Cheese stuffed sausage bread is a hearty loaf packed with Italian sausage and melted cheese. You hollow out French or Italian bread and fill it with browned sausage, mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan. Then you brush the loaf with garlic butter and bake it at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. The bread crisps up on the outside while the cheese melts into the sausage filling. This creates pull-apart slices that are savory, cheesy, and impossible to resist. The combination of seasoned meat, gooey cheese, and buttery garlic bread hits every comfort food craving.

The whole process takes 40 minutes from start to finish. You brown the sausage with onions and garlic first so it’s fully seasoned and flavorful. Then you layer it with cheese inside the hollowed bread loaf. The garlic butter seeps into every crack and crevice while it bakes. This turns the crust golden and aromatic. This stuffed sausage bread serves 8 to 10 people and works as a game day appetizer or weeknight dinner. It disappears fast at gatherings, so consider making two loaves if you’re feeding a crowd.

What Makes Cheese Stuffed Sausage Bread Different from Regular Stuffed Bread

Cheese stuffed sausage bread stands out because it treats the loaf as a vessel for a complete savory filling. Unlike garlic bread or simple cheese bread, you hollow out a channel down the center. Then you fill it with fully cooked, seasoned Italian sausage mixed with three types of cheese. This creates a self-contained meal in bread form.

Most stuffed bread recipes use cold ingredients like deli meat and cheese. Those get warmed through during baking. This version starts with hot, browned sausage that releases its rendered fat and seasonings into the cheese as it melts. That fat carries Italian seasoning, garlic, and black pepper throughout the filling. It coats every bite with rich flavor. The sausage also adds texture contrast against the smooth melted cheese. You get something substantial to chew on rather than just gooey dairy.

The bread itself plays a crucial role. French or Italian bread has a sturdy crust that holds up under heavy filling. A pound of meat and 2.5 cups of cheese won’t make it soggy. The interior crumb absorbs the garlic butter and sausage fat. It turns soft and flavorful while the exterior crisps up in the oven. When you slice it, each piece pulls away with stretchy cheese connecting the slices. This creates that satisfying pull-apart effect.

This approach works better than traditional stuffed bread methods. Everything cooks together in one vessel. The cheese melts down into the meat. The butter soaks into the bread. The heat circulates evenly, creating a cohesive dish rather than separate components stacked together.

How to Keep the Bread from Getting Soggy When Stuffing It

Managing moisture at every step prevents soggy cheese stuffed sausage bread. Start with how you prepare the sausage. You need to fully cook the Italian sausage and let excess grease drain off before stuffing. When sausage browns, it releases fat and water. If you stuff that mixture while liquid is still pooling, the bread absorbs it and turns mushy. Drain the cooked sausage in a colander or tilt the skillet and spoon off excess fat. Leave just enough to keep the meat moist and flavorful.

Hollowing out the bread correctly also prevents sogginess. Cut a deep channel down the center of the loaf. Leave at least an inch of bread on the bottom and sides. This creates a barrier between the filling and the crust. Moisture can’t seep through and make the exterior soft. Remove some of the interior crumb to make room for the filling. Don’t over-hollow it though. You want enough bread structure to support the weight of the sausage and cheese. You also need surface area to soak up garlic butter on the inside.

The garlic butter application is your final defense. You brush melted butter mixed with garlic powder, parsley, and paprika on the outside of the loaf. Brush lightly on the cut edges too.

Baking temperature matters too. At 375°F, the bread bakes fast enough that the exterior crisps before the interior gets waterlogged. Lower temperatures give moisture more time to migrate through the bread. This results in soft, potentially soggy texture. Higher temperatures risk burning the crust before the cheese fully melts.

Should You Use Fresh or Pre-Shredded Cheese for Sausage Bread

Fresh shredded cheese from a block performs significantly better than pre-shredded cheese from a bag. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with cellulose or potato starch to prevent clumping. That coating also inhibits melting. This is a problem when you want gooey, stretchy cheese connecting your pull-apart slices. Fresh mozzarella and provolone melt smoothly. They create those long cheese pulls that make this dish visually appealing.

The texture difference is noticeable. Pre-shredded cheese tends to separate when it melts. You get pools of liquid and clumps of solidified cheese instead of cohesive filling. Fresh shredded cheese blends together as it heats. It mixes with the sausage fat and creates a unified filling. You also get better coverage this way. Fresh cheese melts into every gap. Pre-shredded cheese can leave dry spots.

Flavor improves with fresh cheese too. Blocks of mozzarella and provolone have more moisture and milk fat. This translates to richer taste and better mouthfeel. Pre-shredded cheese loses some moisture during processing and storage. This results in a drier, less flavorful product. When you’re building a dish around cheese as a primary ingredient, that difference compounds across every bite.

Pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch though. If convenience is your priority or fresh cheese isn’t available, you can use it. Just expect slightly less dramatic cheese pulls and less cohesive filling. You might also want to add an extra quarter cup to compensate for reduced melting capacity.

The Best Type of Italian Sausage to Use in Stuffed Bread

Hot Italian sausage delivers the best results for cheese stuffed sausage bread. It brings built-in seasoning that stands up to the rich cheese and buttery bread. Hot sausage contains fennel seed, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika in the meat blend. This creates layers of flavor that cut through the heaviness of mozzarella and provolone. The spice level is noticeable but not overwhelming. Once it’s diluted by 2.5 cups of cheese and a full loaf of bread, it balances perfectly.

Mild Italian sausage works perfectly if you’re feeding kids or prefer less heat. It still has fennel and Italian herbs but skips the red pepper. You get savory sausage flavor without any kick. The trade-off is that mild sausage can taste slightly flat when mixed with cheese. You’ll want to boost the seasoning in the filling. Add an extra quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Or increase the Italian seasoning to three-quarters of a teaspoon to compensate.

Sweet Italian sausage is less common for this recipe but can work if that’s what you have. It contains fennel and sometimes a touch of sugar. This creates a slightly sweeter profile that pairs oddly with sharp Parmesan and garlic butter. If you use sweet sausage, balance it by adding more black pepper and garlic to the filling. Skip any optional sugar in the garlic butter mixture.

Loose sausage from a tube or package works fine, but links give you more control over quality. You remove the casings from links before cooking. Then break the meat up as it browns.

Can You Make Cheese Stuffed Sausage Bread Ahead of Time

You can assemble cheese stuffed sausage bread up to 12 hours before baking. This makes it perfect for game day prep or party planning. After you fill the bread with sausage and cheese, brush it with garlic butter. Then wrap the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate it. The cold temperature keeps the butter solid and the cheese from melting prematurely. Everything stays in place until you’re ready to bake.

When you’re ready to cook, remove the wrapped loaf from the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F. This takes the chill off the bread so it doesn’t go into the oven ice cold. That can extend baking time and result in uneven heating. Cold bread from the fridge might need an extra 5 minutes in the oven. Watch for visual cues like golden brown edges and bubbling cheese. Don’t rely strictly on the timer.

If you need to prep further in advance, cook and cool the sausage filling completely. Store it separately from the bread and cheese. Assemble everything the morning of or the night before your event. You can also freeze the assembled loaf for up to two months. Wrap it extremely well in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Toast the Bread Rolls on the Grill

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 375 to 400°F. While the grill heats up, slice your burger buns or Kaiser rolls in half. You want round, sturdy rolls that can hold up to the weight of the sausage and cheese. Avoid soft sandwich buns that will fall apart.

Place the rolls cut-side down directly on the grill grates. Toast them for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown with visible grill marks. Watch them closely since they can burn quickly. The toasting creates a barrier that prevents the bread from getting soggy when you add the cheese and raw sausage. It also adds a smoky, charred flavor that complements the Italian sausage.

Remove the rolls from the grill once they’re golden. Set them on a clean work surface or cutting board. Leave the grill on since you’ll be cooking the assembled rolls next.

Step 2: Hollow Out the Top Half of Each Roll

Take the top half of each toasted roll. Use your fingers to press down and create a shallow bowl shape in the center. Remove some of the soft interior bread to make a cavity that can hold the cheese. You don’t need to hollow it out completely. Just create enough space for 1 to 2 slices of cheese to sit inside.

Leave the walls and bottom thick enough to support the sausage. If you remove too much bread, the structure will collapse under the weight. The rim should be about half an inch thick all the way around. Save the removed bread pieces for another use like breadcrumbs.

The cavity you create is what makes this recipe unique. It holds the cheese in place so it melts directly against the sausage instead of dripping through onto the grill.

Step 3: Add the Cheese to the Hollowed Rolls

Place 1 to 2 slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese inside each hollowed-out top bun. Press the cheese down gently so it fills the cavity. The cheese should sit flush with the rim of the bread or slightly below it. This creates a base for the raw sausage to rest on.

You can also mix cheeses for more flavor. Use one slice of provolone for sharpness and one slice of mozzarella for meltiness. Or add a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan on top of the sliced cheese for extra richness. The key is using cheese that melts smoothly and creates good stretch.

The cheese acts as insulation between the raw sausage and the bread. As the sausage cooks on the grill, it releases fat and moisture. The cheese absorbs this and stays gooey while protecting the bread from getting soggy.

Step 4: Press Raw Sausage onto the Cheese-Filled Rolls

Take your Italian sausage and remove it from the casings if using links. Divide the raw sausage into portions, roughly 3 to 4 ounces per roll. Form each portion into a thick patty shape with your hands. Make the patty slightly larger than the diameter of your bun since it will shrink as it cooks.

Press the raw sausage patty firmly onto the cheese-filled top bun. Push it down so it adheres to the cheese and fills the cavity completely. The sausage should cover the entire surface and mound slightly above the rim of the bread. Press it down around the edges to seal it against the bread.

Season the top of the raw sausage with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. You can also add crushed red pepper if you want extra heat. The seasoning on top will create a flavorful crust as the sausage cooks on the grill.

Step 5: Grill the Sausage-Topped Rolls

Place the sausage-topped rolls on the grill, sausage-side up. Close the grill lid. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, checking occasionally. You want the sausage to cook through completely and develop a dark, caramelized crust. The internal temperature should reach 160°F for pork sausage.

The cheese underneath will melt from the heat of the sausage and the grill. It will bubble up around the edges of the meat. If you see flare-ups from dripping fat, move the rolls to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat slightly.

Don’t flip the rolls. The sausage cooks from the top while the bread stays protected on the bottom. If the sausage is browning too fast before cooking through, move the rolls to indirect heat. Close the lid and let them cook for a few extra minutes until done.

The bottom bun halves can be warmed on the grill during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Place them cut-side down on the grates briefly to toast them.

Step 6: Add Herb Topping and Assemble

While the rolls finish cooking, prepare your herb topping. Finely chop fresh parsley, dice some raw onion, and mince a clove of garlic. You can also add diced bell peppers or jalapeños for color and heat. Mix these together in a small bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Once the sausage is fully cooked and browned, remove the rolls from the grill. Immediately spoon the herb topping over the hot sausage. The residual heat will soften the onions and garlic slightly while keeping them fresh and bright. The herbs add a pop of color and fresh flavor that cuts through the richness of the sausage and cheese.

Place each sausage-topped bun on its corresponding bottom half. Serve immediately while hot. The cheese will be at peak gooeyness and will stretch when you pull the halves apart. You can also serve these open-faced so people can see the melted cheese and herb topping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Bake These Instead of Grilling Them?

You can bake cheese stuffed sausage bread in the oven instead of grilling. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Toast the buns first by placing them cut-side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden. Then hollow them out, add cheese, and press on the raw sausage as directed.

Place the assembled rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sausage-side up. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the sausage is cooked through and browned. Check that the internal temperature reaches 160°F. The sausage won’t have the same charred, smoky flavor as grilled versions. You can broil the tops for the last 2 minutes to get more browning.

The main difference is texture. Grilled rolls have more contrast between crispy toasted bread and juicy sausage. Baked versions are slightly softer but still delicious. Both methods work well.

What Type of Bread Rolls Work Best for This Recipe?

Burger buns or Kaiser rolls work best for sausage stuffed bread. Look for rolls that are 4 to 5 inches in diameter with a sturdy structure. The bread needs to be firm enough to hollow out without falling apart. It also needs to support the weight of 3 to 4 ounces of raw sausage without collapsing.

Brioche buns work beautifully if you want a slightly sweet, buttery flavor. Portuguese rolls or hard rolls are also excellent choices. They have dense crumb and thick crusts that hold up well on the grill. Avoid soft white sandwich buns or thin hamburger buns. They’re too delicate and will get soggy or tear when you hollow them out.

Pretzel buns add a nice salty contrast to the rich sausage and cheese. Ciabatta rolls work if you can find them in the right size. Just make sure whatever you choose has been sliced horizontally and has enough structure to create a bread bowl shape.

Can I Use Pre-Cooked Sausage Instead of Raw?

You can use pre-cooked Italian sausage, but the results are different. With pre-cooked sausage, you’re just reheating it rather than cooking it. The sausage won’t release as much fat and moisture into the cheese. It also won’t develop the same caramelized, crusty exterior that raw sausage gets when grilled.

If using pre-cooked sausage, slice it thinly or crumble it. Place it on top of the cheese-filled buns. Grill for only 6 to 8 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese and warm the sausage through. You can brush the sausage with olive oil or melted butter before grilling to help it brown.

Raw sausage is preferred because it cooks directly on the cheese-filled bread. The fat renders out and creates rich flavor. The exterior browns and crisps while the inside stays juicy. This creates better texture and more developed flavor than reheating pre-cooked sausage.

How Do I Prevent the Sausage from Falling Off During Grilling?

The key to keeping sausage attached is proper shaping and pressing. Form the raw sausage into a patty that’s slightly larger than your bun. Press it firmly onto the cheese-filled bread, pushing it down around the edges. The cheese acts as glue that holds the sausage in place as it cooks.

Make sure the sausage covers the entire surface of the bun with no gaps. Press the edges down so they seal against the rim of the bread. As the sausage cooks, it will shrink slightly and firm up. This creates a seal with the melted cheese underneath.

Don’t flip the rolls during cooking. Grilling sausage-side up means gravity keeps everything in place. If you flip them, the sausage can slide off or the cheese can drip out. Keep the lid closed during cooking to trap heat and cook the sausage evenly from above. If you’re worried about stability, you can secure the sausage with toothpicks before grilling. Remove them before serving.

Can I Make These Ahead for a Party?

You can prep the components ahead but should assemble and grill right before serving. Toast the buns and hollow them out up to 4 hours in advance. Store them at room temperature covered with a clean kitchen towel. Form the sausage patties and season them. Place them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Slice the cheese and prepare the herb topping. Store the topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, remove the sausage from the fridge 15 minutes before grilling. This takes the chill off so it cooks more evenly.

Assemble the rolls by adding cheese and pressing on the sausage. Grill immediately. These are best served fresh and hot. The cheese is at peak meltiness right off the grill. If you try to make them completely ahead and reheat, the bread gets tough and the cheese loses its stretch. For parties, consider setting up a grilling station where you can make them in batches.

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COMMON ITEMS USED IN THESE RECIPES

Hasty Bake Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Knitted Gloves
Food Processor
Cast Iron Skillet 
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