Why it works: Potato and canola oil work together. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 268 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Pizza Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the potatoes
Cook potatoes in microwave pack according to package directions, then toss with oil and attached seasoning pack.
Place potatoes on a large plate and, using the bottom of a glass, smash them so they form a flat "crust" for your pizza.
Top and heat
Top with pizza sauce and a pepperoni slice, sprinkle with cheese, then microwave for one minute on high or until cheese is melted.
If using bagged Little Potatoes, coat with one tablespoon oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast at 400°F for 30 minutes or until cooked. Smash, top, and broil until cheese is melted.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 5 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Pizza | not in our table | 0 |
| Sauce | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Potato + canola oiltop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together268 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Sauce + mozzarella cheesetop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together804 recipes
Shared aroma: decanoic acid (soapy, waxy).
-
Potato + mozzarella cheesetop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together115 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
-
Canola oil + mozzarella cheesetop 23% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together31 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl pentanoate (yeast, fruit).
-
Potato + saucetop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,073 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Little potatoes
- Form the flat, sturdy base that holds the toppings in place.
- Canola oil
- Coats the potatoes to add richness and help them crisp and brown.
- Pizza sauce
- Adds moisture and tangy, savory flavor to the topping layer.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Melts into a stretchy layer that binds the toppings and browns under heat.
- Pepperoni
- Releases fat and savory, salty flavor as it heats.
The step that matters
Smashing the potatoes. Potatoes must be cooked through before smashing, and pressed flat enough to form an even base. Uneven thickness leaves some spots soft and others dry, so the crust cooks unevenly under the toppings.
Swap the potato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (canola oil, sauce, mozzarella cheese):
- Tomatofits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Welsh onionfits better
- Potatothe original
Fit is the average pairing score against canola oil, sauce, mozzarella cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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