This garbage bread saved dinner the night I opened my fridge and found random leftover pizza toppings, half a package of pepperoni, some mozzarella, and pizza dough I bought three days ago. Rolled it all up in that dough, baked it, and Oliver declared it better than regular pizza. The name comes from throwing whatever you have into it - like garbage, except it tastes good. Takes about forty minutes start to finish, feeds four people, and you can stuff it with literally anything.
Why You'll Love This Garbage Bread
No measuring a bunch of ingredients or following complicated steps. You roll stuff in dough, bake it, done. Uses whatever's in your fridge - leftover pepperoni from pizza night, that block of cheese you opened last week, jar of pizza sauce that's been sitting there. Nothing goes to waste. Takes about fifteen minutes of hands-on work, then the oven does the rest while you clean up or help with homework. Oliver can help roll it up because there's no hot stove or sharp knives until the very end when you slice it.
Feeds four people from one loaf, or feeds two people dinner with enough left for lunch the next day. Travels way better than pizza - wrap it in foil, throw it in a bag, bring it to a potluck or game night. Doesn't get soggy, doesn't fall apart, stays good at room temperature for a few hours. Reheats better than leftover pizza too. The garbage bread pizza version tastes richer than regular pizza because all that cheese and meat is packed tight instead of spread thin. Every bite has everything in it instead of some bites being just crust.
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Ingredients For Garbage Bread
The Dough:
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for brushing
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Classic Filling:
- 8 oz sliced pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Other Options to Throw In:
- Cooked Italian sausage
- Diced ham or salami
- Sliced mushrooms
- Diced bell peppers
- Sliced black olives
- Cooked bacon pieces
Step by Step Method
Prepare the Dough
- Let pizza dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes
- Roll or stretch dough into rectangle about 12x16 inches on floured surface
- Don't worry about perfect shape - rough rectangle is fine
- Dough should be about ¼ inch thick throughout
Layer the Fillings
- Leave 1-inch border empty around all edges
- Spread pepperoni slices evenly across dough, overlapping slightly
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over pepperoni in thick layer
- Add parmesan cheese over mozzarella
- Scatter any other fillings you're using on top
Roll It Up
- Starting from long side, roll dough tightly like a jelly roll
- Tuck filling back in if it tries to escape the ends
- Pinch seam closed along the length and tuck ends under
- Place seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet
Season and Bake
- Brush top with olive oil using pastry brush
- Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning over top
- Cut 3-4 diagonal slits across top for steam vents
- Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until golden brown
Cool and Slice
- Let rest 5 minutes before cutting or cheese runs everywhere
- Slice into 2-inch thick pieces with sharp knife
- Serve with pizza sauce on the side for dipping
- Eat with your hands while it's still warm
Equipment For Garbage Bread
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush for oil
- Sharp knife for slicing
Tasty Twists on Garbage Bread
Every time I make this, I try something different:
Breakfast Version:
- Scrambled eggs instead of pepperoni
- Cooked breakfast sausage crumbles
- Cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella
- Serve with hot sauce for dipping
Philly Cheesesteak Style:
- Thinly sliced steak cooked with onions and peppers
- Provolone cheese
- Skip the pizza sauce
- Serve with cheese sauce for dipping
Buffalo Chicken:
- Shredded cooked chicken tossed in buffalo sauce
- Ranch dressing drizzled inside
- Cheddar and mozzarella mix
- Blue cheese crumbles on top
Veggie Loaded:
- Sautéed mushrooms, peppers, and onions
- Spinach leaves
- Mozzarella and feta cheese
- Italian seasoning mixed in
Taco Garbage Bread:
- Seasoned ground beef
- Cheddar cheese
- Diced tomatoes and jalapeños
- Serve with sour cream and salsa
Substitutions
Dough Options:
- Pizza dough → Crescent roll dough (flakier texture)
- Store-bought → Homemade pizza dough
- Regular → Whole wheat pizza dough
- Fresh → Thawed frozen bread dough
Cheese Swaps:
- Mozzarella → Provolone (sharper taste)
- Shredded → String cheese pulled apart
- Regular → Italian blend cheese mix
- Whole milk → Part-skim for less grease
Meat Changes:
- Pepperoni → Salami or ham
- Italian sausage → Ground beef (cooked and drained)
- Pork → Turkey pepperoni (less greasy)
- Regular meat → Vegetarian pepperoni
Sauce Alternatives:
- Pizza sauce → Marinara sauce
- Red sauce → Alfredo sauce for white garbage bread
- Jarred → Homemade pizza sauce
- Regular → Pesto for different flavor
Storage Tips
Room Temperature (2-3 hours):
- Keep wrapped in foil if bringing to a party
- Stays good at room temperature for a few hours
- Don't leave out longer or cheese gets weird
- Rewarms easy if it cools down
Fridge Storage (3-4 days):
- Wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap
- Store whole or pre-sliced in container
- Reheat slices in microwave for 30 seconds
- Or rewarm whole loaf in oven at 350°F for 10 minutes
Freezer Storage (2 months):
- Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap
- Place wrapped slices in freezer bag
- Label with date and what's inside
- Thaw overnight in fridge or microwave from frozen
Reheating Tips:
- Oven keeps it crispier than microwave
- Air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes works great
- Microwave makes it softer but faster
- Add fresh pizza sauce for dipping when reheating
Top Tip
- This garbage bread pizza recipe tastes just as good cold as it does hot. Oliver eats leftover slices straight from the fridge for after-school snacks. The cheese firms back up but it's still good, like cold pizza but in bread form.
- Slice the whole thing before storing if you know you'll eat it over several days. Easier to grab one slice and reheat it than sawing through a cold loaf every time you want a piece. Plus individual slices reheat faster and more evenly.
- Don't freeze it with the dipping sauce already on it. Sauce makes the bread soggy when it thaws. Keep sauce separate, freeze just the bread, add fresh sauce when you reheat it. Learned that after thawing a soggy mess that used to be garbage bread.
FAQ
Why is it called garbage bread?
Gets called garbage bread because you throw whatever leftovers or random ingredients you have into it - like garbage, except it tastes good. Not because it's bad food. The name's been around since at least the 1970s when home cooks started rolling pizza toppings into bread dough to use up leftovers.
What is another name for garbage bread?
Some people call it stromboli, pizza bread, or stuffed bread. Stromboli is the most common other name, though technically stromboli is a specific Italian-American dish. Garbage bread is more casual and flexible - you throw in whatever instead of following a recipe.
How to get rid of old bread?
This recipe doesn't use old bread - it uses fresh pizza dough stuffed with toppings. If you have old bread that's stale, make bread pudding, croutons, breadcrumbs, or French toast instead. Don't confuse garbage bread with using up stale bread. Two different things.
Why do they call it peasant bread?
Peasant bread is a different type of bread - a rustic, crusty loaf that's simple to make with basic ingredients. Has nothing to do with garbage bread. The names sound similar because both suggest simple, humble food, but they're completely separate recipes.
Roll It Up and Dig In!
Now you've got everything you need to make garbage bread that doesn't leak all over your pan. From rolling the dough tight to sealing those edges to getting that golden crispy outside, this recipe works once you get the hang of it. Uses whatever's in your fridge, feeds a bunch of people, and tastes better than ordering pizza. Oliver helps me make it now because there's nothing complicated or dangerous about rolling stuff in dough. No hot oil, no sharp knives until the very end, just layering ingredients and rolling them up like a sleeping bag.
Want more recipes that work with what you already have instead of needing a shopping list? Try our Easy Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe that turns honey, mustard, and chicken into something people ask for by name. Just basic pantry stuff you probably own right now. Need something that looks way harder than it is? Our Best Chicken Kiev Recipe has that moment when you cut into it and butter pours out that makes everyone at the table go quiet. Looks good, tastes rich, impresses people who think you can't cook. Craving dessert but don't want to turn on the oven or spend an hour baking? Our The Best Caramel Apple Eclair Cake.
Share your garbage bread! We love seeing what random stuff you rolled up in dough.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rate this recipe and tell us what you stuffed yours with!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Garbage Bread
Garbage Bread
🍳 Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet (Use for baking the bread)
- 1 Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat (Helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier)
- 1 Rolling pin (For rolling out the pizza dough)
- 1 Pastry brush (For brushing olive oil on top of the bread)
- 1 Sharp knife (For slicing the bread after baking)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Pizza Dough - Use fresh or thawed frozen dough.
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil - For brushing the bread.
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder - To season the top of the bread.
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning - To season the top of the bread.
- 8 oz Pepperoni - Classic pizza filling.
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese - Cheese filling for the bread.
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese - Adds flavor to the cheese filling.
- ½ cup Pizza Sauce - For spreading on the dough (optional).
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes - Adds a little spice to the filling.
- Other Fillings - Optional: sausage, ham, mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, bacon, etc.
Instructions
- Let the pizza dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Roll or stretch it out on a floured surface into a 12x16-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
- Leave a 1-inch border around the edges of the dough. Spread the pepperoni slices evenly on the dough, then add a thick layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top and add any other fillings (like sausage, mushrooms, or veggies) you desire.
- Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough like a jelly roll. Pinch the seam to seal it and tuck the ends under the loaf. Place the loaf seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush the top of the loaf with olive oil using a pastry brush. Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning on top. Cut 3-4 diagonal slits on the top to allow steam to escape. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let the bread rest for about 5 minutes to prevent the cheese from spilling out. Then, slice it into 2-inch thick pieces using a sharp knife. Serve with pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
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