Homemade Pizza Bread with Quick Marinara Sauce

This homemade pizza bread works with either homemade or store-bought dough and sauce. It makes an impressive centerpiece for pizza night, tailgating, or movie night. The marinara is thickened with a simple trick so the braid doesn’t get soggy and the flavor concentrates beautifully.

If you like variations, try the creamy vodka sauce or the pepperoni bread using the same dough. For more ideas, see the appetizer recipes collection.

Easy Pizza Bread, at a Glance

✅ Skill Level: Intermediate
✅ Skills: Pizza Dough, Ladder Braid, Proofing and Baking
✅ Type: Appetizer / Stuffed Bread
✅ Ingredients: 8 (dough), 6 (filling), 2 (sauce)
✅ Shortcut: Use Ready-Made Pizza Dough
✅ Prep Time: 1 hour
✅ Cold Rise: 12–24 hours
✅ Cook Time: 30 minutes
✅ Yield: about 16 slices

Jump Straight to the Recipe

How To Concentrate Flavor in Store-Bought Pasta Sauce

If you start with jarred marinara, extra water can make the filling soggy. To thicken and concentrate the sauce quickly:

• Dampen a large coffee filter and set it inside a deep glass or wide-mouth jar. Fold the edges of the filter back around the rim so it forms a cuff.
• Pour the sauce into the filter and allow it to drain for 10–15 minutes. Discard any liquid that collects in the bottom of the jar.

This leaves you with a thicker sauce that won’t over-moisten the braid. If you don’t have square filters, you can smooth a basket filter into a fine mesh strainer and let it drain over a bowl.

How to Make Pizza Bread

If you’re comfortable with yeast dough you can skip to the recipe below. Otherwise, here’s a concise overview.

The filling is simple: layer your chosen pizza ingredients down the center of the dough. You can use any favorite toppings, or follow the ingredient list in the recipe.

The dough uses a modified straight-dough method:

1. Combine lukewarm water, salt, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl).
2. Add the flour and seasonings, then mix on low to bring the dough together. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon or dough whisk.
3. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead about 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy. If kneading by hand, work the dough on a lightly floured surface but avoid adding too much extra flour.
4. Coat a large zip-top bag with oil, place the dough inside, seal, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours to develop flavor and slow yeast fermentation.

After the chill, divide the dough in half and roll each portion into a roughly 10″ x 12″ rectangle. Place the filling down the center third, then cut strips from each long edge and cross them over the filling in an alternating pattern to create a ladder braid.

Let the loaves rest 20–60 minutes, then bake until golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing and serve warm with extra marinara for dipping.

Questions?

If you have questions about the recipe, leave a comment on the post or email the author. There’s also a Facebook group for community help and tips.

A Note About Measurements

Recipes on this site are written by weight when possible for accuracy. A kitchen scale is recommended for reliable and consistent results.

Using a scale speeds up prep and cleanup and improves final results in baking.

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Homemade Pizza Bread Recipe

Jennifer Field

Perfect for a party or game day. Use a rich store-bought sauce both inside the braid and for dipping. This customizable recipe yields two 12″ loaves (about 16 servings).

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 30 mins

Fridge Time 12 hrs

Total Time 13 hrs 30 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Servings 16 servings

Calories 297 kcal

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 8 oz lukewarm water (1 cup)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 13 oz bread flour (about 3 cups)
• 1/4–1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Several grindings of black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

For the Filling

• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought is fine; drain to concentrate)
• 12–16 slices fresh mozzarella, about 1/4″ thick
• 28–32 slices sopressata, salami, or pepperoni
• 1 cup shredded Provolone
• 4–5 Tablespoons drained sliced black olives
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

For the Dipping Sauce

• 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought is fine; drain to concentrate)
• 2 Tablespoons shredded mozzarella or Provolone for topping

Instructions

For the Dough

• In a stand mixer bowl, combine water, olive oil, and salt and stir until the salt dissolves.
• Add flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and Parmesan.
• Fit the mixer with the dough hook and mix on low until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
• Knead on medium speed about 10 minutes until the dough is very smooth and elastic and clears the bowl.
• Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a zip-top bag, form the dough into a smooth ball, place it in the bag, coat with oil, seal, and refrigerate 12–24 hours.

For the Filling and Assembly

• Set a moistened coffee filter inside a deep glass or jar, fold the edges back, and carefully pour in the measured marinara. Allow it to drain 10–15 minutes and discard any collected liquid.
• Assemble your toppings so they’re easy to reach. Remove dough from the fridge and cut it in half. Roll one half into about a 10″ x 12″ rectangle; keep the other half covered.
• Slice the long sides of the rectangle into 3/4″ strips about 2½” deep, leaving a center strip uncut for the filling.
• Layer the filling ingredients down the center strip, using small amounts of sauce between layers to prevent sliding. Example: sauce, fresh mozzarella, sauce, sopressata, sauce, Provolone, sauce, olives, sauce, shredded mozzarella.
• Braid by alternating strips from each side, pulling each strip up and over the filling and angling toward the unfinished end to create a neat ladder braid.
• Repeat with the second dough half. Place loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets, cover, and let rest 20–60 minutes (longer rest yields a puffier loaf).
• Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes, then slice and serve warm with the dipping sauce.

For the Dipping Sauce

• Drain the second portion of marinara as above. Heat the sauce in a microwave-safe bowl until hot, about 1 minute depending on your microwave, sprinkle with grated cheese, and microwave another 20 seconds to melt.
• Serve warm for dipping.

Notes

Use thin layers of sauce between ingredients to prevent slipping. This open-braid loaf will likely leak a bit of cheese while baking — consider that a tasty bonus. Prep time excludes the inactive fridge rise. The recipe makes two loaves; nutritional info is for one-eighth of a loaf.

Shortcut: You can start with a store-bought ball of pizza dough if you’re short on time.

Nutrition

Calories: 297 kcal
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 16 g
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 41 mg
Sodium: 1084 mg
Potassium: 293 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 2 g

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