Pepperoni Bread
Easy-to-make cheesy Pepperoni Bread is a delicious crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for parties, game days, or weeknight dinners!
Why We Love Pepperoni Pizza Bread
- There’s something about slicing into a warm, cheesy pepperoni bread loaf that just makes me so happy! The combination of melty cheese, savory pepperoni, garlic, onion, and pepperoncini makes this family recipe a must-make dish.
- It doesn’t matter if you serve this pepperoni bread as an appetizer, snack, or dinner, it’s going to fly off the plate. Bonus: it’s super easy to adapt the filling to your family’s taste by using your favorite pizza toppings.
- Whether it’s a big holiday gathering or a football game watch party, this easy pepperoni bread has a way of getting everyone around the table.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pepperoni Cheese Bread
DOUGH: You’ll need pizza dough or frozen bread dough for the base of this recipe. If you’re using bread dough, be sure to thaw it completely first.
CHEESE: To make this pepperoni bread nice and gooey, we’re using mozzarella cheese and an Italian cheese blend. If you can’t find the cheese blend at your store, you can substitute 1/4 cup provolone cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan, and another 1/2 cup of mozzarella.
TOPPINGS: It wouldn’t be pepperoni bread without pepperoni! You can either get slices from the deli counter or grab the smaller slices in the meat department at the store. To really give this bread some flavor, you’ll also need garlic, white onion, and mild pepperoncini. (If you like a kick, you can use the hot ones instead or add some red pepper flakes.)
How to Make Pepperoni Bread
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet that’s at least 10 inches x 15 inches with non-stick cooking spray. Put the pizza dough onto the baking sheet and stretch or roll it out to a 10×15 rectangle.
STEP 2 Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle the minced garlic all over. Then add the pepperoni slices in layers. Try to keep on a long edge from from toppings, about 1 inch from the edge. Top the pepperoni with the chopped onion and sliced pepperoncini. Then sprinkle the mozzarella and Italian cheese blend all over the top.
STEP 3 Roll the pizza dough up into a tight log, starting on the long side that doesn’t have the empty edge. Once you get to the other side, pinch the seam together and pinch the ends closed. Make sure the dough is seam side down and tuck the ends under the log.
STEP 4 Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes or until it’s golden brown on top. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the bread rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve it alongside some marinara (or your favorite sauce) for dipping.
Tips & Tricks
- You can use your favorite homemade pizza dough recipe or store-bought pizza dough or bread dough. Just be sure to thaw the dough before using if it’s frozen.
- This is a great recipe to modify to your family’s liking. You can easily switch out the fillings to whatever you like on your pizza. Just be sure to keep the meat-to-cheese ratio and you’ll be in good shape.
- You can prep this pepperoni bread ahead of time if needed. Follow the recipe steps through rolling up the dough to make a log. Then cover the bread in plastic wrap (I do this on the baking sheet) and pop it into the fridge to cook later. It’ll keep for up to 24 hours if needed.
Pepperoni Bread Recipe FAQ
Is stromboli the same as pepperoni bread?
Basically, yes. This pepperoni bread is a type of stromboli. While it only has one type of meat inside, this bread totally fits the bill.
Stromboli is typically made with pizza dough or Italian bread dough. That gets filled with Italian cold cuts, vegetables, and cheese. Then it’s rolled up, baked, and sliced before being served warm.
Should I refrigerate pepperoni bread?
You can keep leftover pepperoni bread in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or you can store it in the fridge for up to 1 week. (I’m all about keeping it in the fridge due to the cheese and meat.)
You can also freeze the bread for up to 3 months once it’s baked. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
To reheat the bread, wrap it in foil and bake in a 350-degree F oven until warmed through. I don’t recommend using the microwave to reheat the bread since that can make it tough and chewy.
What to eat with pepperoni bread?
If I’m serving this bread for dinner, I like to pair it with a simple chopped salad or BLT salad and finish off the meal with a couple of sgroppino Italian cocktails for the adults and lemon sorbet for the kids.
If it’s getting put out for a party spread, I like to have bowls of pesto sauce, ranch dressing, and/or tomato basil sauce for dipping the bread. Then to complete to menu, keep it Italian-ish with antipasto skewers, chicken parmesan roll ups, and cannoli dip.
Beyond that, chicken wing dip or Jess Jess chicken wings are always a classic pizza pairing you can’t go wrong with.
Other Recipes You May Like
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Meat Lover’s Crock Pot Pizza Dip
- Hawaiian Pizza Sliders
- Pizza Muffins
- Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
Pepperoni Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough or bread dough, thawed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 8 ounces pepperoni slices
- ½ cup white onion peeled and chopped
- ½ cup mild pepperoncini peppers silced
- 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend shredded
- Marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch x 15-inch or larger baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the pizza dough on the baking sheet and stretch it or roll it out to a rectangle that's about 10×15.
- Brush the dough with the olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic. Add the sliced pepperoni in layers, and try to keep one long edge free from toppings about 1 inch from the edge.
- Spread the chopped onion and sliced pepperoncini peppers evenly over the pepperoni. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Italian blend cheese on top.
- Roll the dough into a tight log shape starting at one long end and ending at the other side where the dough is exposed (no toppings). Pinch the seam together and then pinch the ends closed. Place the loaf seam side down and tuck the ends in under the log.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight before eating. I suggest reheating in the oven wrapped in foil, so the bread doesn’t dry out. (If microwaved, it may become tough.)
- This is a great base recipe to work off of – just add your favorite toppings, keeping the ratio of meat to cheese the same. Add anything you like!
- I usually get about 12 slices per loaf. The nutritional information will vary based on how wide you cut the bread loaf.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.