We sometimes call this “Inside-Out” pizza too. They’re garlicky, cheesy little pizza dough balls filled with all of the yummy toppings you’d put on a pizza. To eat, just pop one off and dunk it in marinara sauce. Don’t you love finger food? And don’t you love dunking things? I suppose regular pizza is finger food as well, but for some reason this is way more fun. Must be the dunking factor. You can pick your own fillings. We love Canadian bacon and pineapple, or Italian turkey sausage and chopped peppers. Pepperoni and cheese is always a hit and you could easily make these vegetarian as well. This makes great party food or a fun appetizer, but in our house we often pair it with a salad and call it dinner. It works especially great for little fingers so my boys love ’em!
You’ll need a roll of refrigerator pizza dough (or make your own…or buy some from your favorite pizza shop or Sam’s Club/Costco), pizza sauce (our favorite recipe!), some grated parmesan cheese, olive oil or melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes, and your favorite pizza toppings of choice (we’re using mini pepperoni).
Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it’s 400 F. If you make your own dough, bake it at 400.
Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it’s about 12″ by 8″. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.
Place cheese and desired toppings on each square.
(Note that you’re not putting the marinara sauce on the dough; it’s for dipping after) It’s easy to overfill these–you want to make sure you can close them, so about a heaping tablespoon of toppings should be plenty.
When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings.
Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).
Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I’ve used both and there’s not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.
(In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute this garlic bread seasoning.)
Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I’d check them after even 10 minutes.
Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
The outsides are like garlic bread and the insides are full of oozing cheese. This might just be a perfect food.
Got a flavor combo in mind? Share it! And try out this variation of Chicken and Bacon Stuffed Ranch Rolls.
Stuffed Pizza Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pizza crust refrigerated, or recipe linked above
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
- Desired pizza toppings mini pepperoni always work great(
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pizza sauce recipe linked above
Instructions
- Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 F. If you make your own dough, bake it at 400.
- Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.
- Place cheese and desired toppings on each square.
- (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough; it's for dipping after) It's easy to overfill these--you want to make sure you can close them, so about a heaping tablespoon of toppings should be plenty.When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings.
- Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).
- Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I've used both and there's not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.
- (In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute this garlic bread seasoning.)Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes. Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
Questions & Reviews
We make these, but if you're looking for something even easier (and I always am) you can make these using a can o' biscuits.
working on these right now, and I can hardly wait. 😀 one verrrry minor suggestion tho — how bout the name 'Calzone Bites' for these? 😉
What a great way of eating your pizza!!! hahaha looks so yummy!
Made these a few nights ago -delicious!!
Made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious!! Thanks for the recipe!
Really good and easy to make! Family loved the recipe.
These are sooooooooo yummy! Thank you for this great recipe! My husband and I loved it!! 🙂 We put tomato and pineapple in ours. Also, there was so much extra toppings we had enough to use 2 batches of dough.
Cant wait to try this, they look amazing!! Thanks for the great idea
Anyone ever make them ahead of time? How long would they last before baking? I'm in a dinner trade group and would ove to share these.
I didn't have a pie tin (hey, single girl, here!), but a muffin tin did the job!
I made these tonight. My first batch were a little dough-y, so I cooked the second batch longer and they were just right. My family really enjoyed the meal!
I made your homemade marinara as a dipping sauce. It was really tasty, but too spicy for the kids. Next time I will leave out the red pepper flakes. Thanks again!
YMMMM
Wow, I really like!
I must finally comment on your blog. I have now made at least 8 or so recipes from your blog and have loved them all. I tell everyone about it. Since 'meeting' you I have purchased Kosher salt for the first time and have been having a hay day with limes. Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recipes!! (Can't wait to try so many more!)
I made these today and they were awesome! I just added Mozarella Cheese and pepperoni with some pizza sauce for dipping. Can't wait to make these with peppers and onions for my boyfriend, he'll love it.
OMG, that is simple such an awesome post..
These were fantastic, thank you so much for sharing all the wonderful recipes you do with all of us! Dinner would just not be the same at our house without them!
little monkeys- Glad you found us, thanks for reading! Aa few people have mentioned doing sweet versions, so it's on my list too!
Awesome blog! I'm a new fan. I tried these and they were great. I had to substitute with soycheese due to a milk allergy with my kiddo but they were awesome. Have you ever tried these as a dessert? Fruit in the middle, brush with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and dip them in glaze? I haven't tried it yet, but it's my next attempt.
We had these tonight with pepperoni, ham, cheese, green pepper and mushroom and they were excellent!!!! Everyone enjoyed them. We made the chicken pot pie the other night and loved it. The breadstick recipe is awesome! This is one of the best recipe blogs that I have come across. We have loved everything that we have made and have plans on trying several different things from here in the next few weeks. I want to try to make a version of these with buffalo chicken in them since I have craved it this entire pregnancy. Maybe buffalo chicken with mozzarella (don't like blue cheese)and ranch. Mmmm. I may try that!
Dramamomma- you could flash freeze them individually, or freeze them in a disposable pan. You can either bake from frozen- or defrost in the fridge first.
How do you think this would work frozen? So if I did all the prep and then froze them… You think If I defrosted fully and then cooked them they'd still be good?
Thanks!
I'm a newcomer to this blog but I've tried several of your recipies and this one is one of our favorites. The other night we did a totally amazing version of this, we wanted to do a desert version so we got bananas and strawberries.
We cooked them a bit with some butter and rum (light the rum on fire in the pan) and then some brown sugar. Then we put them together just like the Pizza rolls and cooked them with butter brushed on top and cinnamon. After we cooked them we dipped them in fruit dip and nutella. One word- Delicious!
I made these last night. They were so yummy.
I made this (with your pizza dough recipe) for my whole family and another time for my friends. They all loved it. And my husband ate the leftovers for breakfast the next morning:)
Made these last night and they were a huge hit!! I made them with turkey pepperoni and a shredded pizza cheese blend and some with ham and the cheese blend. Thanks for the great idea! I also made the pizza sauce to go with them and it was amazing! I will never buy pizza sauce at the store again!! It was so super easy but so delicious!!
I made these and they were DELICIOUS!
I took these tonight for a NYE party and they were a HIT! Thanks ladies!
Blog Cafe- I've done that before! I just baked it in the oven with the ramekin itself in there so when they come out all you have to do is fill it up with marinara, it works great! You end up with a few less rolls though, so that's the only draw back.
So glad your family liked them!
We fixed these tonight and the smell coming from the kitchen made me think I was in an italian restaurant!
I have a 15 yr old daughter and 2-1/2 yr old (yup!!) and my husband and kids loved them.
My 2-1/2 yr old ate 4 pizza rolls. He told me "Momma, Momma, Yum Yum!!"
Thank you for a unique twist on pizza and fun for the family to make them!
My daughter is taking them to her youth group christmas party next friday night and we are going to make them for our church new years eve party. I'm sure they will be a hit.
My daughter had the idea of putting them in pie pan and placing something in the middle to make it like a "shallow bundt pan" and then when they come out, all she has to do it put a ramikin of marinara in the middle and its a "ring of pizza rolls" around it. Gotta love teens!!!
Thanks again! These were 5 stars out of 5!!!
I can't wait to try freezing them and baking after.