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Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread

This Easy Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bread is an appetizer or snack that is stuffed full of pizza sauce, mozarella cheese and sliced pepperoni.

A PIZZA INSPIRED APPETIZER

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bread is a great appetizer that only requires 5 ingredients. This easy appetizer may look fancy, but it’s pretty easy to make and it can also be considered a full meal as well! Let me show you how to make this gooey, cheesy pizza bread.

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bread shown on a baking sheet and topped with fresh parsley.

WHAT IS CHEESY PEPPERONI PIZZA BREAD?

Just like my Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pull-Apart Bread, this bread is made up of little pull-able squares that are filled with cheese. This pizza bread uses pizza sauce, mozzarella, onions and pepperoni to create a truly decadent appetizer or snack. The bread is then baked and the cheese turns gooey and melty.

Cheesy pull apart bread with pizza sauce shown close up with chopped parsley.

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS APPETIZER/SNACK:

  • Bread – You need a good crusty bread for this recipe. I love using a round sourdough loaf but a large ciabatta loaf would work as well. 
  • Pizza sauce – You can use basic pizza sauce from a can, homemade pizza sauce, plain tomato sauce or even pasta sauce. You have a ton of options when it comes to the sauce for this bread.
  • Pepperoni – Use your favorite pepperoni here. I like to use the mini pepperoni sometimes, but any size will work. You can even use salami, if you’d like. 
  • Mozzarella – Mozzarella cheese works best for this pizza bread but you can always substitute your favorite cheese here as well. Shredded or sliced mozzarella is fine. After making this so many times, I think the sliced mozzarella is a bit easier to stuff the bread with.
  • Other toppings – Feel free to add any of your favorite pizza toppings to this pull apart bread. Adding toppings will not change the bake time. 
  • How to store leftovers – if you have any leftover pizza bread, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep for 2-3 days if stored properly.
  • How to freeze pepperoni pizza bread – follow the instructions on making this bread and allow to cool completely. Wrap the bread in parchment paper and place in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To re-heat – allow the bread to thaw in the fridge before baking in the oven for 10 minutes at 350F degrees or in a microwave.
Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bread recipe from The Country Cook, hand shown pulling a cheesy slice of bread from a full loaf of sourdough bread.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • sourdough or ciabatta bread
  • store bought pizza sauce (or Homemade Pizza Sauce)
  • sliced pepperoni
  • onion
  • mozzarella cheese
  • butter
  • garlic powder
sourdough bread, pizza sauce, sliced pepperoni, sliced onion, shredded mozzarella cheese.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY PEPPERONI PIZZA BREAD:

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Cut the bread diagonally with a bread knife, making sure not to cut through the bottom of the loaf. 

oval loaf of sourdough bread shown with diagonal cuts across it.

Cut the bread again diagonally, this time in the opposite direction. Make sure to not cut all the way through again. The second cut will give you the squares or rectangles that will be pulled out after baking.

diagonal cuts in an oval loaf of bread on a baking sheet.

 Spoon the pizza sauce in the crevices of the cut bread, moving pieces to make sure you cover all the holes. 

pizza sauce shown in the cuts of a sourdough bread.

Next, stuff all the crevices with pepperoni slices and sliced onions. Finally, place the cheese in the crevices of the bread, making sure to cover any open spots. You want all the crevices to be covered in cheese. Optional: melt some butter and mix in garlic powder and pour it over the top of the bread before baking.

shredded mozzarella cheese stuffed inside sliced sourdough bread on a baking sheet.

Wrap in foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.

fully baked pepperoni pizza bread shown on aluminum foil.

Remove, allow to cool slightly and serve with pizza sauce. 

a slice of pepperoni bread being dipped in pizza sauce that is in a small white bowl.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bread recipe

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread

This Easy Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bread is an appetizer or snack that is stuffed full of pizza sauce, mozarella cheese and sliced pepperoni.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the bread:

For the optional glaze:

  • ¼ cup melted salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
  • Cut the bread diagonally with a bread knife, making sure not to cut through the bottom of the loaf. 
  • Cut the bread again diagonally, this time in the opposite direction. Make sure to not cut all the way through again. The second cut will give you the squares or rectangles that will be pulled out after baking. 
  • Spoon the pizza sauce in the crevices of the cut bread, moving pieces to make sure you cover all the holes. 
  • Next, stuff all the crevices with pepperoni slices and sliced onions.
  • Finally, place the cheese in the crevices of the bread, making sure to cover any open spots. You want all the crevices to be covered in cheese. 
  • Optional glaze: melt the butter and mix in garlic powder and pour it over the top of the bread before baking.
  • Wrap bread in foil and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
  • Remove, allow to cool slightly and serve with pizza sauce. 

Notes

  • Please refer to my tips above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 845mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Just want to say this is great bread to make for this wintery days with a hot bowl of soup. I used a commercially prepared pasta sauce ( olive oil and garlic) and still was delish! Also, I like the Italian blend cheese with six types of cheese in the mix but you can go strait mozzeralla slices as you have stated. Thanks for a keeper!