Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf
Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf is packed with rich Italian sausage, pepperoni, and sweet bell pepper tucked into creamy, tangy cheese and wrapped in golden pizza dough. Each slice balances savory meats with mellow mozzarella and Colby Jack, punctuated by hints of garlic and olives. Serve it as a hearty game-day appetizer or an easy weeknight dinner that satisfies everyone at the table.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook25 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 50 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 7 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityPoor
- 37 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 14
- Heart Health
- 59
- Metabolic
- 30
- Digestive
- 22
- Inflammatory
- 32
- Performance
- 29
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- 2
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and stir the Italian sausage until browned, about 5 minutes, then drain the excess grease.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, bell pepper, and pepperoni to the skillet, and cook until the onion and bell pepper start to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the cream cheese and stir constantly until well combined. Stir in the black olives and remove from the heat.
- 4
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the pizza dough onto the baking sheet, then press and stretch the dough into a 10x15-inch rectangle.
- 5
Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the Colby Jack cheese lengthwise down the center of the pizza dough, then add the meat mixture. Top the meat mixture with the remaining mozzarella and Colby Jack cheese.
- 6
Make 2-inch cuts in the dough from both long edges toward the meat mixture in the center, spacing the cuts about 1 inch apart. Starting at the top, pull each strip across in a crisscross pattern to form a loaf.
- 7
Brush the loaf with melted butter, then sprinkle with garlic powder and grated Parmesan cheese.
- 8
Bake in the preheated oven until the top starts to turn golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
- 9
Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with marinara sauce.
- Calories 915.43 kcal High 46%
- Protein 42.68 g Good Source 85%
- Carbohydrate 40.93 g 15%
- Total Fat 64.72 g High 83%
- Saturated Fat 30.94 g High 155%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 177.68 mg High 59%
- Sodium 1882.91 mg High 82%
- Dietary Fiber 3.72 g Moderate 13%
- Total Sugars 6.84 g --
- Added Sugars 1.03 g Low Source 2%
- Calcium 504.73 mg Good Source 39%
- Iron 3.68 mg Good Source 20%
- Potassium 334.64 mg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin A 375.48 mcg Good Source 42%
- Vitamin C 5.31 mg Low Source 6%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf is an Italian dinner recipe made with 15 ingredients. It takes about 35 mins, serves 8, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Butter, Cream Cheese, and Garlic Powder. Each serving provides about 915.43 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf?
- It is an Italian pizza recipe made with 15 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Butter, Cream Cheese, Garlic Powder, Grated Parmesan Cheese. The full list of 15 is above.
- What goes well with Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf?
- Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf?
- About 35 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 915.43 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf healthy?
- Braided Colorado Pizza Loaf has an easyChef Pro health score of 32/100. Per serving, it provides 915.43 calories and 42.68 g of protein, or 85% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium, iron and vitamin A. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1882.91 mg (82% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 30.94 g (155% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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