Sausage Bread
This simple yet mouth-watering recipe for Italian Sausage Bread is so easy and delicious! Perfectly seasoned with aromatic garlic and fennel seeds, it features savory Italian sausage and oozy mozzarella cheese, all wrapped up in a golden dough (store bought or use my easy pizza dough).
Whether you’re looking for a satisfying snack, a hearty appetizer, or a simple meal, this Italian Sausage Bread will surely please! Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.
Recipe Snapshot
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
Ingredients: Pizza dough, Italian sausage, and Mozzarella cheese (plus pizza sauce for serving!)
What you’ll love about this recipe:
❤️ The combination of sausage, cheese, and bread is simple yet so delicious!
❤️ This flavorful dish is made with minimal effort but has maximum taste.
❤️ It’s a versatile snack or small meal that can be served any time of the day.
❤️ Sausage bread is a guaranteed hit with everyone—it’s loved by all!
Ingredients and Notes
There are few ingredients for this sausage bread, which include the dough, Italian sausage, shredded mozzarella cheese, and pizza sauce for serving. I like to season my sausage with a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and when I’m feeling fancy, I’ll also add some crushed fennel seed.
You could use any type of sausage you enjoy including turkey or chicken sausage – I haven’t tried vegan sausage, but I’d imagine that would work as well too. I typically use mozzarella cheese but any melty cheese like a mild cheddar would also work well.
Step by Step
The process for this bread couldn’t be easier.
Begin by cooking your sausage and then roll out your dough into a large rectangle, ensuring that it is not longer than your baking sheet.
Top the dough with the cooled cooked sausage, then sprinkle the shredded cheese.
Roll it all up, jelly roll style, and place the roll on a prepared baking sheet.
Brush with egg wash, and bake until lightly golden. Slice it up and serve with pizza sauce for dipping.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below.
Top Tips
Some important tips for making sausage bread:
- Use High-Quality Sausage: The flavor of your sausage bread heavily depends on the quality of the sausage you use. Choose a high-quality sausage with good flavor that complements the other ingredients.
- Properly Cook the Sausage: Ensure it is fully cooked before adding it to the bread. This helps prevent undercooked meat in the final product.
- Drain Excess Fat: After cooking the sausage, drain excess fat by placing it on paper towels or pouring off the fat. Excess fat can make the bread soggy or greasy.
- Let Ingredients Cool: Allow the cooked sausage to cool before adding it to the bread dough. Hot ingredients can affect the texture of the dough and make it challenging to work with.
- Properly Seal the Dough: When shaping the bread, ensure that the dough seams on the bottom of the roll when placed on the baking sheet. This prevents the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Bake Until Golden Brown: Bake the sausage bread until golden brown on the outside and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. This indicates that it is fully baked and ensures a crispy crust.
- Let it Rest: Allow the sausage bread to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the flavors to settle and makes it easier to slice without squishing the filling.
More Pizza Dough Recipes
📖 Recipe
Sausage Bread
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 pound Italian sausage sweet or spicy
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed crushed (optional)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 4 cups whole milk mozzarella shredded; may also use mixed Italian cheeses or part skim mozzarella
For the Assembly
- 1 pound bread or pizza dough homemade or store-bought
- 1 medium egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water
For Serving
- pizza sauce homemade or store-bought, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Filling and the Dough:
- If the sausage is in a casing (link), remove the casing and place the sausage in the skillet. Season it with garlic powder, fennel (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Cook the sausage in a skillet until it's fully cooked. Break it into small pieces as it cooks with a fork or a masher. Drain any excess fat and set aside to fully cool.
Assemble the Sausage Bread:
- If the dough has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature to make it easier to handle.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or spraying it with cooking spray.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle about 16 inches by 10 inches. You may need to sprinkle more flour on the dough periodically. It helps to flip the dough also to prevent it from sticking. I sometimes also flour my rolling pin.
- Spread the cooked and cooled sausage evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the sausage.
- Starting from one long side, roll the dough up tightly, sealing the edges with your fingers.
Bake the Bread:
- Place the roll seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the top lightly with egg wash for a golden finish.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
- Allow the bread to cool for a few minutes, then slice it into 1-inch slices with a serrated knife and serve it with pizza sauce on the side.