Growing up, pizza night always meant the same thing – a regular round pie with pepperoni or cheese. It wasn’t until I started experimenting in my own kitchen that I discovered pizza could be so much more. My kids would turn their noses up at sweet potatoes on their dinner plates, but wrap them up in pizza dough? That’s a different story.
These sweet potato pizza pinwheels started as a happy accident when I had leftover mashed sweet potatoes and pizza dough in the fridge. I figured, why not try something new? Now they’re one of our family’s favorite ways to enjoy pizza night, and they’re way easier to make than you might think.
Why You’ll Love These Sweet Potato Pizza Pinwheels
- Kid-friendly fun – These cute spiral bites are perfect for little hands and make a great way to sneak extra vegetables into picky eaters’ meals.
- Quick preparation – With just 25-35 minutes from start to finish, these pinwheels are perfect for busy weeknight dinners or last-minute party appetizers.
- Customizable recipe – You can switch up the fillings with whatever you have in your fridge – from different vegetables to various cheeses and sauces.
- Budget-friendly ingredients – Using simple pantry staples like sweet potato and flour as the base, this recipe is easy on your wallet while still being satisfying.
- Naturally vegetarian – These pinwheels are perfect for meat-free meals and can easily be made vegan with dairy-free cheese alternatives.
What Kind of Sweet Potato Should I Use?
For pizza pinwheels, you’ll want to look for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are sometimes labeled as “yams” in U.S. grocery stores. These tend to be sweeter and creamier when cooked, making them perfect for creating a smooth dough. The most common variety you’ll find is the Beauregard sweet potato, but Jewel or Garnet varieties work great too. When picking your sweet potato, look for ones that are firm, smooth, and free from any soft spots or blemishes. Since you’ll be mashing the sweet potato, don’t worry too much about the size or shape – just aim for one medium potato that will give you about 200g once cooked.
Options for Substitutions
These pizza pinwheels are pretty adaptable – here’s what you can swap if needed:
- Sweet potato: You can replace sweet potato with regular mashed potato or pumpkin puree. Just make sure whatever you use is well-mashed and not too wet – strain off any excess liquid if needed.
- Self-rising flour: If you don’t have self-rising flour, use regular all-purpose flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Gluten-free flour blend can work too, but add 1 extra teaspoon of baking powder.
- Tomato paste sauce: Feel free to use any pizza sauce you like – pesto, BBQ sauce, or even hummus work great as alternatives. Just keep the amount similar to avoid making the dough too wet.
- Vegetables: The filling is super flexible – try corn, spinach, mushrooms, or any finely chopped veggies you have on hand. Just make sure they’re cut small and not too wet.
- Vegan cheese: Regular dairy cheese works fine if you’re not vegan. Or skip the cheese altogether and add extra veggies or some nutritional yeast for a cheese-like flavor.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest challenge when making sweet potato pizza pinwheels is working with overly wet sweet potato – make sure to thoroughly mash and cool your sweet potato before mixing it with the flour, as hot or lumpy potato can create an uneven, difficult-to-work-with dough.
Getting the right dough consistency is crucial, so start by adding just 3/4 of the flour and gradually work in the rest – adding too much flour at once can make your pinwheels tough and dry, while too little will give you a sticky mess that’s impossible to roll.
When adding your fillings, resist the temptation to overfill (keep a 1-inch border around the edges), as this can cause the pinwheels to unravel during baking, and be sure to roll the dough firmly but gently to create a tight spiral that won’t fall apart.
A final tip: let your pinwheels cool for 5-10 minutes after baking – cutting them while they’re too hot can cause the filling to spill out and the spirals to lose their shape.
What to Serve With Sweet Potato Pizza Pinwheels?
These fun and tasty pizza pinwheels make a great snack or light meal on their own, but they’re even better with some simple sides! A fresh marinara sauce works perfectly for dipping, while a crisp green salad with Italian dressing helps balance out the richness of the pinwheels. If you’re serving these at a party or gathering, try putting out a veggie platter with cucumber, carrots, and bell peppers alongside some ranch dressing – the cool, crunchy vegetables are a nice contrast to the warm, soft pinwheels. For a heartier meal, you could pair them with a bowl of tomato soup, which plays nicely with the pizza flavors.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These pizza pinwheels are perfect for meal prep! Place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to line the container with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture and keep them from getting soggy.
Freeze: Good news – these pinwheels freeze really well! Let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. They’ll stay good for up to 2 months in the freezer, making them perfect for quick snacks or lunch box treats.
Warm Up: When you’re ready to eat your pinwheels, you can enjoy them cold or heated. If you prefer them warm, pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes until they’re heated through. They’ll taste just as good as freshly made!
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Total Time | 25-35 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 600-700
- Protein: 10-15 g
- Fat: 15-20 g
- Carbohydrates: 100-120 g
Ingredients
- 200g cooked sweet potato (equivalent to one medium, roughly 300g raw)
- 180g self-rising flour
- Choose any sauce you prefer, we used: 4 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a sprinkle of italian herbs
- Fillings of choice: 2 tablespoons each of shredded carrot and chopped peppers, plus a handful of vegan cheese
Step 1: Prepare the Sweet Potato Dough
Start by adding the cooked sweet potato to a bowl.
Use a fork to mash the sweet potato until smooth and lump-free.
Gradually add flour to the bowl and mix it into the mashed sweet potato to form a dough.
Use your hands to knead the dough until fully combined and smooth.
Step 2: Roll Out the Dough
Lightly flour a clean surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
Place the dough onto the floured surface and roll it out to about 1/2 cm in thickness.
Aim for a rectangle shape, pinching and shaping the dough as necessary to achieve even edges.
Step 3: Add Toppings and Roll the Dough
Once the dough is evenly rolled out, top it with your choice of sauce and fillings, spreading them out evenly.
Gently roll the dough over the toppings starting from one of the longer edges, forming a cylinder.
Slice the rolled dough into disks approximately 1-2 cm thick, which should yield around 9 slices.
Step 4: Bake the Dough Slices
Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).
Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and arrange the sliced dough disks onto the tray.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked through and slightly golden.
Step 5: Serve
Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and allow the slices to cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy these delicious sweet potato dough bites warm or at room temperature!