Easy Vegetarian (or Vegan) Pepperoni Rolls (Kid-Friendly & Sourdough Discard Option)
These Vegetarian Pepperoni Rolls are easy to freeze or refrigerate and then reheat for a quick snack or lunch.
These are a super kid-friendly vegetarian meal!
I’ve been making these pepperoni rolls for a few years now, and they’re always a hit. When we decided to become vegetarian, we were so disappointed that I couldn’t make them anymore. None of the stores in our small town carried any kind of vegetarian pepperoni slices. After I perfected my Vegan Pepperoni recipe, I knew I needed to try making them again as vegetarian pepperoni rolls.
Kid-Friendly Baking Tips:
Baking them in a muffin tin makes them easy to shape and ensures that the filling doesn’t ooze out while they’re cooking. They’re so easy to shape that I can even get my daughter to help me…and she hates helping me bake anything. They still look amazing even with a kid assistant helping.
Easy Vegan Substitutions for the Pepperoni Rolls:
The recipe is made vegetarian, but the pepperoni and the dough are both vegan, and it would be really easy to turn it into a vegan recipe! You can either omit the cheese or replace it with a plant based option, and then use a plant based butter at the end.
Sourdough Discard Option:
If you don’t have a sourdough starter- don’t worry. You don’t actually need it. I’ve added a couple different options for making them. Mine use sourdough discard, but rely on instant yeast to rise, so if you aren’t also in your sourdough era you can still make them. It really doesn’t effect the flavor, just follow the substitution instructions. If you’re looking at this recipe and thinking but Sarah, if there’s sourdough starter I don’t need yeast! you’re right. Just use active starter, leave out the yeast, and let it rise for about 5 hours (or until it doubles in size).
Want spicy vegetarian pepperoni instead?
If you’d like to spice them up a little, they’re also really good with banana peppers. This is just a basic, kid friendly recipe, but you’re welcome to add whatever fillings or topping you like.
The best way to cook something is whatever way you and the people you’re cooking for will eat it.
How to Make Vegetarian Pepperoni Rolls:
Makes:
18-24 rolls depending on how large you’d like them. I typically make around 18 that are about 75g of dough each.
Equipment
Stand mixer with a dough hook– You can also mix by hand if you’d like
Muffin Pan– If you don’t have a muffin pan you can also roll them and put them on a baking sheet. I like using the muffin pan because it’s easy and keeps all of the filling inside.
Ingredients Needed to Make Vegetarian Pepperoni Rolls
- 1 cup sourdough discard – or an extra ½ cup flour and ½ cup water if you don’t have discard
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 tsp yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- 4-5 cups flour
- 3 tbsp melted butter- use plant based butter if you’re making them vegan
- Mozzarella cheese- sliced is easiest, but you can use shredded. If you’re making them vegan, you can either leave the cheese out or use a plant based mozzarella.
- Vegan Pepperoni Slices
- Parmesan cheese, shredded
Preparation
First, combine your discard (or ½ cup flour and ½ cup water if you aren’t using discard), water, yeast, salt, sugar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached. Gradually add in your flour one cup at a time until the dough is soft, smooth, and no longer sticky. You should be able to gently poke it and it shouldn’t stick to your finger.
Place your dough into an oiled bowl and cover. Let it rest until doubled. This typically takes 1-2 hours depending on how warm the area is.
Pre-heat your oven to 375°F at the end of your rising time.
Divide your dough into 15-20 relatively equal pieces. If you have a food scale they should be around 70-80 grams each.
Press each piece into a flat circle, then put 2 slices of mozzarella or 1 tbsp of shredded mozzarella, and a few slices of pepperoni in each. Roll, fold in half, and put into your muffin pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, then brush with butter and top with a little parmesan cheese. Put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Additional Vegetarian Pepperoni Roll Add Ins
You can add some banana peppers, mushrooms, or any other pizza toppings you’d like.
Storage and Reheating
You can store them in either the fridge or the freezer.
If your storing them in the fridge, they’ll stay fresh for about 5 days. To reheat, just stick them in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until warm.
They’ll stay fresh in the freezer for about a month. It’s easiest to reheat them by leaving them out on the counter for about 10 minutes to dethaw a little, them putting them in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until warm.
These are great to have in the freezer for quick after-school snacks.
FAQ
No! Just add an extra 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water instead of the discard.
Absolutely. They’re delicious no matter what. You do you.
You can put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Microwaves vary, but start with that and just keep putting them back in for about 15 seconds at a time until they’re warm. Or eat them cold.
I use my vegan pepperoni recipe.
Absolutely! The dough and my pepperoni are both already vegan. You can either use your favorite plant based cheese, or just skip the cheese. Then brush with a plant based butter at the end.
Vegetarian (or Vegan!) Pepperoni Rolls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine your discard (or ½ cup flour and ½ cup water if you aren’t using discard), water, yeast, salt, sugar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer.1 cup sourdough discard, 1 ½ cups warm water, 1 tsp yeast, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp italian seasoning, Salt, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Gradually add in your flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is soft, smooth, and no longer sticky.4-5 cups flour
- Place your dough into an oiled bowl and cover. Let it rest until doubled. This typically takes 1-2 hours depending on how warm the area is.
- Pre-heat your oven to 375℉ at the end of your rising time.
- Divide your dough into relatively equal pieces. If you have a food scale they should be around 70-80 grams each.
- Press each piece into a flat circle, then put 2 slices of mozzarella or 1 tbsp of shredded mozzarella, and a few slices of pepperoni in each. Roll, then fold in half and put into a muffin pan.Mozzarella cheese, Vegan Pepperoni
- Bake for 15 minutes, then brush with butter and top with a little parmesan cheese. Put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.3 tbsp butter, Parmesan cheese
- Enjoy!
