Creamy mashed potatoes, a blend of cheeses, and sautéed onions, all nestled in a crunchy crust. One bite of Pierogi Pizza, and you'll understand why this Mashed Potato Pizza recipe is a Pittsburgh favorite.
Mashed potatoes on pizza?
Pierogi Pizza is one of those "only in America" concepts that sound strange at first. Strange this is, until you bite into a slice. This Mashed Potato Pizza recipe pays homage to our hometown of Pittsburgh, where pierogis and Haluski are practically food groups. We even have "the Great Pierogi Race" during Pirates games at PNC Park, where mascots dressed up as this Pierogis race around the stadium between innings.
The funny thing about Pierogi Pizza is that there are no actual pierogis used. Instead, it relies on the familiar flavor combination of creamy mashed potatoes, sautéed onions, and a blend of cheeses. Having made my share of pierogis and pierogi pizzas, I am uniquely qualified to share this local recipe.
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Ingredients
- PIZZA CRUST: use our pizza dough recipe (see below), store-bought pizza dough, or buy a pre-made flatbread or pizza crust
- MASHED POTATOES: use our famous creamy mashed potatoes recipe, ideally leftover and cold
- ONION: sweet onion, Vidalia onion, or Spanish onion, diced
- GARLIC: fresh garlic clove
- OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford
- CHEDDAR CHEESE: shredded cheddar cheese (we like sharp cheddar cheese)
- MOZZARELLA CHEESE: shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese
- PARMESAN CHEESE: fresh grated parmesan cheese
- SALT: sea salt or kosher salt
- PEPPER: fresh ground black pepper
*see recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: In a large sauté pan, combine olive oil with diced onion and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.
- Add Garlic: Mince clove of garlic and add to onion mixture. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Top Pizza Crust with onion and oil mix.
- Add Mashed Potatoes: Spread potatoes over onion mixture evenly reaching edge of crust.
- Top with Cheese: Combine all three cheeses in a mixing bowl and top potato mixture.
- Bake: Place pizza in a 450°F preheated oven and allow to bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Featured review
❝ I've made this pizza once and loved it!!
Your mashed potato recipe has been the only one we use since I found it a few years ago. It's so good when fresh and hot, or sorta warm, or even cold out of the fridge when you are starving and need potatoes! It really does reheat perfectly. ❞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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How to make homemade pizza dough
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the 1 envelope of active dry yeast over the 110°F water and mix in with fingers.
- Let sit until yeast becomes cloudy and creamy.
- In a large bowl combine 3 ¾ C AP flour and 1 ½ teaspoon salt. Add the yeast and water mixture and mix with hook attached to mixer (or by hand) until it forms a ball.
- Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour a little at a time.
- Place dough in a large bowl with 2 tablespoon oil to coat dough and then cover and place in warm area until dough has doubled (about 2 hours).
- Once dough has risen, transfer to a lightly-oiled pizza pan and press dough with fingers to cover pan.
- Poke dough with fork about 50 times to allow heat to escape to prevent dough from bubbling.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise again at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
🍕 More pizza recipes
- Bee Sting Pizza: inspired by a famous Brooklyn pizzeria, this popular pizza is topped with fresh mozzarella, Soppressata, and a hot honey finish
- Pizza Arrabbiata: A pizzeria style pie made with homemade spicy sauce, roasted peppers and fresh ricotta
- Grilled Arugula Pizza: fresh arugula and tomatoes top this light, simple pizza with no red sauce
- Meatball Pizza: Crunchy French bread topped with fresh tomato sauce, homemade meatballs, and a drizzle of pesto
Variations
- Make Ahead: to save time, prepare the dough and the mashed potatoes the day before. Refrigerate them both until you are ready to assemble the pizza for a quick and easy meal.
- Make it Fast: you can always use a good store bought dough to cut the prep time on this recipe. No judgements. We do it all the time!
- Add Meat: crispy bacon or kielbasa are natural pairing for this pizza.
- Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes: this is a great recipe for the day after a big holiday, when you have a ton of potatoes left. Make this recipe, or try our Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup.
Storage
- Got leftovers? Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 400°F oven (directly on the rack) for just a few minutes. It will crisp up the crust.
FAQ
Pierogi Pizza is a unique and delicious pizza recipe that combines the flavors of traditional Polish pierogis with the classic Italian pizza. It typically features a pizza crust topped with mashed potatoes, cheese, onions, mimicking the filling of a pierogi.
A combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheese works well for Pierogi Pizza. Cheddar adds a sharp, tangy flavor that complements the mashed potatoes, while mozzarella provides a melty, stretchy texture.
Pierogi Pizza pairs well with a fresh green salad or coleslaw. It also complements a bowl of Creamy Tomato Soup.
Yes, you can use store-bought pierogis as a topping for pizza, but we don't recommend it. Authentic Pittsburgh Pierogi Pizza is made using the same ingredients as pierogis, not the pierogis themselves.
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Pierogi Pizza recipe
Creamy mashed potatoes, a blend of cheeses, and sautéed onions nestled in a crunchy crust. One bite of Pierogi Pizza will have you addicted!
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 in pizza 1x
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 1 ⅓ C warm water (110°)
- 3 ¾ C flour plus ½ C extra for kneading
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the pizza:
- 2 C mashed potatoes (see Amazing Mashed potato recipe)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ C olive oil
- 4 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese (low moisture)
- ½ C grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
to make the pizza dough*:
- *if using store bought dough or pizza crust, skip directly to making pizza
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the 110°F water and mix in with fingers.
- Let sit until yeast becomes cloudy and creamy.
- In a large bowl combine 3 ¾ C flour and 1 ½ teaspoon salt, add the yeast and water mixture and mix with hook attached to mixer or by hand until form a ball.
- Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour a little at a time.
- Place dough in a large bowl with 2 tablespoon oil to coat dough and then cover and place in warm area until dough has doubled (about 2 hours).
- Once dough has risen, transfer to a lightly-oiled pizza pan and press dough with fingers to cover pan.
- Poke dough with fork about 50 times to allow heat to escape to prevent dough from bubbling.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise again at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
to make the pizza:
- In a large sauté pan, combine remaining oil with diced onion and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.
- Mince clove of garlic and add to onion mixture. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Top pizza crust with onion and oil mix.
- Spread potatoes over onion mixture evenly reaching edge of crust.
- Combine all three cheeses in a mixing bowl and top potato mixture.
- Place pizza in a 450°F preheated oven and allow to bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Pizza
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 slices
- Calories: 1236
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 3615.1 mg
- Fat: 60.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 117 g
- Protein: 54.1 g
- Cholesterol: 170.3 mg
loreto and Nicoletta says
I love this recipe and also being a potato lover makes this all the more appealing. The nice soft mashed potato getting crispy on the edges with the melted cheddar and a gorgeous crust like you have made. Absolutely wonderful. I am going to give this one a try . Nicoletta and I are not strangers to potatoes on pizza, in Italy they have it all the time, thinly sliced potato with sea salt and that extra virgin cold pressed olive oil and a sprinkling of rosemary, yum.
Jackie says
Thanks Loreto! Wow, I had no idea there was an Italian version of this!! Sounds delicious!! Great minds think alike.
Kerri says
Cant wait to try!
Barbara says
I was disappointed. But this recipe looks great. But if I was making. I would make crust then add fried cabbage with kielbasa and your amazing mashed potatoes. They already have cheese in them like a potato and cheese pierogi do. Then add a tiny bit of cheddar to melt as you cook in hot oven. I think the cabbage would add a more Polish detail and my mouth is watering as I write.
Keith says
Thanks so much for trying it. We agree, you can get crazy with different variations and we do sometimes use sauerkraut, as that is an option at the local pizza shops that serve this pizza. We wanted to create our version of what we had when we discovered Pierogi pizza. I have even used real Pierogis on the pizza before.
Lynn Strype says
what a wonderful pizza! The cheese and potatoes taste amazing together. Thank you for the recipe!
Lynn Strype says
hope it looks like this for me! on my must make list
Barb says
Wow, can’t wait to try!
Lottie says
I've made this pizza once and loved it!!
Your mashed potato recipe has been the only one we use since I found it a few years ago. It's so good when fresh and hot, or sorta warm, or even cold out of the fridge when you are starving and need potatoes! It really does reheat perfectly. I've also used it to make Pierogi, they were wonderful.
For Thanksgiving, we are having pizza, making at least two traditional ones, and definitely a Pierogi Pizza - maybe this time I'll even share.
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Jackie says
This made our day Lottie!! We are so happy that you share our love of Amazing Mashed Potatoes! Please do send us pics of the pizza... it's a Pittsburgh favorite!! Thank you again!!
Susan says
I lived in Pittsburgh until 1978. My husband is from Mississippi and never heard of Pierogis. I don't think his mother ever made spaghetti, she made traditional southern fare, mostly fried. But he does like to try new things, so we are going to give this a whirl!
Jackie says
We're so happy you stopped by Susan! As you know, pierogis are a way of life here in Pittsburgh! This pizza is definitely not traditional, but it sure it good! Please let us know how it turns out!!