13 Recipes That Use Pizza Dough—Besides Pizza

No pizza sauce? No problem. Give these inventive recipes a spin and make sticky buns or spinach pie instead.

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Photo: Lennart Weibull

If you're wondering what to do with pizza dough, we're here to help. Whether your dough is homemade, store-bought, fresh, or frozen, the possibilities for what to do with it are endless—and certainly not limited to pizza. Our favorite uses for pizza dough include everything from spinach pies to sticky buns and calzones. Use these recipes as a jumping off point the next time you find yourself with some leftover dough and are craving something different.

01 of 13

Smoked Salmon Flatbread

Smoked-Salmon Flatbread with Pickled Beet
Jenny Huang

Simultaneously light and satisfying, this brunch showstopper combines a few store-bought shortcuts like pizza dough and a spreadable garlic-herb cheese for an elegant entree. 

02 of 13

Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket

Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket
Kirsten Francis

A springform pan is the secret to this fun twist on pigs in a blanket, which requires only a ball of pizza dough and a package of hot dogs. Set out a few types of mustard or whip up your favorite dipping sauce for serving alongside. 

03 of 13

Spinach Slab Pie

spinach-feta pizza slab pie
Linda Pugliese

If you love spanakopita but don't want to hassle with phyllo dough, this recipe is for you. A cheesy spinach filling is layered between two slabs of pizza dough for a Greek-inspired meal with only 25 minutes of prep time.

04 of 13

Brown Sugar and Pecan Sticky Buns

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Start the weekend off right with this decadent recipe for sticky buns. The key to the rich and tender dough? Working a bit of butter into it before assembling the rolls. 

05 of 13

Cheesy Soppressata Pull-Apart Bread

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Lennart Weibull

All you need to make this delicious, pull-apart oven bread is four ingredients: a pound of pizza dough, soppressata, mozzarella, and some flour for dusting. Spicy honey is an optional serving topping or dip, and it all comes together in an hour, thanks to the help of some kitchen shears that snip pockets for your cheese and meat.

06 of 13

Spiced Lamb Pie

spiced lamb pie
Lennart Weibull

This flexible recipe lets you opt for either store-bought or homemade dough. The result is pide (pronounced pea-deh), a sort of Turkish version of pizza featuring ground, spiced lamb. Serve with spiced red onion, fresh mint leaves, and pine nuts for a flavorful and refreshing treat.

07 of 13

Pizza Sandwiches

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Using pre-made pizza dough for the bread in this sandwich makes it a snap. Don’t have fresh tomatoes? These pizza sandwiches can be made with sun-dried-tomato pesto instead. An adaptable recipe, you can also sub in mushrooms and olives for soppressata.

08 of 13

Garlic and Rosemary Knots

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Rosemary and garlic waft savory aromas throughout your house and make for a gourmet garlic knot that can’t be beat (if you prefer yours without rosemary, try this recipe). Making the knots is fairly easy, especially when you swap in pizza dough for the potato roll dough recipe. Plus, tying up the knots is a relaxing and fun way to spend your time in the kitchen. Serve at parties or as a dinner appetizer.

09 of 13

Sausage and Roasted Pepper Calzone

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Mike Krautter

Is a calzone a folded pizza, or is it something entirely transformative? Either way, we’re loving this crumbled golden-brown deliciousness wrapped up in a package of pizza dough. Bake these pockets of sweet Italian sausage on a pizza stone for maximum crispiness.

10 of 13

Nutella Banana Pockets

nutella and banana pockets served on a green plate
Lennart Weibull

Pizza dough for dessert? Yes, and it couldn’t be easier. Bake the dough, then slice it open and stuff it with Nutella (or your spread of choice) and banana slices. Finally, a way to use that leftover pizza dough and the bananas over-ripening on your kitchen counter. Take this recipe as inspiration for other desserts, stuffing your dough with jam, cream, nut butters, chocolate, and fruits.

11 of 13

Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

khachapuri sitting on white cutting board with knife
Bryan Gardner

If you’ve never experienced the wonder that is fluffy, melty Georgian cheese bread, follow this recipe for a brunch showstopper. In a rush, sub in pizza dough for the bread, and add feta, mozzarella, eggs, and unsalted butter. The cheesy, eggy center makes for the perfect dip.

12 of 13

Classic Calzone

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Four ingredients, plus salt, translate into this magic packet of on-the-go goodness. Pack this calzone for picnics, bike rides, concerts, and potlucks. With its rich slices of salami and mozzarella snuggled into baked dough with marinara, this is a convenient and tasty way to use pizza dough. Plus, we’ve got variations:  Mushroom-ArtichokeBroccoli-HamSpinach-CheeseChicken-Pear, and yes, even dessert: Chocolate-Walnut.

13 of 13

Broccoli, Tomato, and Mozzarella Stromboli

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This recipe lies at the nexus of easy and healthy, and we love it for a Friday night family dinner. Stretch your dough into ovals, then top with broccoli (yes, you can use frozen chopped broccoli) and top with mozzarella, salami, and marinara. Roll up, brush, and bake, then serve with a salad for a complete crowd-pleaser.

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