Ground beef, bacon, and cheese are rolled in pizza dough and baked to cheesy perfection in this Garbage Bread recipe. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that tastes just like a bacon cheeseburger!
Okay, let’s be honest – garbage bread is not the most appealing name for a recipe. I get it, but I didn’t pick the name! It’s called garbage bread because it started as a recipe where you use the little bits of this and that left in the fridge/freezer, the things you’re almost ready to toss…but instead combine them to make a super yummy dinner.
My version is this super yummy bacon cheeseburger garbage bread. It’s loaded with ground beef (or whatever ground meat you have on hand) seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, crispy bacon, and gooey, melty Velveeta and cheddar cheese. Everything is rolled in pizza dough, similar to ham and cheese pinwheels, and popped in the oven. It’s a big family favorite – the boys love it as much as cheeseburger casserole, which is a big cheeseburger-inspired favorite.
Why My Family Loves This Garbage Bread Recipe
- Tastes like a bacon cheeseburger. This bread is loaded with ground beef, bacon, Velveeta cheese, and shredded cheese, plus some Worcestershire sauce for extra meaty flavor. It really does taste like biting into a bacon cheeseburger, with some extra emphasis on the “cheese” part of “cheeseburger”.
- Use what you have. I love this recipe because it’s a great way to use up the little bits of this and little bits of that in the fridge. A handful of sharp cheddar and a handful of mild cheddar? Throw them both in! Random half pounds of ground turkey and beef? Use ‘em both! Garbage bread is incredibly forgiving and customizable.
- Dinner or party app. We’ve enjoyed this many times as both an easy weeknight dinner (highly requested by the boys!) and as a game day appetizer. It’s served in slices so it’s great for sharing but larger slices are plenty filling for dinner. (Maybe with all those random almost-empty bags of french fries, tater tots, and onion rings in the freezer?)
Key Ingredients
This savory stuffed bread is made with ground meat, cheese, and a few other ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Ground beef – Ground turkey, chicken, or sausage also works great. Use what you have!
- Bacon – Cooked and chopped into small pieces. It adds a crunchy, salty element to the mixture.
- Spices – Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Worcestershire sauce – Enhances the overall beefy, meaty flavor of the filling.
- Velveeta cheese – Adds a gooey, cheesy element to the filling. If you don’t have Velveeta, use cream cheese or another melty cheese like Monterey Jack.
- Shredded cheddar – Cheddar pairs nicely with the cheeseburger filling, but this is a great time to use up the random handfuls of cheese in the fridge, too.
- Pizza dough – I used a 13.8 ounce can of pizza dough for this bread to keep it simple and easy. Homemade pizza dough works too.
- Everything bagel seasoning – Optional, but I love the flavor it adds to the bread. If you don’t have everything bagel seasoning, sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or leave it plain.
How To Make Garbage Bread
This cheeseburger garbage bread is so easy to make. Here’s an overview of the process; the printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 425F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the beef. Brown the ground beef over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain excess grease.
- Combine the ingredients. Stir in the bacon, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce. Cube the Velveeta and add to the mixture, stirring until it begins to melt. Remove from heat. (The Velveeta does not need to be fully melted, it will continue to melt in the oven.)
- Roll out the dough. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle approximately 15×10 inches. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough, leaving about an inch around all 4 edges. Top with the shredded cheese.
- Roll. Roll the dough tightly into a log, starting from one of the long sides. Pinch the edges and ends to seal the seam.
- Bake. Place the roll on the baking sheet, seam-side down. Top with everything bagel seasoning. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
- Cool. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This helps the filling solidify and prevents the Velveeta from spilling out of each slice.
Recipe Tips & Variations
There are lots of ways to customize this garbage bread recipe based on whatever you have on hand. Here are a few ideas, as well as a couple of general tips.
- Mix-in ideas. Add-ins like sautéed mushrooms, diced onions, or bell peppers can be mixed into the beef for extra flavor. Pickles or relish could also be added, as well as ketchup or mustard.
- Make it spicy. For a spicier version, add diced jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the filling.
- Try it with crescent roll dough. Crescent roll dough can be used instead of pizza dough, but the filling amount m ay need to be reduced.
- Add garlic butter. Brush the top with melted garlic butter after baking for extra flavor.
- Make sure to seal the seams. After rolling the dough, be sure to pinch the seams along the edges and ends tightly. Baking it seam-side down also helps prevent the seam from breaking open.
- Cool before slicing. Give the garbage bread a few minutes to cool before slicing into it. The Velveeta will be very melty and runny, so this gives it a bit of time to solidify while still staying cheesy and gooey.
More Filling Ideas
Cheeseburger garbage bread is the most popular variation that I’ve seen, and a clear family favorite, but it’s far from the only option. The idea is to take the basics of this recipe and use what you have in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Here are some other ideas for fillings:
- Pizza – Pizza sauce, cheese, and anything that could be used as a pizza topping, like pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, etc.
- Leftover dips – Leftover dips, like buffalo chicken dip, crack chicken dip, or spinach and artichoke dip, and whatever sounds good with them (usually more cheese!)
- BBQ chicken (or pork) – Shredded chicken (great way to use small amounts of leftover rotisserie chicken!), BBQ sauce, onions, and cheese. Or use leftover pulled pork or pulled chicken instead of rotisserie chicken.
- Lunch meat & cheese – Slices of whatever lunch meat is in the fridge and cheese, plus any sauce that sounds good.
- Philly cheesesteak – Ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, peppers, onions, and cheese.
Serving Suggestions
The boys love garbage bread for an easy weeknight dinner, usually with some ranch for dipping. I’ll often serve it with fries or garlic knots. A side salad is also a great option.
Garbage bread also makes a great appetizer for game days and parties. The slices make it easily shareable and it’s always a big hit.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover garbage bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: To freeze, bake the bread and let it cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat slices in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes or in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Garbage Bread
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup bacon cooked, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 13.8 ounces pizza dough (1 can)
- 1 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the bacon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Add the Velveeta cheese cubes to the skillet and stir until the cheese starts to melt slightly. Remove from heat.
- Roll out the pizza dough into a 15×10-inch rectangle on a clean surface.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly over the dough, leaving about an inch of space around the edges. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the meat mixture.
- Starting from one of the long sides, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the edges to seal the seam and ends.
- Place the roll seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with everything bagel seasoning, if using. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing into pieces. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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