Warning: This easy-to-make monkey bread is also very addictive. A cross between pizza and buttery garlic rolls, we couldn’t stop gobbling up bite after cheesy bite.
Every year we have a fun little family Super Bowl party. We’re huge Monkey Bread fans, so the Super Bowl seemed like the perfect time to try out a savory Monkey Bread. The Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread from Confections of a Foodie Bride and the Pizza Monkey Bread from What’s Gaby Cooking were my inspirations for this recipe.
To make this an easy Super Bowl recipe, I started with frozen roll dough. Of course you could make your own dough if you prefer. I have a Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipe that makes a great pizza. The first time I made this I used low fat mozzarella sticks (string cheese), but they didn’t melt very well, so I recommend buying whole or part skim mozzarella and cutting it into squares.
We loved the bottom rolls because of the crispy edges. So, after you remove the pizza bread from the bundt pan, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes to crisp up the sides and bottom of the bread.
You can also bake it in a 9 x 13 pan instead of a bundt pan. Of course then I guess you’d have to call it Pizza Pull Apart Rolls.
Ingredients
- 24 Frozen Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold*
- 48 slices of pepperoni
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed in to 48 pieces
- 1/2 cup Butter, melted
- 2/3 cup Parmesan Romano cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- adapted from Allrecipes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in rich puree
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
Directions
- Cut rolls in half and flatten each half. Top with one slice of pepperoni and one cube of mozzarella. Wrap the dough around the pepperoni and cheese to completely enclose and form a ball.
- In a small bowl combine melted butter, cheese, parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Roll dough to lightly coat with cheese mixture and place in a bundt pan coated with non-stick spray.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost to the top of the pan (about 45 minutes). Remove plastic wrap and bake at 350°F 30 - 35 minutes. Cover with foil if the top is getting too brown. (You might want to put a sheet pan on the rack under the bundt pan to catch any greasy drips.)
- Remove from oven and invert on to an oven safe serving tray, remove bundt pan. Put the serving tray back in to the oven for about 5 minutes more to crisp up the top and bottom rolls.
- Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.
- *I like to thaw the rolls in a single layer in a plastic bag overnight in the fridge.
- In a small saucepan, sauté garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Sauce may be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Also on the menu for our Super Bowl party:
Strawberry Mango Salsa and Cinnamon Tortilla Chips, Barbara Bakes
Individual Seven-Layer Dips, The Girl Who Ate Everything
Nutella Caramel Cookies, Barbara Bakes
Microwave Caramel Popcorn, Real Mom Kitchen
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
Oh my, I would love some of this on Super Bowl Sunday and I know the kids would have such a fun time pulling of the little balls of dough and dipping them in the sauce.
Oh, that is a great idea! Your pizza monkey bread must be scrumptious.
Cheers,
Rosa
I am seriously thinking about making this for Sunday!
Pizza pull apart bread, Yum! This really looks fantastic Barbara.
This sounds so awesome!
Love this. As soon as you said stuffed with cheese, I was all over these! Perfect for the game!
yum! i’ve actually never had monkey bread before- not even the sweet cinnamon kind! but you make it look very easy. your tutorial pictures are wonderful!
I can see why these would be hard to resist!! Love how you served them with the sauce in the middle
Thanks Rachel. I put a little juice glass in the middle and set the bowl on it so it was tall enough.
I would have never thought of combining pizza and monkey bread but what a delicious and creative idea Barbara!
Une originale création et bien copieuse
Je te souhaite une bonne soirée
Valérie.
That looks wonderful! I love how the dipping sauce sits right in the middle of the dish! I understand about making it in a 9×13 pan though, buttery crispy rolls are so delicious!
This sounds wonderful and great for a party. As much as the bundt version looks beautiful, I was glad to read your notes.
I have been on a monkey bread kick the last couple weeks. This look awesome and a great addition to any super bowl party!
My husband would like to come to your house to watch the Super Bowl
What time is your party?? Looks delicious.
Those both look really good! I just might have to make them really soon!
Barbara, you’ve done it this time. Left me speechless. I was like “oh no you didn’t. I can’t even imagine the hands heading towards the pizza monkey bread.
This is totally calling my name–how perfect for game day! Something everyone will eat–including my extremely picky 4-year old!
Forget about Super Bowl, I’d love this ANY day.
Wow, this looks awesome! Such a cool idea! I think it would make such a nice braai snack! Cant wait to try it!
Never heard of savory monkey bread. Sounds almost better than the sweet kind. Just curious if your balls of dough stayed closed after wrapping up the cheese and pepperoni? Going to have to try this one soon!!
Hi Melanie – as far as I know, none of the rolls popped open. It would be hard to notice if they did since the bread is all squished together in the pan, but none of the outside ones did. Hope you give it a try soon. Thanks!
This looks so easy, and I know it would be perfect for nibbling while watching the game!
I am going to a neighbor’s house for the Super Bowl and I believe this will be going with me! I’m sure it will be a hit…
Wow Barbara, this looks fantastic! I’m going to make this for Super Bowl!
I want a few for the dinner! Looks terrific!
I love this!! I’m afraid I could do some damage, all by myself…
Love it! Absolutely love it! Will definitely be trying this recipe soon!
Oh I just love the idea of a savory monkey bread!! What a great game day recipe. Thanks for linking it up at my blog hop!
this is truly the most innovative dish iv seen… love the pull-apart pizza roll idea.. must have been fab
this looks soo good… super-bowl or no super-bowl…you can have this around the table with cups of hot soup for everyone!!! the conversation and gossip just won’t stop!!
—I LOVE your recipes.
But I always gain weight from them! Haaaa
The pizza monkey bread look delicious!!! This is the first time I have seen a dish like that. Love the presentation.
I am sure this is addictive. What a fabulous idea.
This is a must have recipe I can tell! I don’t think this would last very long at my house!! Thanks for sharing!
You had some great food at your super bowl party! This is a great recipe. I love Monkey bread, but have never done a savory one. The melted butter and parm sounds wonderful with the rolls. Yum – I will have to try this one!
I can easily see why this would be addictive!
Found you on LinkedIN. My husband LOVES monkey bread! This one will be such fun to make! Thanks!!
I love making pizza rolls, but I’ve never made them into monkey bread. Looks delicious!
Oh this looks wonderful, I just made this pastweek a pizza very simular that I again stole from another blogger, while it was good, it was alot of bread, and not enough sauce, My dau told me she saw what you made on pinterest(addicting) so I am going to try this again soon. Love the presentation. Oh, and anymore cookie recipes that I can make? Love your cookies….yum yum andi
Hi Andi – I love this Pizza Monkey bread. I’m sure your family will too. I have so many great cookie recipes. http://barbarabakes.com/category/dessert/cookies/ Definitely try the Chocolate Nuttela Caramel Cookies and the Lemon Cookie Cups recipes my newest favorites.
Sounds awesome!!! How much time should I allow for rising if using a 9×13 pan? Was the Precious Part Skim Mozzarella snack sticks? Thanks so much.
Thanks MaryEllen – it will probably take about 45 minutes for the dough to rise, depending on how warm you house is. I originally used string cheese sticks, but the second time I made it I used Precious Part Skim Mozzarella in a block and cut it up, and it melted much better.
Thanks so much Barbara…very helpful…can’t wait to make them for our daughter and her family coming to visit.
If you wanted to still bake it in the bundt pan AND get more of the crispy ones why not try this: Take an aluminum foil pie plate ,or other foil bakeware you may have and dont care about, cut the bottom out so you have a circle-leave a small tab of the side piece as a handle for later– then cut the circle in half. Cut a half circle opening in the center of each half so the piece fits around the center post snuggly. Generously grease both sides of the foil insert and after you have 1 layer of bread balls in the bottom of the pan fit your inserts in before the next layer the add the second layer and continue with directiona as usual. When it comes out of the pan grab the tabs you left that laid flat up the side of your pan and pull the inserts out from inbetween the layers. TA-DA!!! You just DOUBLED the number of crispy edges! Plus you still have the spot for your sauce!
That’s a fun idea. If you try it please let me know how it works. My husband also suggested unmolding it and then putting it back in the oven on a tray to crisp up.
This pizza bread was AMAZING!!!!
Thanks Suzanne! I should make some again soon.
Barbara-do you have to use store rolls or can you make your own
Hi Gina – You can make your own dough if you prefer.