Pizza Roll-Ups

Crispy, Cheesy Pizza Roll-Ups For An Easy Lunch, Snack, Or Dinner

If you’ve ever looked at a string cheese stick and thought, “This really ought to be wrapped in pizza,” these Pizza Roll-Ups are for you. They’re made with soft flour tortillas filled with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and string cheese, then rolled up, brushed generously with seasoned butter, and baked until the tortillas are golden and crispy and the cheese inside is perfectly melted.

They have all the flavors of pizza, but they’re handheld, dippable, inexpensive, and ridiculously easy to make.

These are one of those recipes that work for almost any situation. Make them for an easy lunch, an after-school snack, a quick dinner with a salad, game day food, or something teenagers can make themselves when they announce they’re starving approximately 14 minutes after eating a full meal.

An Old Kids In The Kitchen Favorite

This recipe actually goes all the way back to my days working for the Chicago Park District, where I taught a Kids in the Kitchen cooking class.

I always loved finding recipes the kids could actually participate in making instead of recipes where an adult had to do 90 percent of the work while the kids watched.

These Pizza Roll-Ups were perfect.

The kids could spread the pizza sauce, arrange the pepperoni, add the string cheese, roll up their tortillas, and brush the tops with butter. They were learning some basic kitchen skills, but as far as they were concerned, they were just making pizza.

All these years later, I still make them.

Mr. Tipsy plays softball a couple nights a week, and these are one of my favorite things to have ready when he needs something he can quickly grab before heading out the door.

They’re delicious hot from the oven, but they’re also surprisingly good once they’ve cooled down, which makes them great for lunches and busy nights.

Simple Ingredients You Can Keep On Hand

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that there really isn’t anything fancy in it.

You need:

• Small flour tortillas
• String cheese
• Pizza sauce
• Pepperoni
• Butter
• Dried basil
• Garlic salt, if you like
• Extra pizza sauce for dipping

These are all ingredients I can easily keep in the refrigerator or pantry, which means Pizza Roll-Ups are an excellent “I have absolutely no idea what we are eating” meal.

Why String Cheese Works So Well

You could certainly experiment with other cheeses, but there is a reason I like using mozzarella string cheese for these.

First, there is no shredding.

Second, the cheese is already portioned into the perfect shape for rolling inside a tortilla.

Most importantly, it melts into one long, gooey center instead of immediately spilling out of every opening in the tortilla.

Regular mozzarella can absolutely work, but the string cheese makes this recipe nearly foolproof.

You can also experiment with different varieties of string cheese. An Italian-seasoned or mozzarella/provolone cheese stick would be delicious.

Warm Your Tortillas Before Rolling Them

This may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but do not skip warming the tortillas.

A cold flour tortilla is much more likely to crack or tear when you try to tightly roll it around the filling.

I warm each tortilla in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for approximately 10 to 15 seconds per side. You aren’t trying to toast or brown it. You just want to warm it enough that it becomes soft and pliable.

Once warmed, the tortilla will wrap much more easily around the cheese and give you those nice tight layers.

Don’t Use Too Much Pizza Sauce

I know it is tempting.

More sauce sounds like more pizza flavor, but adding too much sauce inside the roll-ups can actually work against you.

As the roll-ups bake, excess sauce can squeeze out of the ends or seam and burn on the baking sheet. Too much liquid can also prevent the tortilla from getting as crispy.

About 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce per tortilla is plenty.

You can always serve warm pizza sauce on the side and dip to your heart’s content.

Layering The Pizza Roll-Ups

Once your tortilla is warm, spread the pizza sauce down the center.

Add three or four slices of pepperoni followed by one mozzarella string cheese stick.

Try to keep the ingredients mostly in a straight line through the center of the tortilla rather than spreading everything all the way to the edges.

This makes the tortilla much easier to roll and helps keep the filling inside while baking.

The Secret Is The Tuck And Roll

The biggest trick to making these look and eat like actual roll-ups instead of simply a tortilla wrapped around cheese is what I call the tuck and roll.

Fold one side of the tortilla over the string cheese.

Then gently tuck that edge slightly underneath the cheese stick before continuing to roll forward.

That first little tuck creates a tight center spiral. Continue rolling while keeping gentle pressure on the tortilla.

You want it snug enough to create those pretty layers, but not so tight that all of your pizza sauce squeezes out.

Place each finished roll-up seam-side down on your parchment-lined baking sheet. The weight of the roll-up helps keep that seam closed while it bakes.

Butter Makes Them Better

This is not the time to become frightened of butter.

Melt the butter and add a little garlic salt if you like. Then generously brush it over the outside of every roll-up.

Finish them with dried basil before they go into the oven.

The butter is what helps give a basic flour tortilla into that crispy, golden exterior. It also gives the outside of the roll-ups a flavor almost reminiscent of buttery pizza crust or breadsticks.

So brush generously.

Why I Flip Them During Baking

The roll-ups bake at 400°F for approximately six minutes before I carefully flip them.

At this point, the seam should be sealed and the bottom should be starting to turn golden.

After flipping them, brush the tops with a little of the butter that’s collected in the pan, add another sprinkle of basil, and return them to the oven for another minute or two.

That quick flip gives you a much more evenly browned and crispy tortilla.

Keep an eye on them during these last couple of minutes because tortillas can go from perfectly golden to overly brown rather quickly.

What If The Cheese Leaks Out?

Do not panic if you see a little mozzarella escaping from the ends.

A small amount of cheese leakage is completely normal.

In fact, those little pieces of mozzarella that hit the hot pan and become crispy might be one of the best parts of the entire recipe.

If a lot of cheese is escaping, however, your oven may run hotter than mine. You can reduce the oven temperature slightly the next time you make them.

Rolling the tortillas snugly and placing them seam-side down also helps.

Make Them Your Own

Think of the basic recipe as your starting point.

Once you understand how to assemble and roll them, you can play around with different pizza-inspired fillings.

Try:

• Pepperoni and mozzarella
• Sausage and mozzarella
• Ham and cheese
• Canadian bacon
• Finely diced bell peppers
• Mushrooms
• Black olives
• Banana peppers
• A very small amount of cooked Italian sausage
• Different pizza sauces
• A sprinkle of Parmesan inside

Just remember that less is more when it comes to filling these.

Anything you add should be chopped fairly small, and ingredients with a lot of moisture should be used sparingly.

The more filling you add, the harder they will be to tightly roll and keep closed.

An Easy Recipe For Kids To Make

This is still one of my favorite recipes for getting kids into the kitchen.

Younger kids can help spread sauce, count out pepperoni, unwrap string cheese, brush on butter, and sprinkle the basil.

Older kids and teenagers can make practically the entire recipe themselves with appropriate kitchen supervision.

It’s also a great recipe to print out and leave for teenagers who are old enough to use the oven on their own.

There are no complicated cooking techniques and no giant list of ingredients, but they still end up with something that feels like a real meal they made themselves.

That little bit of independence in the kitchen is a good thing.

A Budget-Friendly Aldi Meal

Another reason these have stayed in my regular recipe rotation is that they’re inexpensive.

I can pick up practically everything I need at Aldi: tortillas, string cheese, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and butter.

Depending on current prices and what you already have at home, you can make several Pizza Roll-Ups without spending much money.

That’s especially helpful if you’re feeding hungry kids or teenagers who seem to have developed a second stomach specifically for snacks.

Keep the basic ingredients around and you have an inexpensive lunch, snack, appetizer, or emergency dinner ready to go.

Can I Make Pizza Roll-Ups Ahead Of Time?

Yes, with one caveat.

You can assemble the roll-ups ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them. I wouldn’t assemble them days in advance because the pizza sauce will eventually start softening the tortilla.

For best results, assemble them earlier the same day and bake when you’re ready to eat.

You can also prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and let everyone assemble their own.

How To Store And Reheat Pizza Roll-Ups

Store leftover Pizza Roll-Ups in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

They can be reheated in the microwave, but if you want to bring back the crispy exterior, I prefer a toaster oven or air fryer.

Heat just until the center is warmed and the cheese has softened again.

They’re also perfectly edible at room temperature, which is one of the reasons Mr. Tipsy likes them on softball nights.

What To Serve With Pizza Roll-Ups

For a snack or appetizer, all you really need is a little bowl of warm pizza sauce for dipping.

If you’re turning them into dinner, add something fresh alongside them.

My Pizza Salad is an especially fun pairing because it keeps the whole pizza theme going while adding plenty of crunchy vegetables.

You could also serve these with:

• A simple Italian salad
• Caesar salad
• Chopped vegetable salad
• Fresh fruit for kids
• Raw vegetables and ranch
• Soup for an easy lunch

All of the following images can be clicked to get the recipes for some great pairings!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use corn tortillas?

I recommend flour tortillas for this particular recipe. They are softer and more flexible, making them much easier to tightly roll around the filling.

What size tortillas should I use?

I use small flour tortillas that are approximately six inches across. Larger tortillas can work, but you’ll need to adjust the amount of filling.

Can I use shredded mozzarella instead of string cheese?

Yes, but string cheese is easier to work with and tends to stay contained inside the roll-up better. If using shredded mozzarella, don’t overfill.

Can I leave out the pepperoni?

Absolutely. You can make simple cheese Pizza Roll-Ups or substitute another pizza topping you like.

Why did my tortilla crack?

It was most likely too cold or dry. Warming the tortilla briefly in a skillet makes it soft and pliable enough to roll tightly.

Why did my pizza sauce leak out?

You may have used too much. Keep the sauce concentrated through the center of the tortilla and use approximately two tablespoons per roll-up.

Why did my cheese leak out?

A little cheese leakage is normal. If a significant amount leaks out, make sure the tortillas are rolled snugly and consider lowering your oven temperature slightly.

Can I make these in the air fryer?

They should work well in an air fryer, although cooking times will vary by machine. Brush them with butter, place them seam-side down, and keep a close eye on them since the tortillas can brown quickly.

Can I double the recipe?

Definitely. This recipe is easy to double or triple for parties, game days, sleepovers, or a house full of hungry teenagers.

The Kind Of Easy Recipe Worth Keeping

Pizza Roll-Ups aren’t complicated or fancy, and that’s exactly why I have continued making them for so many years.

They use inexpensive ingredients I can keep on hand, they’re easy enough for kids to help make, and they’re just as useful for a quick weekday lunch as they are for feeding people at a party.

Sometimes the recipes that stick around the longest aren’t the elaborate ones.

They’re the ones you can make without thinking too hard about it, everyone eats them, and before you know it you’ve been making them for years.

And anything involving crispy buttery tortillas, pepperoni, melted mozzarella, and a bowl of pizza sauce for dipping has a pretty good chance of sticking around in this house.