Pizza Bread: Homemade Italian Bread is baked with marinara sauce and cheese and topped with garlic butter and pizza seasonings. This Pull Apart Pizza Bread is a fun, cheesy, kid-friendly meal!
Growing up, one recipe my entire family of 6 agreed up was what my mom referred to as Cut Bread.
Cut Bread was a recipe she had found in a newspaper but basically it was just bread dough stuffed with pizza toppings, then rolled up and cut into small chunks before being baking into what basically was a free form Pizza Monkey Bread.
Pull Apart Pizza Bread
This cheesy, gooey, garlicy pizza bread is the absolute perfect recipe for kids to help make in the kitchen.
As the original name, Cut Bread, implies, pull apart pizza bread is made by cutting up the pizza roll and scatter onto a baking sheet and bake.
It may sound odd to cut it all up before baking a pizza roll, but this is KEY.
This technique that you often see in Monkey Bread Recipes, allows for different textures. Super soft bread, crunchy cheese, gooey cheese, crisp bread. FABULOUS!!
How to Make Easy Pizza Bread
Step One: Bread Dough
For this pizza bread recipe, I really like to use a homemade french bread recipe. But you can start with any bread dough you like. It is important to use bread dough, not pizza dough for this recipe to get the rise you can only achieve with bread dough.
Italian Bread in Bread Maker
- Using your bread machine, put water, flour, and salt into your machine.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the yeast.
- Set to dough setting on your bread machine and turn it on.
Italian Bread without Bread Maker
- Mix the yeast into the water until dissolved and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Stir the salt into the flour and then slowly add the water to the flour.
- Mix until combined and then knead about 5 minutes until dough is soft.
- Cover and let rise for 1 hour
Step Two: Pizza Toppings
- Once your bread dough has risen, roll the dough out into a 12 inch by 9 inch rectangle.
- Spread the dough with 1/4 cup sauce, leaving 1/2 inch border around the edges.
- Top with cheese and any pizza toppings you desire.
Step Three: Form Pizza Bread
- Roll the dough up into a what looks like a loaf of bread, sealing the ends.
- Cut the bread “loaf” into 1 to 2 inch chunks (it will be messy!)
- Place pizza bread pieces unto a greased cookie sheet, in a random fashion, just do not stack more than 2 inches thick.
- Cover pizza bread with an kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Step Four: Bake Pizza Bread
- Right before baking, drizzle olive oil over top of pizza bread.
- Sprinkle with garlic powder, dried oregano, and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until bread is cooked through.
Step Five: Serve Pull Apart Pizza Bread
- Break of chunks of pizza bread and serve with a side of marinara for a final PERFECT touch.
- As you break into bread, pockets of cheese will be discovered, along with any other pizza toppings you added.
More Cheesy Pizza Creations
Pull Apart Pizza Bread Recipe
Pull Apart Pizza Bread
Ingredients
Italian Bread Dough
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp yeast
Pizza Bread
- 1-2 cups Marinara sauce divided
- 2-3 cups mozzarella cheese
- favorite toppings for pizza pepperoni, peppers, onions, sausage, spinach, tomatoes, etc
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
For Bread Dough
- With Bread Machine: Place water, flour, and salt into your machine. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the yeast. Set to dough setting and let it go.
- Bread Dough By Hand: Mix the yeast into the water until dissolved and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir the salt into the flour and then slowly add the water to the flour. Mix until combined and then knead about 5 minutes until dough is soft. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
For Pizza Bread
- Roll the dough out into a 12 inch by 9 inch rectangle--or something of that nature.
- Spread with 1/4 cup marinara sauce and then layer on the cheese and toppings.
- Roll the dough up into a loaf, sealing the ends.
- Cut pizza bread loaf into 1 inch cubes and pile them unto a greased cookie sheet--going no more than 2 inches thick.
- Drizzle Pizza Bread with olive oil and sprinkle with the dried seasonings and Parmesan Cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 45 minutes until bread is cooked through and golden brown.
- Serve with reserved sauce.
Cheri says
Wow…now that is something I’d like to try when the G-kids come over next time! THey’ll love it!
Kristen Chidsey says
Yes, your grandkids will LOVE it! And it creates such a fun memory because they can help you (and this is a recipe it is okay to not be prefect) and it is just FUN to eat!!
Joy @ Yesterfood says
Kristen, I think I swooned a little when I saw that you had made this with homemade dough and homemade marinara sauce. Oh, my goodness. I am SO glad you shared this with us at Treasure Box Tuesday- I have pinned and shared on Google+!! 🙂
Kristen Chidsey says
Joy, Thank you so much!! I try to make as much as possible from scratch to control food quality. Plus, it just makes everything taste SO much better! Hope you enjoy. It is such a fun recipe!
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen) says
First off, I’m from Ohio originally, so i get why a trip there for Spring Break may not be the norm for others. LOL Hope the weather cooperates for you! Second, this looks like a perfect recipe for a party, or for a potluck (which I’m tasked with bringing items for in 2 weeks). Great timing! Hope you enjoyed your time with family!
Kristen Chidsey says
Ha! Well you understand then don’t you Dee Dee! I hope you enjoy this recipe–it is perfect for your potluck.
Abigail says
You had me at cheesy! Looks like a perfect family dish! Pinned, too.
Kristen Chidsey says
Thanks Abigail, it is one of our favorites!
Amber | Caleighs Kitchen says
This looks so awesome, I may have to try it this weekend! Hope you got your fill of baby snuggles in Ohio!
Kristen Chidsey says
I sure did Amber. And I found out another baby is on the way 🙂 Fun times!
Anna @annaDishes says
These look fantastic! What a fun idea. I will have to make these very soon!
Kristen Chidsey says
Thanks Anna! This is a fun dish!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
Congrats on your new niece! I would totally take baby snuggles over the beach any day. And this pizza bread looks like the perfect snack for a new mom!
Kristen Chidsey says
Amen–baby snuggles are the best!!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
It sounds delicious, Kristen…definitely something everyone would love in our house!
Julie Evink says
My kids LOVED this! They are already asking me to put it on the menu next week again!
Kristen Chidsey says
YAY!!! That makes me so happy Julie!
Claire says
This is just my kids total favorite Saturday night dinner.
They get a blanket down in the lounge room, put a movie on the tv and munch away.
It is their favorite night of the week as they love the pizza bread and they love getting to eat it in front of a movie.
It is so easy to put together and I LOVE that is doesn’t use a tube of dough (as I can’t buy them here)
SUCH A GREAT RECIPE
Kristen Chidsey says
Oh Claire, I am so happy that your family loves this recipe! And I LOVE their movie night. Such a fun tradition!