoni can also be used if you prefer smaller pieces.
- Make them vegetarian: Simply leave out the pepperoni or replace it with diced mushrooms, bell peppers, or olives.
- Let them cool before removing: The potato cups firm up as they cool, making them easier to remove from the muffin tin without falling apart.
Nutrition
Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 263mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g