I first threw together Garbage Bread on a chaotic game night, facing a fridge full of leftover odds and ends and a hungry crowd. As I rolled pizza dough around a jumble of cooked sausage, peppers, and melty cheese, the scent of savory herbs and baking bread began to fill my kitchen. When I pulled the golden, stuffed loaf from the oven and sliced it open, revealing a molten, cheesy interior, the reaction was pure, happy silence followed by a chorus of “what is this?!” It’s the glorious, no-judgment solution that transforms random bits into the most exciting, shareable meal imaginable.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will adore this recipe because it’s the delicious, forgiving answer to the “what’s for dinner?” puzzle. It offers total creative freedom, using up whatever you have, with guaranteed crowd-pleasing results every single time. It’s fun to assemble, incredibly portable, and the final product—a golden, handheld loaf oozing with cheesy, savory goodness—feels like a culinary triumph with minimal effort. Whether you’re feeding a family on a busy weeknight or need a show-stopping party appetizer, this one-handed wonder delivers on flavor, fun, and the wonderful feeling of making something spectacular from simplicity.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), thawed if frozen
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Olive oil, for sautéing
The beauty here is in the customization, but a few choices are key. The pizza dough is your canvas; a fresh, room-temperature ball is easiest to work with. For the meat, I love Italian sausage for its built-in fennel and spice, but ground beef, chicken, or even pepperoni work great. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese if you can help it. I know it’s convenient, but block cheese you shred yourself melts so much creamier and doesn’t have the anti-caking agents that can make sauces grainy. That 1/2 cup of pizza sauce spread on the dough is non-negotiable—it keeps the bread moist and infuses every bite with flavor. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.(See the next page below to continue…)