12 Recipes That Start With a Ball of Pizza Dough (2024)

In The Kitchen
Recipe Collections

From savory breakfasts to sweet treats, ready-made pizza dough does a lot more than just support cheese and pepperoni.

Robin Shreeves

Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated December 13, 2023

Maybe you passed by the fresh balls of pizza dough in the grocery store and grabbed one on a whim and now you need inspiration. Maybe you made a double batch of dough a while back and have half of it in your freezer. Or maybe you just feel like being creative today.

Having a ball of pizza dough to use doesn't mean you have to make a classic pizza. With these 12 recipes, you can get creative—from breakfast pizza to calzones to sweet monkey bread. Or go pizza-ish with calzone, stromboli, or pepperoni rolls.

12 Recipes That Start With a Ball of Pizza Dough (3)

Each of these recipes works with store-bought dough or homemade dough. If you're new to making your dough, I suggest starting with no-knead pizza dough recipe or no-knead whole wheat pizza dough to take the intimidation out of the process.

Easy Stuffed Stromboli
Stromboli is so simple to make and such a crowd-pleaser. Roll ham, salami, provolone, and mozzarella in pizza dough and bake until the dough is cooked through and golden and the cheese is gooey and melted. You can serve tomato sauce for dipping, but it's not necessary.
Get Recipe
Homemade Bagel Dogs
Trade your hot dog buns for pizza dough to make these bagel dogs. Yes, I know pizza dough isn't the same as bagel dough, but this recipe allows you to use either. To make them more bagel-like, top them with everything bagel seasoning.
Get Recipe
Garlic Knots
Tie strips of pizza dough in knots. Brush with olive oil. Let them proof. Bake. Then brush a garlicky butter sauce on the still-warm knots. Make more than you think you'll need because everyone loves them.
Get Recipe
Cheeseburger Pizza
Pizza that tastes like a cheeseburger. Why not? Instead of putting ground beef, "special sauce," cheese, pickles, and tomato on a bun, put them on pizza dough. Once you get the idea, you can have whatever kind of cheeseburger pizza you want—add bacon, onions, mushrooms, or any other favorite topping.
Get Recipe
Continue to 5 of 12 below.
Pepperoni Rolls
Pepperoni rolls are so simple and hard to resist. The yeast dough bakes up soft and fluffy. True West Virginia-style pepperoni rolls are made with a soft roll dough, but pizza dough will work nicely as a stand-in. The pepperoni soaks the dough with greasy, salty deliciousness. Make these at least once. I promise they'll be a hit.
See Also
The Top Ten New Low-Carb Recipes of 2016 from Kalyn's Kitchen
Get Recipe
Greek Pizza
Shake up pizza night with the flavors of Greece. Add the grilled potatoes plus olives, feta, zucchini, and tomatoes to the dough and grill until the crust is crispy and the toppings are warmed through.
Get Recipe
Pepperoni Calzones
Stuff pizza dough with pepperoni, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella cheese. Bake them until golden brown. Serve jarred marinara on the side for dipping. The hardest thing about these pockets of goodness is waiting for them to cool off enough so you don't burn your mouth with the hot filling.
Get Recipe
Pickle Pizza
You'll never look at dill pickle slices the same after you taste what they can do as the star of a pizza. The pickles go on top of a layer of freshly made garlic dill sauce. Then add a layer of mozzarella, Parmesan, more pickles, and fresh dill. The combination of sour pickles, savory cheese, and pizza crust can't be beat.
Get Recipe
Continue to 9 of 12 below.
Easy Cinnamon Monkey Bread
This recipe comes from Trader Joe's test kitchen, and it's super quick and easy. You need just a handful of ingredients to make warm, gooey, monkey bread: fresh pizza dough, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, butter, and vanilla. The sum is exactly as delicious as its parts suggest.
Get Recipe
Taco Pizza
If you've ever switched up your taco night by making our one-pot taco pasta, you know that traditional tacos can inspire other taco-like configurations, including pizza. Refried beans, seasoned ground beef, Mexican cheese, and black olives top the pizza. After baking add salsa, scallions, shredded lettuce, and sour cream to complete the taco vibe.
Get Recipe
Sausage Rolls
Cut the pizza dough into strips to wrap around pieces of cooked fresh porksausage links. These rolls are great for potlucks or snacks while watching the game. Serve with plenty of yellow or Dijon mustard for dipping.
Get Recipe
Breakfast Pizza with Cheddar, Bacon, and Eggs
When you think of eggs and bacon, you probably picture a breakfast plate with the duo along with a slice of toast. Breakfast pizza is like that but it turns pizza dough into the bread of choice and adds cheese and tomatoes. Great for a lazy weekend brunch or even dinner.
Get Recipe