Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread | with garlic butter

This cheesy pepperoni bread recipe is super easy to make and makes the perfect side or snack for any day! My pepperoni stuffed cheesy bread makes a great finger food for game days movie nights, and more. It’s also a great side for soups and pasta! 

I’m back with another cheesy bread recipe, I shared my roasted garlic and parmesan cheesy bread recipe last autumn.

I’m actually surprised it’s taken me this long to share another cheesy bread recipe. Let’s just say I have a soft spot for bread, and cheese, and cheese breads. And this is just one of many on the list of cheesy bread recipes I have.

But out of all of the cheesy breads I’ve ever made, or tried, I have to say this is my favorite one! Gooey cheese, garlic butter, and zesty pepperoni slices stuffed into a fresh loaf of bread, what’s not to love?

Though I have to admit you can thank my younger siblings for the recipe, more than me. Anyone with siblings can tell you, it doesn’t matter how old you get, or that they never admit to liking your food. Once they find out you can cook, they will forever be suggesting and sending you recipes to try. 

This easy pepperoni bread is actually a copycat recipe of sorts. One of the grocery stores around us used to sell a pepperoni bread, one that had pepperoni baked into the dough and had cheese melted on top. It was pretty good, and ever since they stopped selling it, my younger siblings have been bagging me to make some at home. 

This isn’t exactly the recipe I promised them. I played around with a few different ideas, ranging from sourdough to making a version with homemade pizza dough.

Then it hit me, I already had an amazing cheesy garlic bread recipe, so why not just add some pepperoni and of course more cheese to it?

Well, that’s exactly what I did.  And this bread just so happens to be one of the best and most addictive recipes I’ve ever made. Serve this pepperoni bread with a side of marinara sauce and watch it disappear in a matter of seconds! 

Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread

Ingredients

For the garlic butter

• unsalted butter
• sea salt
• garlic, minced, you can also garlic powder
• dried or fresh parsley. You can also use Italian seasoning  

For the pepperoni bread

• uncut loaf of bread, be sure to use a larger crusty loaf of bread, I like to use sourdough or Italian bread. But you can also use French bread, a French baguette, or your favorite homemade loaf!
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• shredded parmesan cheese
• pepperoni slices, plus extra for putting on top of the bread.  

How To Make Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread

In a small saucepan melt the butter, once it is hot and bubbly add the garlic and parsley. Cook stirring often until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

Place your uncut loaf of bread on a cutting board, then with a sharp knife, cut the bread  3/4 of way down into 1-inch diagonal slices. (see notes for how to cut your bread into bite-sized pieces!) 

Place the cut bread on your prepared baking sheet.

Then use your figures to create some space between each slice, and drizzle the garlic butter into each space. It might seem like a lot of butter, but be sure to use all of it!

Carefully stuff the gap between each slice with pepperoni slices, I layered mine against one side of each slice to leave room for the cheese. Then stuff each slice with shredded mozzarella cheese. Be sure to leave a little mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top of the bread! 

Cover the loaf loosely with a large piece of aluminum foil, and place the bread in your preheated oven. And bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the foil and layer any remaining slices of pepperoni over the top of the bread, then sprinkle the parmesan cheese and any remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. Place the bread back in the oven and bake for an additional 5  minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and the edges of the bread are golden brown.

I like to switch my oven to broil at this point to get the cheese on top extra melty and nicely browned, but you can easily skip this step!

Allow the bread to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with your favorite soup or pasta. Or as an appetizer with a side of your favorite marinara sauce, pizza sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

To cut your loaf into bite-sized pieces instead of slices, follow these steps, just keep in mind it will a little harder to stuff your bread this way.  Place your uncut loaf of bread on a cutting board, then with a sharp knife, cut the bread  3/4 of way down into 1-inch diagonal slices. Turn the bread and slice in the opposite direction, creating roughly 1-inch cubes across the top of the bread.

Any leftover bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days! To reheat your garlic bread, wrap the loaf loosely in foil and place it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Be Sure To Check Out These Great Recipes Too!

Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Cheesy Pull-apart Bread

Spicy Jalapeno Cheddar Skillet Cornbread

Jalapeño Pineapple Pepperoni Pizza with BBQ sauce

Mini Heart-Shaped Pepperoni Pizzas