Description
These adorable two-bite Smashed Potato Pesto Pizzas feature tender baby potatoes smashed to create a soft yet crispy base, topped with a spicy marinara sauce, vegan mozzarella, and a fresh homemade basil pesto. Perfect as a party appetizer or a casual nibbly dinner, these flavorful mini pizzas offer a delightful twist on traditional pizza with a vegan, gluten-free crust alternative.
Ingredients
Smashed Potato Pizzas
- 24-30 oz baby potatoes
- Olive oil, for brushing
- Spicy marinara (recipe below)
- Easy basil pesto (recipe below)
- Vegan mozzarella, store-bought or homemade
Spicy Marinara
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 15 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
Easy Basil Pesto
- 1/4 cup (25g) walnuts
- 1/4 cup (35g) pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups packed (36g) fresh basil
- 1/2 cup (12g) cilantro
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat and Boil Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 425 ºF. Thoroughly wash the baby potatoes and place them in a medium pot filled with water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a knife.
- Prepare Sauces During Cooking: While the potatoes cook, prepare the spicy marinara sauce and easy basil pesto following their separate recipes.
- Drain and Smash Potatoes: Drain the cooked potatoes and let them cool slightly. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently smash each potato using a flat tool like a metal spatula until the skin splits and the potato flattens.
- Brush with Olive Oil: Lightly brush or spray the smashed potatoes with olive oil to ensure crispiness during baking.
- Assemble Pizzas: Spoon a generous amount of spicy marinara onto each smashed potato, then top with slices of vegan mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are golden and crispy around the edges.
- Finish with Pesto: Remove the potato pizzas from the oven and spoon or drizzle the fresh basil pesto on top. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
- Make Spicy Marinara: In a blender, combine olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and a few spoonfuls of the canned tomatoes with their juices. Blend until smooth and emulsified. Add the remaining tomatoes and pulse a few times to keep some texture in the sauce.
- Make Easy Basil Pesto: Preheat oven to 325 ºF. Toast the walnuts alone on a small baking sheet for 5 minutes, stir, then add pine nuts and continue roasting for another 5-7 minutes until golden and toasty. In a food processor, pulse toasted nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan, and salt until coarse. Add basil and cilantro and blend until finely chopped. Drizzle in olive oil while processing until the desired texture is reached. Add lemon juice, pulse to combine, and adjust seasoning if desired.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper in the marinara to your preferred spice level; 1 teaspoon gives a subtle heat.
- Use baby potatoes that are roughly uniform in size for even cooking and smashing.
- Vegan mozzarella can be store-bought or homemade depending on preference.
- Serve these potato pizzas warm or at room temperature for best flavor.
- Both sauces (marinara and pesto) can be prepared ahead to save time.
