Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins with Pepperoni & Fresh Basil
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Can’t decide between baked potatoes or pizza for dinner? We have you covered with these crowd-pleasing Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins! Packed with all the flavors of Italy, they are fabulous to add to your party table, or to serve as a delicious lunchtime snack too!
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Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
If you’re looking for a delicious and fun twist on traditional potato skins, then you must try Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins.
They are loaded with pepperoni, cheese and fresh basil for a flavor explosion that your taste buds will love.
Plus, they’re easy to make and perfect for a party or game day spread.
So gather your friends and get ready to enjoy some of the best potato skins ever!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Baking Potatoes, Basil
- Protein – Pepperoni
- Dairy – Mozzarella
- Tomato Sauce – in the UK use passata, not ketchup!
- Italian Seasoning – this recipe uses store-bought Italian Seasoning, but it is so easy to make your own using our Homemade Italian Seasoning.
- Garlic Powder
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Potatoes
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is potatoes, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- These Jalapeño Popper Baked Potatoes Are Popping with Flavor!
- Cuban Mojo Potatoes – A Delicious Side Dish with Chili, Garlic & Lime
- How to Make Lemon Pepper Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
More Appetizer Recipes
Looking for more appetizers to make? Check these recipes out next:
- How To Make A Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball Appetizer For Parties
- 30-Minute Turkey Stuffed Mushrooms Appetizer (Just 5-Ingredients)
- Classic Baked Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon – Party Appetizer Recipe
Recipe Tips
- Extra-large basil leaves are featured in some of our photos. In addition to offering a nice pop of color, they are also delicious when wrapped around the skins prior to eating.
- As written, this recipe yields 12 substantial appetizers. If needed, it can be doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Storing Leftovers: Cool and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- As with all leftover foods, make sure they look and smell okay before diving in.
How Do I Make Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 6 large baking potatoes cleaned and pierced several times with a fork
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup tomato sauce passata
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups Mozzarella shredded
- 4 oz 100g pepperoni, cut into half rounds and/or chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil julienned (cut into thin strips)
- Extra-large basil leaves for serving, optional
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas 7.
- Place the potatoes in the center of the oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes until cooked through. Remove the potatoes from the oven and transfer them to a baking rack to cool for 10 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
- While the potatoes are cooling, place the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder into a medium bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Once cool, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the soft interior with a spoon, leaving a one-quarter inch margin around the skins. (Save the cooked potato filling for another recipe).
- Place the potato skins cut side down on a baking rack set over a baking sheet. Brush the skins with olive oil and return to the hot oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the skins over using tongs. Divide the seasoned tomato sauce evenly between the skins and spread into a thin layer with the back of a spoon.
- Fill each skin with an equal amount of Mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and fresh basil. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before serving on top of extra-large basil leaves, if using. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
You’ve made the appetizer or main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers Recipe For A Crowd
- Soup: Italian Meatball Soup Recipe
- Salad: Pesto, Orzo and Cannellini Bean Salad
- Main Dish: Sheet Pan Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken Recipe
- Side Dish: Oven-Roasted Parmesan Green Beans – A Delicious Simple Side Dish
- Beverage: Pineapple Rum Cocktail with Blue Curaçao
- Dessert: No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream With Pecans
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.