Pizza Sausage Rolls wrapped in bagel-style dough and filled with Italian chicken sausage, marinara and mozzarella are a playful, family-friendly twist on classic pizza flavors. These rolls work well as an appetizer, snack, school lunch, or a simple weeknight dinner. You can make the dough from scratch using a Greek yogurt bagel recipe or substitute store-bought pizza dough for an even quicker version.

Pizza Sausage Rolls

These pizza-style sausage rolls combine familiar Italian ingredients — tomato sauce, melted cheese and sausage — inside a tender, slightly chewy bagel dough. Using chicken Italian sausage cuts the fat and calories compared with traditional pork sausage, and the Greek yogurt in the dough adds protein and moisture. They are easy to prepare and versatile: make them as individual rolls for dipping, or slice each roll into smaller pieces for sharing.

Are sausage rolls healthy?

Traditional sausage rolls can be high in fat and calories, mostly because of the sausage and heavy pastry. To make a lighter version, use chicken Italian sausage rather than pork and a yogurt-based bagel dough instead of buttery puff pastry. The dough here uses non-fat Greek yogurt for added protein and a pleasant texture. For even lighter sides, serve the rolls with a large green salad or roasted vegetables.

How to make Pizza Sausage Rolls

These baked sausage rolls are straightforward to assemble. The basic process is:

Prepare the bagel-style dough (or use store-bought pizza dough).
Divide the dough into four equal portions and roll each into a circle about 5½ inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
Spread pizza sauce down the middle of each circle, add a slice of cheese and one halved chicken sausage link.
Wrap the dough around the sausage, seal the edges, brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until golden.

Ingredients

For the bagel dough

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (about 5 oz). For a gluten-free option, cup4cup can be used instead of all-purpose flour.
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (should be thick)
1 egg white, beaten (or a whole egg, if preferred)
Sesame seeds for topping (optional)

For the filling

2 raw chicken Italian sausage links (about 3 oz total), each halved lengthwise
4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
8 teaspoons pizza sauce or marinara, plus extra marinara for serving if desired

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If using parchment, lightly spray with oil to prevent sticking.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the Greek yogurt and stir with a fork or spatula until the mixture comes together in small crumbles.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently about 12–20 times until the dough is tacky but not sticky. If it sticks to your hands add a dusting of flour.
Divide the dough into four equal balls. Working with one ball at a time, roll it into a 5½-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread about 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce down the center of the circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Place one slice of cheese over the sauce and lay half a sausage link lengthwise on top.
Bring both sides of the dough up around the sausage, wrapping one side over the other to seal. Press the seam together so it stays closed and place seam-side down on the prepared sheet pan.
Repeat with the remaining dough, sauce, cheese and sausage.
Brush each roll with the beaten egg white (or whole egg), sprinkle sesame seeds on top if using, and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the dough is golden and cooked through.
Allow the rolls to rest 5 minutes, then slice each roll into 5–6 pieces for serving. Serve warm with extra marinara for dipping.

Serving suggestions

These sausage rolls pair nicely with a simple green salad, roasted vegetables or baked zucchini sticks for a balanced meal. As a snack or party appetizer, slice each roll into smaller rounds and serve with bowls of marinara for dipping. They also travel well and are easy to pack for lunches.

Notes

*I have not fully tested this recipe with gluten-free flour blends, but I have used cup4cup successfully for the bagel-style dough in other recipes. If you use a gluten-free flour, consider adding an extra 5 minutes to the bake time and watch for a golden color as a guide.

Yield and timing

Yield: 4 rolls (serve as 4 individual servings)
Serving size: 1 roll
Prep time: about 20 minutes
Cook time: about 30 minutes
Total time: about 50 minutes

Nutrition (per roll)

Calories: 302 kcal
Protein: 22 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fat: 10 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Sodium: 957 mg

More recipes with Greek yogurt dough

5-Ingredient Bagels made with Greek yogurt
Mini pizza bites using the same dough
Easy garlic knots
Everything bagel pigs in a blanket
Stuffed bagel balls