Loaded Pizza Sandwiches

Loaded Pizza Sandwich with all the toppings! Load it up, toast it, and slice it for an easy dinner or party snack. All it takes is some bread, some classic pizza toppings, sauce, and plenty of cheese to serve up your favorite pizza in sandwich form.

open faced pizza sandwich on a baking sheet.

Pizza Sandwich

Since the Earl of Sandwich first asked for some meat nestled in between two slices of bread (although there is evidence that his idea was not completely original) it’s safe to say that sandwiches have won the hearts of many.

I mean, do you know anyone who hates sandwiches? If you do, I don’t think they’re worthy of your trust.

And while my choice of sandwich mostly runs the simple roast-beef-on-wheat-with-mayo-and-mustard variety with some crisp lettuce and a juicy tomato slice, sometimes I crave something a little more fun like a big o’ pizza sandwich.

This pizza sandwich is meant for sharing – think of it as a mini party sub for four. It’s toasty hot with lots of toppings and, of course, plenty of melted cheese.

Ingredients

  • 12-inch loaf of soft bread, sliced horizontally in half
  • Olive oil
  • Provolone cheese
  • Genoa salami slices
  • Pepperoni slices
  • Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, basil, or combination)
  • Sliced kalamata olives
  • Sliced green pepper
  • Marinara sauce or pizza sauce
  • Sliced fresh mozzarella or low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese

Using plain old sandwich bread is fine, but I prefer a big loaf of soft white bread when sandwich special-ness is in order. You know the totally generic kind found in the specialty bread section at the store? I prefer it to the crustier artisan-style bread which can be a little difficult to eat as a sandwich.

photo collage showing cheese, meat, and olives being added to the sandwich.

How to Make It

Anyway, using a large loaf of bread means building pizza sandwiches for four takes no time at all. I like to start with a generous drizzle of olive oil followed by slices of provolone cheese. Next, layer on Genoa salami followed by plenty of pepperonis.

And there’s more! Briny Kalamata olives, fresh parsley, thyme and green peppers are favorite toppings, but think about what you love on a pizza and add whatever makes your heart sing – maybe some banana peppers, artichoke hearts, or diced tomatoes?Your sandwich is your canvas. Don’t hold back.

What makes this a true pizza sandwich is the sauce. I like to spoon just enough sauce over the toppings so that it barely oozes out over the sides when it’s sliced. Any more and it turns into a mess, so about 1/3 cup of your favorite marinara sauce will do.

photo collage showing the peppers, sauce, and mozzarella cheese being added to the sandwich.

Lastly, some cheese. Sliced fresh mozzarella tops it all off.

Pop it under the broiler to melt the cheese and toast the bread. You may need to rotate the baking sheet to ensure that everything toasts evenly and keep an eye on it! The sandwich can go from perfectly toasted to burned in a heartbeat.

Slice the pizza sandwich into four pieces and, if you want a little easier eating situation, slice each again in half. It really is like your favorite pizza pie in sandwich form. 

Variations

  • Love pepperoni pizza? Skip all the other stuff and load it up with pepperoni, cheese, and sauce.
  • Meat lover? Add some cooked Italian sausage crumbles, crumbled cooked bacon, sliced Canadian ham. Just don’t load it up too much unless you want to wear your pizza sandwich.
  • Want some heat? Sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the sauce before you add the cheese on top.
  • Friend of the veggies? Skip the meat and add more favorite vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, onions, and olives.

I hope you give this easy sandwich a try!

Happy sandwiching,

April

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overhead shot of slices of pizza sandwich.

More Sandwich Recipes

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Loaded Pizza Sandwich

pizza sandwich.

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5 from 1 review

Loaded pizza sandwiches with salami, pepperoni, provolone and mozzarella cheese, olives, green peppers, and fresh herbs. Everything is optional or trade it out with your favorite pizza toppings, just don’t overload the bread otherwise your pizza sandwich may become a pizza mess.

  • Author: April Anderson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
  • Category: Burgers and Sandwiches
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 12 inch loaf of French bread, sliced horizontally in half
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 slices provolone cheese
  • 3 ounces Genoa salami slices
  • 2 ounces pepperoni slices
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, basil or combination)
  • 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 green pepper, cut into strips
  • 1/3 cup jarred marinara sauce
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella slices

Instructions

  1. Turn the oven to broil. Place the sliced bread open-faced on a baking sheet.
  2. Starting with the olive oil, drizzle it over both slices of bread. Layer the cheese and meat on the bottom slice. Sprinkle the herbs over both slices. Layer the olives, green peppers, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese on the bottom slice of bread.
  3. Stick the sandwich under the broiler. Keep an eye on it and rotate the baking sheet, if necessary, to ensure the cheese melts evenly. Broil just until the bread is toasted and the mozzarella has melted. Place the top sliced bread on top of the bottom one and, using a serrated knife, slice into four sandwiches. Serve hot.

Notes

Depending on the bread you use the nutrition estimate will vary.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 721
  • Sugar: 6.2g
  • Fat: 40.4g
  • Carbohydrates: 49g
  • Fiber: 2.8g
  • Protein: 40.3g

Do you love this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment and your recipe star rating!

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

Post updated from the archives. First published in August of 2016.

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5 Comments

  1. OK…this looks amazing and i love the special occasion you save it for. LOL!! I think I’ll save mine for when I watch
    “Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders-the Making of the Squad”…the absolute best show to splurge on yummy sandwiches.

  2. I made this last weekend and loved it! So easy. I kept half for myself and gave the rest to a neighbor and it got rave reviews






  3. Both my children were “Sandwich Artists” when they were in high school. Their Spicy Italian was one of my favorites.
    Your sandwich looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it myself. Thank you for posting this.

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