Italian Sausage Bread
"This is an appetizer that my husband's Italian grandmother used to make when he was a kid. When we married, he made it for my family at the holidays and now it's our most requested dish. It's so easy and everyone will think you slaved over it. This recipe makes two loaves, and trust me, you'll want to make both. Grandma Tallini makes her own bread dough of course, and you can too, but I find pizza dough from the local pizzeria or from the supermarket deli works just as good and saves me a lot of time. Same thing goes for the marinara."
photo by Jonathan Melendez
- Ready In:
- 1hr 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Yields:
-
2 loaves
- Serves:
- 4-6
ingredients
- 1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage (links are fine, just take them out of the casings)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1⁄4 cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (white or yellow)
- salt and pepper
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 pizza dough, balls
- 1 egg white
- 2 cups marinara sauce (for dipping)
directions
- Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil, set aside.
- Melt butter in a large skillet, add onions, salt, pepper and parsley. Cook onions until they are translucent, then add the garlic. Cook the onions until they are carmelized.
- Remove the onions to a bowl, leaving the extra butter in the pan.
- Put the sausage into pan and chop it into bite sized chunks. Cook the sausage until it is browned.
- Add the onions back to the pan with the sausage and cover with a lid. Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. DO NOT let it burn.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.
- Flour a surface and roll out one dough ball with a rolling pin until it is the size of a large pizza. Try not to let it get any thin spots or holes.
- When the sausage mixture is finished, use a slotted spoon to scoop half of it onto the dough and spread it evenly over the surface. You will save the other half for the second dough. Cover with a layer of half the shredded mozzarella.
- Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll, but tuck in the ends like a burrito before you get to the end of the roll.
- Lay it with the flap down on the cookie sheet and brush with the egg white.
- Bake in the oven until golden brown, approximately 25-30 minutes. After baking, let the bread rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Repeat process for second loaf.
- Slice and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Questions & Replies
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Please! Does anyone know the Italian name for this sausage bread? I grew up with it, but I forgot it! I'm sure there are many, from different regions, so all are welcome! Thank you! -
Can you substitute mushrooms for sausage and if you can what else in the recipe would need to change. What type of mushrooms would you suggest? -
Can I bake and freeze this ahead of time? -
How do I print the recipe from my phone? -
can this be made ahead and baked the next day
Reviews
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I have made sausage bread for many years. I am also from Utica,ny! I would not use butter to cook the onions and garlic. Sausage has enough fat already. Cook the sausage and then drain it on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan and then add chopped onion and green peppers if you like them. I have never added garlic. Mozzarella can be used or blended pizza cheese but cut back on the amount. I use about 1 cup. This recipe will taste a lot better without butter! -
It must be a Northeast thing! I am from Utica area, but have reduced the mozzarella by a cup; added provolone and Romano (or Parmesan). Some family members don't like the onions so that gets left out... they have to tolerate the garlic (that I insist has to be). -
This has been THE staple appetizer since I was a kid. So yummy! I tweak it a bit sometimes and extras..(pepperoni, mushrooms etc..) A client of mine (from Utica, NY) suggested ommting 1/3 of mozzarella for American cheese( weird, I know) and pouring the left over grease, sausage bits and all, over the roll before placing it in the oven. Loved it as is before, but these lil tweaks were a definite game changer
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I loved this recipe so much! It's really addicting, could not stop eating it. It makes a ton and you'll be glad it does because it's that good! -
This is one of my favorite things from the holidays in Connecticut. My favorite variation is sausage and spinach, and I like to make it with a softer dough. I divide the dough for two loaves into six pieces, roll as directed, then braid three pieces per loaf like you would challah. I might switch it up and do a loaf w/one part of the braid being sausage, one spinach & cheese, and one just cheese. (How good does that sound?!) I'm a Texan girl, and tamales are king during the Christmas/New Year season, but mannnnn, do I ever love this bread! Thanks for your recipe!
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Tweaks
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To make it with a little Mexican flair, add half a bag of taco seasoning and use Mexican cheese blend. Serve with salsa and marinera mixed together.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Faux Chef Lael
Meridian, Idaho
I'm an artist and I work from home, so I love to have the smell of something delicious cooking in the background while I'm working. Cooking is the way that I show love to my family and friends -- I get that from my Southern grandma, who always made amazing meals for our large extended family. Since I learned to cook from her, I always end up making meals that could feed a small army. Down home, old fashioned, comfort foods that make lots of leftovers are my specialty.
I love to eat any kind of ethnic food but I'm just learning to cook from different cultures. My favorite place in the world is New Orleans, so I love to make Cajun and Creole food. I call myself the Faux Chef because I don't have the talent to be a chef but I try really hard. My problem is, I never measure anything (thanks, Grandma!) which makes me TERRIBLE at baking.
