Sausage Stuffed Pizza Pockets
Sausage-Stuffed Pizza Pockets bring together classic pizza flavors in a handheld bake filled with Italian sausage wrapped in soft pizza dough. Each pocket bakes until golden and slightly crisp on the outside while staying warm and cheesy inside. They work well for casual dinners, party trays, or game day snacks served with extra marinara on the side.
Equipment
- Medium skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Baking sheet (rimmed)
- Pastry brush
- Rolling Pin
- Knife and cutting board
- Fork for sealing edges
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for brushing baking sheet
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 medium green pepper diced
- 6 oz Italian sausage casings removed
- 10 oz pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 cup marinara sauce homemade or store-bought
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- 1 medium egg beaten
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables become soft and translucent, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add Italian sausage and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking 5-6 minutes or until sausage is cooked through and nicely browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Divide the pizza dough into 8 small balls, and roll each ball out into ½-inch-thick circles.
- Add a spoon of marinara sauce in the center of the pizza circle, followed by a spoon of the sausage mixture, and finally top with cheese and fresh basil.
- Fold the dough in half on top of itself and use a fork to seal the edges. Repeat this process with the remaining 7 dough balls.
- Transfer the pizza pockets to the prepared baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Bake until the dough is golden brown and slightly puffed, approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve with the remaining marinara as a dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dough thickness matters. Roll the pizza dough to about ½-inch thick so the pockets hold their shape and do not tear while sealing.
- Drain excess grease. If the sausage releases a lot of fat while cooking, drain slightly before assembling the pockets to prevent soggy dough.
- Do not overfill. Overfilling makes sealing difficult and can cause leaks while baking.
- Seal tightly. Press the edges firmly with a fork to keep the filling contained during baking.
- Cool before serving. Let the pizza pockets rest about 10 minutes so the filling sets and does not spill out when bitten.
- Warm marinara sauce makes an excellent dipping sauce for these pizza pockets.
