These meat lover's mini pizza bites are the ultimate game day appetizer. Pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and melted cheese all wrapped up in a warm, buttery biscuit and served with tomato sauce for dipping.
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Why You'll Love This Pizza Bread
Tailgating is pretty much my favorite part of game day. Because what's not to love about eating delicious, indulgent food while hanging out and getting ready to watch the game? And these bites are exactly the kind of snack that doesn't last more than five minutes on the table, and for a good reason.
Imagine little bundles of delicious dough packed with savory sausage, crispy bacon, pepperoni, and melty mozzarella, all wrapped up in a warm biscuit and dipped into zesty tomato sauce. It's seriously so good. Here's why this recipe is a total winner:
- Ultimate game day appetizer
- Ready in under an hour
- Easy to assemble ahead
- Crowd-pleaser
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Bacon- Adds a smoky, crispy element to the filling. Turkey bacon works as a lighter substitute.
- Italian sausage- Gives the filling a rich, savory flavor. Mild or hot, totally your call. Ground beef or turkey sausage can substitute.
- Mini pepperoni- Packs a ton of pizza flavor into every bite. Regular pepperoni, quartered, works just as well.
- Refrigerated biscuits- The base. Make sure to grab a regular size, not grands. They're easier to work with here.
- String cheese- Melts perfectly inside each bite. Any good melting cheese, like mozzarella or provolone, works too.
- Butter- Combined with the seasonings for that irresistible golden, garlicky topping.
- Dried parsley- Adds a little color and flavor to the butter topping. Fresh parsley works just as well here.
- Garlic powder- Mixed into the butter for a savory, garlicky finish. Fresh minced garlic can substitute.
- Romano cheese- Stirred into the butter topping for a sharp, salty kick. Parmesan works great as a substitute.
- Flour- Just enough for your surface when rolling out the biscuits.
How To Make Pizza Bread Rolls
Step 1- Cook the meat.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the bacon, sautéing for about 2 minutes. Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, for about 5 minutes.
Step 2- Add the pepperoni.
Toss in the pepperoni and keep stirring until the bacon is crispy and the sausage is nicely browned, about another 5 minutes.
Step 3- Drain and cool.
Drain the meat mixture into a paper towel-lined bowl and let it cool for a couple of minutes.
Step 4- Prep your surface.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle some flour onto your surface and rolling pin, then roll each biscuit out flat to about the thickness of a pie crust.
Step 5- Fill the biscuits.
Place a spoonful of the meat mixture into the center of each biscuit along with a piece of cheese. Don't overfill them.
Step 6- Seal and arrange.
Gather the edges of the dough up and around the filling, pressing them together in the middle to seal into a little bun-like package. Place sealed-side down onto a parchment-lined pan.
Step 7- Butter and bake.
Mix the butter, parsley, garlic powder, and Romano cheese and brush over the top of each pizza bite. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook and drain your meat filling, roll out the biscuit dough, fill and seal, then brush with the garlic butter and bake. That's really all there is to it.
If you want to use an air fryer instead of the oven, cook them at 350 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes, checking halfway through. They crisp up well in the air fryer.
The meat lover combo here is always a crowd favorite, but you can really go in any direction you like. Try a veggie version with mushrooms and peppers, or a classic margherita with fresh basil and mozzarella.
Tips For This Pizza Bites Recipe
- Drain the meat well. Any excess grease will make the dough soggy, so don't skip the paper towel step.
- Roll the biscuits thin. You want them about the thickness of a pie crust so they bake through evenly.
- Don't overfill the biscuits. A spoonful of filling is plenty. Too much and they won't seal properly.
- Press the seams firmly. Make sure the edges are really pinched together so nothing leaks out during baking.
- Serve with warm marinara. A good dipping sauce takes these completely over the top.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Assemble the pizza bites the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Just brush with the butter topping and bake when ready to serve.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to bring back that crispy crust.
What To Serve With Pizza Bites
These are perfect as part of a bigger game day or party spread. Here are a few favorites to round out the table:
Other Appetizer Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Meat Lover's Mini Pizza Bites
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon diced
- 2 Italian sausage links casings removed
- ⅓ cup mini pepperoni or you can quarter regular size pepperoni slices
- 1 package refrigerated biscuits regular size, not grands
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 pieces string cheese quartered
- ½ cup salted butter melted, 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Romano Cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce or pizza sauce
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add your bacon and sauté it for 2 minutes.
- Add sausage to the pan and begin browning it and breaking it up with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes.
- Add the pepperoni to the pan and keep stirring it periodically until the bacon is crispy and the sausage is nicely browned, about another 5 minutes.
- Drain the meat into a paper towel lined bowl and let it cool for a couple minutes.
- While the meat mixture cools, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Sprinkle some flour onto a clean surface along with the rolling pin. Roll each biscuit or that it's flat (to a similar thickness to a pie crust).
- Divide the meat mixture into the middle of each biscuit along with a piece of the string cheese- don't over fill them!
- Gather the outsides of the biscuit dough all the way around the filling and bring those edges up to the middle and press them into the middle to seal. This will create a nice little bun-like package.
- Place the pizza bites sealed-side down onto a parchment-lined sheet pan so they aren't touching.
- In a separate bowl mix the melted butter, parsley, garlic powder and Romano cheese and brush it onto the top of each pizza bite.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with marinara sauce.
Video
Notes
- Drain the meat well. Any excess grease will make the dough soggy, so don't skip the paper towel step.
- Roll the biscuits thin. You want them about the thickness of a pie crust so they bake through evenly.
- Don't overfill the biscuits. A spoonful of filling is plenty. Too much and they won't seal properly.
- Press the seams firmly. Make sure the edges are really pinched together so nothing leaks out during baking.
- Serve with warm marinara. A good dipping sauce takes these completely over the top.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Assemble the pizza bites the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Just brush with the butter topping and bake when ready to serve.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to bring back that crispy crust.
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