Homemade Chicago Style Pizza Puffs
Homemade Chicago Style Pizza Puffs
Ingredients
For the Pizza Puff Filling
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup pepperoni, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 12.3 ounces Rao's Homemade Pizza sauce, 1 jar
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For Assembly and Frying
- 8 flour tortillas, 6-inch
- 1/4 cup water, for sealing
- 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed
For Serving
- 1 pound frozen french fries, cooked according to package directions
- 1/2 cup mild sauce, for dipping, or as needed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Lemon Pepper seasoning, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
⏱️ 8 min
- 2
Add the diced green bell pepper to the skillet with the sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly softened.
⏱️ 4 min
- 3
Stir in the diced pepperoni and minced garlic. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Season the mixture with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir well to combine.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Pour in the Rao's Homemade Pizza sauce and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated. Remove the skillet from the heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Let the pizza puff filling cool for about 5 minutes. Then, fold in the shredded mozzarella cheese until evenly distributed.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Lay a tortilla flat. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling in the center of the tortilla. Top the filling with 3-4 mozzarella cheese cubes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling. Then, fold the top and bottom edges over, creating a rectangular pouch. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges to seal the tortilla completely.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Place the sealed pizza puffs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Transfer the tray to the freezer and freeze for 15 minutes to help them hold their shape during frying.
⏱️ 15 min
- 10
While the pizza puffs are freezing, heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. If shallow frying, ensure there is at least 1 inch of oil in the pan.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 11
Carefully place 2-3 pizza puffs into the hot oil, seam side down. If shallow frying, cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. If deep frying, cook for a total of 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pot.
⏱️ 8 min•🌡️ 350
- 12
Remove the fried pizza puffs with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Serve the hot pizza puffs immediately alongside cooked french fries, mild sauce for dipping, and a sprinkle of Garlic Lemon Pepper seasoning.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Chicago Style Pizza Puffs
For the Pizza Puff Filling
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup pepperoni, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 12.3 ounces Rao's Homemade Pizza sauce, 1 jar
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For Assembly and Frying
- 8 flour tortillas, 6-inch
- 1/4 cup water, for sealing
- 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed
For Serving
- 1 pound frozen french fries, cooked according to package directions
- 1/2 cup mild sauce, for dipping, or as needed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Lemon Pepper seasoning, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
⏱️ 8 min - 2
Add the diced green bell pepper to the skillet with the sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly softened.
⏱️ 4 min - 3
Stir in the diced pepperoni and minced garlic. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Season the mixture with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir well to combine.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Pour in the Rao's Homemade Pizza sauce and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated. Remove the skillet from the heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Let the pizza puff filling cool for about 5 minutes. Then, fold in the shredded mozzarella cheese until evenly distributed.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Lay a tortilla flat. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling in the center of the tortilla. Top the filling with 3-4 mozzarella cheese cubes.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling. Then, fold the top and bottom edges over, creating a rectangular pouch. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges to seal the tortilla completely.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Place the sealed pizza puffs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Transfer the tray to the freezer and freeze for 15 minutes to help them hold their shape during frying.
⏱️ 15 min - 10
While the pizza puffs are freezing, heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. If shallow frying, ensure there is at least 1 inch of oil in the pan.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 11
Carefully place 2-3 pizza puffs into the hot oil, seam side down. If shallow frying, cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. If deep frying, cook for a total of 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pot.
⏱️ 8 min•🌡️ 350 - 12
Remove the fried pizza puffs with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Serve the hot pizza puffs immediately alongside cooked french fries, mild sauce for dipping, and a sprinkle of Garlic Lemon Pepper seasoning.
⏱️ 2 min