Pizza is always a hit in my family. Whether it’s dinner at home, a game-day party or a group celebration, pizza is a sure-fire way to satisfy kid and adult appetites. When I’m looking for an easy pizza appetizer, I look to my trusty pizza rolls recipe. It’s easy to make for a crowd, and the cheesy, pepperoni-filled rolls taste just as good as takeout. As a bonus, the dish looks gorgeous, like a bunch of vibrant little pizza roses!
Our recipe bakes the rolls in a cast-iron skillet, so you don’t even have to transfer them to a serving platter. Once the skillet is cool enough to handle, simply bring it to the table and let everyone grab their pizza rolls.
Pizza Rolls Ingredients
- Pizza dough: Thaw a 1-pound loaf of frozen pizza dough, or use your favorite homemade or store-bought fresh dough.
- Pasta sauce: You can use any type of pasta sauce. Grab a jar of store-bought marinara, or make your own from scratch.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese: These cheeses create an ideal combination of melty texture and nutty flavor.
- Pepperoni: Chopping the pepperoni ensures that you’ll end up with little bits in every bite. Whole slices work, too, if you don’t feel like dirtying a cutting board.
- Italian sausage: Sausage is optional here. Leave it out for pepperoni pizza rolls, or add it to give the rolls a “pizza supreme” feel.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the pizza dough
Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 16×10-inch rectangle.
Brush with pasta sauce to within 1/2 inch of the edges.
Step 2: Add the toppings, and roll up
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage (if desired) and Parmesan cheese. Roll the dough up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch the seam to seal.
Step 3: Cut the dough
Cut the dough into eight slices. Arrange the slices in a greased 9-inch cast-iron skillet or greased 9-inch round baking pan, cut side down.
Editor’s Tip: Give the rolls a little room in the pan to stretch their wings. They will expand in the oven.
Step 4: Bake the pizza rolls
Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes longer. If desired, serve with minced fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes.
Editor’s Tip: Prefer a crisper pizza crust? Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Muffin tin pizza rolls: Make stuffed pizza bites in a muffin tin instead of a cast-iron skillet.
- Pizza egg rolls: To give these cheesy bites a crispy exterior, skip the pizza dough, and use egg roll wrappers to make pizza egg rolls.
- Air-fried pizza rolls: We make our air-fryer pizza puffs a little bit differently, but they taste just as good as these oven-baked pepperoni pizza rolls.
How to Store Pizza Rolls
Store leftover pizza rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can reheat them in the microwave, but the pizza dough can become a little soggy. Instead, use a 400° oven to restore the fresh-from-the-oven texture. Bake until warmed through, three to five minutes.
Can you freeze pizza rolls?
You can freeze cooked pizza rolls for up to six months. Wrap the cooled rolls individually, and place them in a freezer-safe container. To use frozen pizza rolls, thaw the rolls in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as directed.
Pizza Rolls Tips
Can you use store-bought dough to make homemade pizza rolls?
Store-bought dough works just fine for our pizza rolls recipe, so don’t let homemade dough stop you from making this tasty appetizer! Use any refrigerated or frozen pizza dough to make this recipe. Of course, you’re always welcome to make homemade pizza dough. Our recipe even freezes well, so you can stash it in the freezer for later.
What toppings can you use on pizza rolls?
Fill the dough with your favorite pizza toppings. Go vegetarian with classics like tomatoes, mushrooms or spinach. Or think outside the box, and make pizza rolls with buffalo chicken, steak and blue cheese, or corned beef and Swiss for corned beef pizza swirls. Just be careful not to overload the dough with too many ingredients, or the inside can turn doughy.
How do you serve pizza rolls?
The traditional way to serve pizza rolls is with a warm marinara dipping sauce. You can dip pizza rolls in several different types of sauce, like Alfredo sauce, ranch or even pesto. To serve pizza rolls as a meal, pair them with an easy Caesar salad.
