Stovetop & Oven

Cheese Stuffed Bread Ring

Name: Cheese Stuffed Bread Ring
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 235 min
Ingredients: Olive oil; 2 pounds frozen bread dough (defrosted); 10 ounces mozzarella string cheese; 1 egg (beaten); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; Pizza sauce (for serving)

A cheese stuffed bread ring is a party pleaser, especially when kept warm in a cast iron pan and served with marinara sauce for dipping.

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Looking straight down on a bread ring in a cast iron pan with pizza sauce in the middle, next to a bread knife and a red and white kitchen towel.

Quick and Easy Bread Ring

Honestly, this is the easiest bread recipe on my website. Why? Because this Cheese Stuffed Bread Ring starts with store-bought bread dough! Truth is, this bread ring was made to show off my beautiful hammered cast iron chicken roaster when I was presenting the roaster on television and showing what else it can be used for. The result was so beautiful and when we pulled it apart afterwards, it was so cheesy and delicious that I decided that even though it takes some serious shortcuts, it was worthwhile sharing the recipe with you.

4 images showing how to braid logs of stuffed dough together in a cast iron vertical roaster.

How to Make Cheese Stuffed Bread

All you need to buy for this recipe is the frozen bread dough and some cheese. I used string cheese because it melts and pulls well and it is already the right shape, in long tubes. However, you can use whatever cheese you like and cut it into logs that will fit nicely in the bread – Cheddar, Swiss, Gruyère. Roll the bread dough out into long logs and then slice into it, but not through it. That will create a slit into which you will put those logs of cheese. If you wanted to, you could brush some garlic butter, or some dried herbs, or some chopped olives in the bread crevice before adding the cheese to make a cheesy bread ring variation. Cheesy garlic bread ring. Or Cheesy olive bread ring… you get the idea. Whatever you put into the crevice, pinch the bread logs shut and then twist them around each other before wrapping them around the center of the chicken roaster (or Bundt® pan?) and pinching the ends together to form a ring.

4 images showing a braided bread ring rising in a cast iron vertical roaster.

Proofing Time

Once the raw bread ring is in the pan, brush with a little egg wash and sprinkle some dried herbs or coarse salt on top. Then, let it rest to proof. Proofing time will depend on a couple of things – how cold your bread dough is and how cold your room is. You can see above how much the bread should rise before popping it into the oven. Then, bake and delight in the pretty result.

A cheese filled bread ring in a cast iron pan with a red kitchen towel and a bread knife nearby.

How to Serve Cheese Stuffed Bread Ring

Get yourself a good bread knife! A bread knife is essential. I use mine every day. You can pull this bread apart, but slicing it is easier and ensures that everyone gets some cheese. I love baking this bread in the cast iron chicken roaster because the cast iron distributes the heat so well AND because it retains heat, keeping the bread warm. It’s also handy to have the little cup in the center that can hold some marinara sauce, or garlic butter for dipping. Delicious!

Cheese Stuffed Bread Ring

Nutrition Info Print Recipe

Prep Time: 20 m
Cook Time: 35 m
Rising TIme: 3 h
Total Time: 3 h 55 m
Servings:
10
people

Ingredients

Olive oil
2 pounds frozen bread dough defrosted
10 ounces mozzarella string cheese
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Pizza sauce for serving

Instructions

Generously oil your cast iron vertical roaster or Bundt pan (or a baking sheet with a ramekin or oven safe cup in the middle).
Roll each bread loaf into logs that are about 22-inches long. Butterfly the dough logs, by cutting a slit down the center of the dough without cutting all the way through the dough. Open the slit of the dough logs and place 4½ pieces of mozzarella string cheese inside each log of butterflied dough. Pinch the logs shut around the cheese and place the logs next to each other on the countertop, seam side down.
Pinch the top of both logs together and twist the two logs around each other by placing one on top of each other 8 or 9 times to “braid” the dough. Shape the dough into a circle by bringing the ends together and pinching to seal well. Transfer the ring of braided stuffed dough to the vertical roaster or Bundt pan.
Brush the braided loaf with the egg wash and sprinkle the Italian seasoning on top. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 to 3 hours in a warm place, until it has doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
Once the dough has risen, brush it with a little more egg wash and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it.
Unmold the bread ring or serve warm in the pan with pizza sauce in the center for dipping.

Enjoy,

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