An irresistible Italian Potato Pizza featuring a simple, tangy cheesy white base spread over homemade pizza dough, then topped with thinly sliced potatoes, onions and fresh thyme. Easy to make and utterly delicious — you’ll be making it again and again.
This is one of my favourite pizzas alongside Pizza Napoli and Quattro Formaggi. At first glance it might seem odd — carbs on carbs, potatoes on bread — but this is a beloved classic in Italy for good reason.
The combination of a creamy, tangy cheese base, thinly sliced potatoes, sweet onion and fragrant thyme creates a pizza that’s comforting, moreish and surprisingly elegant. It’s perfect with a glass of red wine.
What you need – ingredients
- Homemade pizza dough – I use my traditional pizza dough recipe. It’s easy, light and airy. The dough needs a few hours to rise but only about 10 minutes of hands-on time.
- Gruyere cheese & sour cream – Mix grated Gruyere (or Fontina, Comté, or another good melting cheese) with sour cream for a tangy, cheesy white base that browns beautifully.
- Potatoes – Choose a waxy variety such as Yukon Gold or Maris Piper; new or baby potatoes also work. Slice as thinly as possible with a sharp knife or mandoline so they cook evenly.
- Onion – Use one small onion, thinly sliced.
- Thyme – Fresh thyme pairs beautifully, but rosemary or oregano are fine substitutes; use fresh herbs when possible (except oregano can be used dried).
How to make this Potato Pizza – step by step
Begin by making the cheesy base: combine the sour cream and grated Gruyere in a bowl, season with a small pinch of black pepper and mix until smooth.
Dust two large baking trays with semolina, polenta or regular flour to prevent sticking. Roll out half the pizza dough on a floured surface and transfer it to a prepared tray.
Spread half of the cheesy mixture over the rolled dough. Arrange the thin potato slices in a single layer, add thin strips of onion, scatter fresh thyme leaves, season with salt and pepper and finish with a light drizzle of olive oil.
Bake in a very hot oven for about 10–15 minutes (timing depends on whether you bake one or both pizzas at once) until the crust is golden and the topping is bubbling and slightly browned.
Top tips and recipe FAQs
- Oven temperature – Preheat the oven to its highest temperature for a crisp crust and well-cooked topping.
- Prepare your trays – Dust baking trays with semolina, polenta or regular flour to stop the dough from sticking; semolina gives the best crispiness.
- Slice the potatoes thinly – Thin, even slices ensure the potatoes cook through in the short baking time.
- Flour for dough – For best results use type 0 or 00 Italian flour if available; regular all-purpose flour works fine too.
- Herb swaps – If you don’t have thyme, rosemary or oregano make good alternatives.
- Rolling the dough – Roll to your preferred thickness. I usually roll each half of dough to about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) for a balanced crust.
Yes — provided you slice them very thinly and preheat the oven to a high temperature. A mandoline or a very sharp knife helps achieve even, thin slices.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for about 2–3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or enjoy slices cold.
You can freeze it, though the creamy base may change texture after thawing. I recommend freezing the dough and assembling the pizza fresh before baking.
Extra pizza tips
If you’re getting started with homemade pizza or want to improve your technique, invest in the right tools and flour — a good baking stone or steel and the correct flour make a noticeable difference.
More incredible Italian Pizza Recipes you might like
- Quattro Formaggi Pizza (Four Cheese)
- Anchovy Pizza with Capers (Pizza Napoli)
- Sicilian Pizza (Lo Sfincione)
- Quattro Stagioni Pizza – Four Seasons Pizza
- Basil Pesto Pizza with Mozzarella & Roasted Tomatoes
If you try this Cheesy Potato Pizza or any recipe here, please leave a rating and tell me how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and tips to help you get it right the first time.
Cheesy Potato Pizza with Thyme
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 batch basic pizza dough
- 2 to 3 large waxy potatoes, cut into very thin slices (or 8–10 small ones)
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp sour cream (250g)
- 1 2/3 cup grated Gruyere (160g) — Fontina or Comté also work
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- Salt and pepper, to season
- Olive oil, to drizzle
- Flour, for dusting
- Semolina flour, polenta or regular flour, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the highest temperature possible. Make the cheesy base by combining sour cream and grated Gruyere with a pinch of black pepper.
- Dust two large baking trays with polenta, semolina or flour. Roll out half the dough and place it on a prepared tray.
- Spread half the cheesy mixture over the base. Top with thin potato slices, add onion strips, scatter thyme, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes (depending on baking one or both pizzas) until the crust and topping are golden and bubbling.
Notes
- Oven temperature – Always preheat to the highest temperature for the best results.
- Prepare your pizza trays – Use semolina, polenta or flour to prevent sticking; semolina gives a crisp base.
- Prep the potatoes – Slice as thinly as possible so they cook through in the oven time.
- For pizza dough, use Italian type 0 or 00 flour if possible; all-purpose flour is an acceptable substitute.
- Herbs – If you don’t have thyme, rosemary or oregano work well too.
- Rolling the dough – Roll to your preferred thickness. I typically roll each half to about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm).
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in all recipes unless noted otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are developed using a fan (convection) oven unless noted.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 14 g |
Protein: 3 g |
Fat: 11 g |
Saturated Fat: 6 g |
Cholesterol: 30 mg |
Sodium: 57 mg |
Potassium: 523 mg |
Fiber: 2 g |
Sugar: 1 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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