I’ve got a crazy idea for Thanksgiving leftovers!

Backstory: I had the misfortune of working above a hoppin’ pizza shop when I lived in Minneapolis for several years right out of college. It was unfortunate because while the pizza was absolutely, horrendously delicious in every way – the pizza was absolutely, horrendously delicious in every way.

Know what I mean?

The smell that would waft up to my office starting at 10 am every. single. day. was unfairly intoxicating, and I ate more slices of hot & cheesy pizza during those years than I care to admit. It was a dark time.

Ok let’s be real. It was an awesome time!

Minneapolis based Pizza Luce is known for their over the top pizza creations like Greece inspired Pizza Athena, seafood studded Shrimp al Pesto Pizza, and the “meat raffle” pizza – aka, The Bear.

What I was most obsessed with though, was their Baked Potato Pizza.

“Idaholy Moly! We smother our pizza crust in buttery-garlic baby red mashed potatoes and top it with broccoli, fresh-diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon. Served with a side of sour cream.“

HAHAHAHAHAHA, RIGHT?! A slice of this hot, buttery, cheesy pizza is pretty much one of the greatest things ever, and needing to use up leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving dinner is the perfect excuse to make it at home.

I had leftover pesto mashed potatoes that I made for a freelance article laying around, so I thinly spread it over a thin, pre-made pizza crust. It’s pretty important to have a thin layer of potatoes and a thin crust, otherwise all you taste is CARBS. Which, you know, there’s a time and a place, but this just isn’t it.

Next, layer on chopped, raw or cooked broccoli,

diced tomatoes, and sharp cheddar cheese.

Finish ‘er up with, what else, BACON!

Into a piping hot oven for 10 minutes.

Leftovers never tasted so good!

Baked Potato Pizza

Print this recipe!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 pre-made thin pizza crust

1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes

chopped broccoli, raw or cooked

1 roma tomato, chopped

sharp cheddar cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

Directions:

Preheat oven according to pizza crust package directions. Thinly spread mashed potatoes on top of the pizza crust and top with broccoli, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and bacon. Cook according to package directions.

This pizza was garlicky from the pesto, creamy from the potatoes and over the top decadent from the melted cheddar cheese and bacon.

Do it for the pilgrims!

Actually, if you’re feeling really frisky, you could make a complete Thanksgiving leftovers pizza with mashed potatoes, chopped turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce. Why not?

On that note, I’m out! Got to prepare a couple bedrooms for some guests that will be town for Thanksgiving. Don’t you just love holiday weeks? They’re so merry.

Later!

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How do you jazz up Thanksgiving leftovers?

I would love to make potato rolls out of leftover mashed potatoes someday. Potato bread is Ben’s fave!