Savory Sausage Gravy Breakfast Pizza

Easy Breakfast Pizza with Savory Sausage Gravy: The Ultimate Morning Meal

Imagine waking up to the aroma of freshly baked pizza, but with a delicious breakfast twist! This Breakfast Pizza with Sausage Gravy is a culinary delight, featuring a fluffy, homemade pizza crust generously smothered in a rich, crumbled sausage gravy sauce, layered with ooey-gooey melted cheese, and topped with light, scrambled eggs. It’s an incredibly satisfying way to start your day, transforming classic breakfast favorites into an exciting, shareable meal. From its simple preparation with an easy homemade pizza dough recipe to its versatile toppings, this sausage gravy breakfast pizza is designed to make your mornings easier and more delicious. Get ready to impress your family and friends with this unique and incredibly flavorful breakfast idea!

Breakfast pizza recipe with sausage gravy and a homemade pizza dough crust

This particular Breakfast Pizza recipe truly shines when baked in a cast-iron skillet, which helps create a wonderfully fluffy yet crusty pizza base. If you’re planning to feed a larger gathering, consider making a sheet-pan version of our breakfast pizza. For ultimate convenience, prepare a batch of homemade breakfast sausage gravy in advance and freeze it in 2-cup portions – it’s a game-changer for quick breakfast ideas! Don’t have time for homemade dough? No problem! You can easily substitute with biscuit dough or crescent roll dough, simply spread it out and use it as your pizza base.

Why This Breakfast Pizza Will Become Your New Favorite

This breakfast pizza isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience that truly belongs on your list of must-try breakfast ideas! It’s utterly scrumptious and brings a delightful twist to your morning routine. Who could resist a pillowy soft pizza dough, generously slathered with a creamy, savory layer of sausage gravy, then topped with perfectly melted, gooey cheese and fluffy scrambled eggs? The combination is simply irresistible.

What makes this recipe even more appealing is its simplicity. The homemade pizza dough comes together incredibly fast – so easy, in fact, that a friend shared a recipe her 11-year-old makes! It’s a literal mix-and-ready dough, requiring no lengthy rising or complicated steps, making it much quicker than a trip to the grocery store for pre-made crust. The results are consistently impressive for such an easy pizza dough recipe, yielding a wonderfully fluffy and satisfying base.

The inspiration for this amazing breakfast pizza came from a friend who shared a picture of her family’s morning creation. It looked so mouth-watering, and her family’s approval was a testament to its deliciousness. Her version featured heavy cream for the Country gravy, sausage, eggs, and cheese. While leftover country gravy works beautifully as the sauce (just add crumbled sausage), I often find myself reaching for pre-frozen portions of my sausage gravy for ultimate convenience. This inventive breakfast idea was a smashing success for my family too, quickly becoming a beloved weekend staple!

Homemade breakfast pizza baked in a cast-iron skillet

The Secret to the Best Breakfast Pizza Sauce: Sausage Gravy!

When it comes to breakfast pizza toppings, my go-to combination is always eggs and sausage. This preference stems from a long-standing appreciation for classic breakfast menus, reminiscent of both school breakfast pizza and the popular Casey’s breakfast pizza. I’ve found that having a stash of Country gravy (also known as sausage gravy) on hand is incredibly convenient, especially since it freezes exceptionally well! The savory depth of sausage, combined with the creamy texture of gravy, just screams breakfast comfort.

But what truly makes the sauce for breakfast pizza stand out? According to the menu at Casey’s, you have the option of three breakfast pizzas, offered with two distinct sauces: sausage gravy or cheese sauce. Even commercially available options like the frozen Red Baron Breakfast pizza opt for gravy over traditional tomato sauce! This clearly indicates that creamy Country gravy is the preferred base, perfectly complementing fluffy scrambled eggs and melted cheese. Trust me, once you experience the rich, comforting flavor of sausage gravy as your pizza sauce, your entire breakfast pizza game will be revolutionized!

And don’t limit yourself to just eggs and sausage! You can customize your breakfast pizza with a variety of additional toppings. Consider adding sharp cheddar cheese for extra tang, crispy bacon for a smoky crunch, or colorful bell peppers for a Western-style breakfast pizza. This versatility also means leftovers are a breeze to transform into a quick lunch or even a fun breakfast-for-dinner meal!

Tips and Shortcuts for a Perfect Breakfast Pizza:

  1. Effortless Homemade Dough: Master this quick homemade pizza dough recipe that’s ready to use almost instantly! Forget long rising times, extensive kneading, or obscure ingredients. Just mix, form, and place it into your pizza pan for a perfectly fresh crust.
  2. Prep-Ahead Sausage Gravy: Prepare a generous batch of our delicious sausage gravy and freeze it in convenient 2-cup portions. This smart shortcut ensures you always have a flavorful base ready for breakfast recipes like sausage gravy and biscuits, or of course, this incredible breakfast pizza!
  3. Grab-and-Go Breakfast: Bake the entire pizza ahead of time. Simply slice, store, and reheat individual pizza slices for a quick and satisfying grab-and-go breakfast option on busy mornings.
  4. Freezer-Friendly Pizzas: For ultimate convenience, par-bake your pizza crusts, then top them with all your desired pizza toppings. Freeze these pre-assembled pizzas for a super-fast breakfast idea. This method works wonderfully for personal-sized pizzas, perfect for custom meals!

How to make the best breakfast pizza recipe

Frequently Asked Questions About Breakfast Pizza

What is Breakfast Pizza?

Breakfast pizza is a delightful culinary innovation that takes traditional pizza dough and tops it with beloved breakfast ingredients. Think savory sausage gravy, a generous layer of melted cheese, and fluffy scrambled eggs. This versatile dish can be baked in various ways – from a classic pizza pan to a sturdy cast-iron skillet or a spacious sheet pan, depending on what you have and the style of crust you prefer. Our ideal breakfast pizza boasts a fluffy yet wonderfully crusty dough, loaded with creamy sausage gravy, a blend of cheeses, perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, and a subtle hint of sage. It’s a breakfast recipe that’s so appealing, even children will eagerly reach for a slice!

The main ingredients commonly found in most breakfast pizza recipes typically include eggs, crispy bacon, flavorful sausage, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and often bell peppers for a “Western-style” touch. As for the sauce, breakfast pizza usually features a rich gravy (like our beloved sausage gravy) or a creamy cheddar cheese sauce. While a classic red tomato sauce can be used, the savory gravy or cheese sauce truly sets breakfast pizza apart and elevates its unique flavor profile.

What Ingredients Are Needed for This Recipe?

This breakfast pizza recipe is designed for ease and comes together with just a few key components. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Pizza Crust: The foundation of your pizza! You can choose from any of our favorite pizza dough recipes for a homemade touch, or opt for the convenience of store-bought refrigerated dough. For a healthier, unique crust, you could even try our Healthy Sourdough English Muffins!
  • Sauce: The heart of the flavor! We recommend using a rich cheddar cheese sauce or, our personal favorite, Country gravy (aka sausage gravy) for an authentic breakfast pizza experience.
  • Cheese: For that irresistible melted goodness! A blend of cheeses works wonderfully, or choose your favorites like sharp cheddar cheese, creamy mozzarella, Monterey Jack Colby, or tangy white cheddar. These all melt beautifully and complement the other flavors.
  • Scrambled Eggs: The essential breakfast topping. We typically prepare our scrambled eggs with a simple splash of milk added to beaten eggs, seasoned with black pepper, and then lightly fried on a skillet until softly set and fluffy.
  • Sage: Our secret ingredient! Just a pinch of ground sage can miraculously transform the entire aroma and flavor, instantly evoking that comforting “breakfast” essence. It’s optional, but highly recommended for an extra layer of deliciousness.

What are Some Pizza Dough or Crust Variations?

While we encourage you to explore our extensive collection of pizza dough recipes for a truly custom experience, sometimes breakfast needs to be on the table in a cinch. The beauty of breakfast pizza is its adaptability. You can certainly make any pizza dough or crust recipe that suits your family’s preferences and time constraints. Don’t feel limited to traditional pizza dough – here are several convenient and creative crust ideas:

  • Refrigerated Biscuit Dough: A quick and easy option for a fluffy, bready crust.
  • Refrigerated Crescent Dough: This provides a lighter, buttery crust that’s incredibly simple to use.
  • Pre-Made Pizza Crust: The ultimate shortcut, offering a ready-to-top base.
  • Refrigerated Pizza Dough: A step up from pre-made crust, still offering speed with a slightly fresher feel.
  • Naan Bread: Individual naan breads make excellent personal-sized pizza bases, ready in minutes.
  • English Muffins: Perfect for mini breakfast pizzas, especially with a sourdough English muffin for added flavor.

How Do I Store Homemade Breakfast Pizza?

Homemade breakfast pizza is fantastic for meal prepping and can be prepared and stored in several versatile ways, making your mornings even easier:

  • Freeze for Later: For ultimate convenience, par-bake your pizza crust, then top it with all your desired breakfast toppings (gravy, cheese, cooked eggs, etc.). Freeze the entire pizza on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. This allows you to pull out a ready-to-bake breakfast pizza whenever hunger strikes.
  • Refrigerate Leftovers: Any leftover slices can be placed in an airtight container or covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They reheat beautifully.
  • Make-Ahead & Reheat: Prepare the pizza entirely, cool it, and then store it in the refrigerator. Reheat individual slices in a toaster oven, conventional oven, or even a microwave for a quick, delicious meal. A toaster oven is ideal for maintaining crust crispness.
  • Crust Prep: If you prefer the freshest possible pizza on the day, pre-make your pizza dough or crust and store it in the refrigerator. Then, assemble and bake your pizza fresh the morning you plan to enjoy it.

General Storing Tips: Already made pizza or just the pizza dough keeps well in the fridge. For leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. My mom often places leftover slices into freezer bags, then toasts them directly from frozen for a perfectly crispy reheat!

How to Make Breakfast Pizza with Sausage Gravy Step-By-Step:

Crafting this delicious breakfast pizza is surprisingly straightforward! Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide:

  1. Prepare the Quick Pizza Crust: In a pint measuring cup, combine the yeast, sugar, warm water, salt, and oil. Give it a gentle whisk and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active. Pour this mixture into your flour and bring the ingredients together to form a cohesive dough ball. The dough is perfectly ready when it no longer sticks to your hands, signaling it’s pliable and easy to work with. This quick dough requires no extensive kneading or rising time.
  2. Assemble Your Pizzas: Divide the prepared dough evenly between two well-greased cast-iron pans (or your chosen pizza pans). Spread the dough out to form your crust. Next, generously spread about 1 cup of the rich sausage gravy over each crust, ensuring an even layer. Then, sprinkle each pizza with approximately 1 1/2 cups of your chosen cheese blend and distribute the fluffy scrambled eggs on top. For an extra layer of savory aroma that truly enhances the breakfast feel, sprinkle a pinch of ground sage over the toppings.
  3. Bake to Perfection: Place your assembled pizzas into a pre-heated oven set to a blazing 500°F. Bake for an efficient 7-10 minutes, or until the pizza crust achieves a beautiful golden-brown color and the cheese is bubbly and perfectly melted. The high temperature is key to achieving that desirable crispy crust.

This recipe truly lives up to its easy promise, taking only minutes to prepare the pizza dough from scratch before it goes into the oven. Enjoy your homemade, comforting breakfast pizza!

What are the Best Pizza Toppings and Variations?

One of the best things about breakfast pizza is its incredible versatility! You can experiment with a wide array of toppings to create a personalized masterpiece every time. Beyond the classic sausage gravy base, here’s a list of fantastic topping ideas and combinations to inspire you:

  • Classic Meat & Veggie: A hearty combination of crumbled sausage, crispy bacon bits, and sautéed veggies like bell peppers and onions for added flavor and crunch.
  • Cheesy Egg Delight: Simply scrambled eggs paired with a luscious mix of mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese for a pure, comforting taste.
  • The Full Breakfast Works: Elevate your pizza with sausage gravy, fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and a blend of both cheddar and mozzarella cheese for a truly indulgent meal.
  • Cheddar Sauce Base: For a different creamy base, use a cheddar cheese sauce, then top with crumbled sausage, eggs, and a sprinkle of both cheddar and mozzarella for double the cheese delight.
  • Sausage Gravy Mix Special: If you’re short on time, a sausage-flavored Country Gravy Mix can be your base, combined with crumbled sausage and plenty of mozzarella cheese for quick flavor.
  • Spicy Kick: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your gravy or a dash of hot sauce after baking for those who love a bit of heat.
  • Vegetarian Option: Skip the meat and load up on sautéed spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and bell peppers with a rich cheese sauce and eggs.

Which are the Best Pizza Pans to Use?

You don’t necessarily need a fancy pizza stone to achieve a fantastic crispy crust on your homemade pizza. The real secret lies in baking your pizza at the highest possible oven temperature! Professional pizza ovens can reach upwards of 500°F (260°C) and higher, and mimicking this high heat is crucial for that perfectly crisp pizza crust. I personally rotate between a few different pizza pans, each offering a slightly different result:

  • Pizza Screen: For a crust similar to a Domino’s Pizza Crust, I love using a pizza screen, just like you’d find in a pizzeria. It allows for excellent air circulation, resulting in a wonderfully crisp bottom.
  • Perforated Pizza Pan: This perforated pizza pan is another favorite. I always lightly grease it before placing the crust on top. The small holes on the bottom of the pan create a unique texture and contribute to a crispy base, much like the stuffed crust pizzas from Pizza Hut.
  • Cast-Iron Skillet: I honestly didn’t realize how much I’d adore a cast-iron skillet for making pizza until a friend shared photos of her amazing cast-iron creation. It quickly became my favorite method for a deep-dish style pizza! The pizza dough emerges incredibly fluffy and crisp, with a beautifully browned crust, thanks to a generous amount of oil in the pan.

Here are the two different sized cast-iron skillets I frequently use for my deep-dish breakfast pizzas:

  • 10.5″ seasoned cast-iron skillet
  • Lodge 9″ cast-iron skillet

Who Is Casey’s Pizza?

If you’re not familiar with Casey’s pizza, it’s a popular offering found in a prominent Southwestern chain of convenience stores, often combined with gas stations or mini-marts. While I haven’t personally had the pleasure of trying their pizza, I’ve heard rave reviews. Should I ever find myself in Iowa or other states where Casey’s operates, trying their famed breakfast pizza would absolutely be on my culinary bucket list! Their unique approach to breakfast pizza has inspired many, and you can even find interesting copycat recipes for Casey’s Pizza online to try at home.

More Delicious Breakfast Recipes To Make:

  • Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders
  • SheetpanBreakfast Pizza
  • Croissant Breakfast Sandwich
  • Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches (McDonald’s Egg McMuffin Copycat)
  • Breakfast Quesadillas

How To Make Breakfast Pizza:

Breakfast pizza recipe with sausage gravy and a homemade pizza dough crust
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Breakfast Pizza Recipe with Sausage Gravy

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Author: Alyona Demyanchuk
Breakfast Pizza with Sausage gravy is a delicious breakfast pizza covered with a crumbled sausage gravy sauce, ooey-gooey cheese, and fluffy scrambled eggs! This sausage gravy breakfast pizza starts with an easy homemade pizza dough recipe before it gets topped with all the delicious breakfast toppings! It is such an easy breakfast pizza recipe and I share all my shortcut tips and breakfast ideas to make your morning easier!

Equipment

  • two cast-iron skillets (9 or 10.5-inches)
  • mixing bowl
  • measuring cup
  • pizza cutter or dough scraper

Ingredients

Quick Pizza Dough:

  • 1 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 Tbsp heaping yeast
  • 1 Tbsp heaping sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 4 Tbsp oil
  • 3 3/4 cups flour

Pizza Toppings:

  • 2 cups sausage gravy
  • 3 cups Monterey Jack Colby cheese (or half mozzarella and cheddar cheese)
  • 9 scrambled eggs
  • pinch of ground sage (optional)

Instructions

Instructions:

  • Make the pizza crust: in a pint measuring cup, whisk together the yeast, sugar, warm water, salt, and oil. Let sit 5 minutes to foam. Pour into the flour and form dough into a ball. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands.
  • Divide the dough into two well-greased cast-iron pans: spread about 1 cup of sausage gravy over each crust. Top each pizza with 1 1/2 cups cheese and scrambled eggs. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of ground sage.
  • Bake: in a pre-heated 500°F for 7-10 minutes or until crust is browned and the pizza is done.

Notes

Here are the 2 different sized cast-iron skillets that I used:

  • 10.5″ seasoned cast-iron skillet
  • Lodge 9″ cast-iron skillet

To Make Scrambled Eggs for Pizza: beat 9 eggs with a splash of milk and add black pepper to taste. Cook in a skillet until softly set.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 11gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 459mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 346IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 171mgIron: 2mg