Gluten-Free Pepperoni Pizza Potato Skins
Crispy-edged potato halves stuffed with homemade pizza sauce, melted Italian blend cheese, and pepperoni slices. Baked until bubbly and golden. The pizza sauce combines tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and Italian seasoning for authentic flavor without jarring sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt(optional)
- 1 cup pizza sauce, homemade
- 1 cup shredded Italian Blend cheese, mozzarella and Parmesanmozzarella only1:1lower umami depth
4
- 16 pepperoni slices
- fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped(optional)dried parsley1:3
milder flavor
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce, for pizza sauce
- 1 8-ounce can tomato paste, for pizza sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, for pizza sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, for pizza sauce
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line baking sheet with foil.
- 2
Rub potatoes all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt on all sides.
- 3
Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, adjusting time as needed based on oven and potato size.
- 4
Remove potatoes from oven and let cool.
- 5
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise.
- 6
Spoon pizza sauce into each potato skin and spread over the inside.
- 7
Add shredded cheese onto each potato skin.
- 8
Top each with pepperoni slices.
- 9
Bake for about 10 minutes until heated through.
- 10
Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.
- 11
For pizza sauce: Combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Mix until blended.
Tips
Adjust baking time for potatoes based on oven variation and potato size; larger potatoes may take longer than 1 hour.
Make pizza sauce ahead and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Good to Know
Leftover potato skins keep refrigerated in airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in 350 degree F oven for 5-7 minutes.
Prepare pizza sauce up to 2 days ahead. Assemble stuffed potato skins up to 4 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate, then bake adding 2-3 minutes to final bake time.
Serve warm as appetizer or light main course with green salad.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip cooling potatoes before slicing to avoid burns and uneven cheese melt.
Do not exceed 10 minutes final bake time to avoid dried-out cheese and pepperoni edges.
Substitutions
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