Loaded Baked Potato Pizza

Start by adding your quartered potatoes to a large pot of cool water. Raise the heat, and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender. This will take 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your potato quarters. Use a fork to make sure they are nice and tender. When done, pour them and the water into a colander and drain them. Then return them back to the pot. Cook on medium heat until all of the remaining traces of water have evaporated. Remove pan from heat.

Next step is to mash your potatoes. My favorite way to mash potatoes is to use a potato ricer. If you do not have a ricer (you should), then go ahead and mash them using a potato masher or however you were taught. Once they are nice and smooth add in the butter, milk and salt, mix to combine everything and give them a taste. You want that creamy consistency of mashed potatoes. If needed you can add a bit more butter or milk to reach your desired consistency. Let the potatoes cool.

Next, preheat your oven according to the Pillsbury crust package directions.

Now let me pause here for a second. I have no idea why I went with a Pillsbury pizza crust. I think, like most people, I just wanted to see why Pillsbury sold pizza dough. I was thinking that maybe it could be great. After all, their croissant rolls are super delicious. But let me just say, I was not impressed with their dough. So make your own, or go with the true and tested pizza dough that you prefer.

Once the oven is preheated, lightly coat a large cast iron skillet or a pizza pan with non-stick baking spray.

Take the dough and form it into the pizza pan shape then place it into the skillet or pan. Put it into the oven for 10 minutes. This will precook the dough.

While the dough is cooking, add the cheese and almost all of the green onions to the potatoes. Reserve a few green onions to sprinkle over the finished pizza. Give the potato mixture a good stir.

Remove the skillet from the oven and set it on a work space.

Spread the mashed potato mixture all over the dough, leaving a quarter inch or so around the perimeter of the dough.

Top with the crumbled bacon and place back into the oven, cooking another 15 minutes or so.

Once the crust is nice and golden brown, remove it from the oven. Carefully remove it from the skillet onto a cutting board, garnish with the remaining green onions, and slice into wedges.

It’s truly a loaded baked potato pizza. Heck, I would even suggest serving with a side of sour cream. At first, I was a bit confused with the texture, but that did not stop me from having a second slice. When my wife arrived, she was just as curious. But she really fell in love with the pizza too.

So if you are looking for a new idea to try with a pizza, give this loaded baked potato pizza a try, I’m certain you’ll love it as much as we did. Enjoy!