The Scoop
Garlic Bread Casserole combines cozy garlic, cheese, and pepperoni into an easy, satisfying dish.
Garlic Bread Casserole was born during one of the less glamorous phases of my career. After a particularly exhausting week organizing a neighborhood art fair, I craved something easy yet comforting, a far cry from the stressed-out takeout I had been surviving on. I found myself eyeing the odds and ends in my pantry—premade pizza dough and that almost-empty pizza sauce jar hiding behind a tower of canned goods. Inspiration struck like a warm hug. I melted some butter, added heaps of garlic, and whisked in parsley, realizing this could be the super cozy dish to anchor a weekend spent recovering.
As the scent of garlic and Italian seasoning wafted from the oven, I knew I had something special. Layering it with softened cream cheese and a generous hand of mozzarella seemed like a necessity more than an indulgence. A sprinkle of crushed red pepper added just the right kick. The final flourish came from the pepperoni, tucked under little pillows of pizza dough brushed with the garlic butter mix. I discovered that letting the whole thing sit for a few minutes after baking ensured clean, satisfying slices.
That art fair weekend taught me about self-care in the kitchen. This dish has since become a staple for lazy Saturdays, loved for its beautiful mess of flavors and textures. It's a reminder that sometimes, the best ideas come when you mix a handful of familiar ingredients with just a bit of creativity.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or basil, chopped
- 4 cups mozzarella, shredded and divided
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated and divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce
- 1 (6-16ounce) package pepperoni slices, not mini
- 2 (14.1-ounce) packages premade pizza dough
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, the garlic, and the parsley.
- In a large bowl, beat together 2 cups of the mozzarella, the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the parmesan, the Italian seasoning, the red pepper flakes, and the black pepper.
- Spread the cheese mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish.
- Spread the pizza sauce over the cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle the sauce layer with the remaining mozzarella.
- Top the mozzarella layer with the pepperoni.
- Divide the pizza dough into sections, making as many sections as there are pepperoni slices.
- Roll the dough sections into balls and place each ball on a pepperoni slice.
- Brush each dough ball with the butter mixture.
- Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining parmesan.
- Bake until the pizza dough is golden brown and cooked through and the pizza dip is bubbly, about 35-45 minutes.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve.
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