Want a gluten-free pizza?

A sweet potato pizza crust is a wholesome, gluten-free and vegan pizza crust alternative that you can decorate with your favorite toppings.

The crust is full of flavor, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.

The recipe came to us from The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission, contributed by Bucket List Tummy.

You can find many more sweet potato recipes in their recipe collection.

Since 1971, North Carolina has been the #1 sweet-potato-producing state in the U.S., nearly 60% of the nation’s supply.

Home to more than 400 sweet potato growers, the state’s hot, moist climate and rich, fertile soil are ideal for cultivating sweet potatoes.
 
 
RECIPE: GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA CRUST WITH SWEET POTATO

Ingredients

 
Plus

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and process until very fine.

2. TRANSFER the dough to a bowl to help mold it into a ball (it may be sticky). Then transfer and press the dough onto a 12” pizza pan coated with parchment paper. It’s okay if the dough doesn’t span the entirety of the pan.

3. BAKE for 25-30 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool. Once cooled…

4. FLIP the dough over, gently pulling the parchment paper from what is now the top of the pizza dough. Coat with olive oil and place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the crust reaches your desired crispiness. Let cool and sprinkle with sea salt.

[1] This gluten-free sweet potato crust pizza has a Mexican spin, topped with a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, plus protein-rich black beans and red onion. We also added snipped cilantro (photo © North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission | Bucket List Tummy).

[2] Along with their delicious sweetness and mild flavor, sweet potatoes are chock full of nutrients (photo © North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission).

Both sweet potatoes and white potatoes are tuberous root vegetables, but they differ in appearance and taste.

They come from separate plant families*, offer different nutrients, and affect your blood sugar differently.

The origin and domestication of sweet potato occurred in either Central or possibly, South America.

Archaeological evidence shows that domesticated sweet potatoes were present in Central America at least 5,000 years ago, with the origin possibly between the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico and the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

The cultivated plant spread to South America and the Caribbean by 2500 B.C.E. [source]. The sweet potato spread to Polynesia with explorers, dating to 1400 C.E. in the Cook Islands.

They were brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus, and then traveled to Africa. Numerous species are now grown worldwide.

Most sweet potatoes sold in the U.S. have brown skin and orange flesh, but other varieties include purple, yellow, and red varieties—and are well worth seeking out.

Our favorite, the Murasaki from Japan (murasaki means violet or purple), has purple skin and sweet yellow flesh. It is well worth seeking out (we buy ours at Trader Joe’s).
 
 
SWEET POTATO VS. WHITE POTATO NUTRITION

Sweet and white potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carbohydrate content: around 90 calories 2 grams of protein and 21 grams of carbs.

 
 
_______________

*Both types of potato are members of the Solanales order, an order of flowering plants. But they branch off at the family level.

Sweet potatoes, Ipomoea batatas, are from the Convolvulaceae family, commonly known as the morning glory family, a family of mostly herbaceous vines. Their species is Ipomoea, genus Batatas.

White potatoes, Solanum tuberosum, are members of the Solanaceae family, popularly known as the nightshades. Their genus is Solanum, species Tuberosum.