When it comes to pizza, are you a classic red sauce and pepperoni person? Or is white sauce more your style? You can have it either way with these pizza sausage skewers! Italian sausage is the foundation for this recipe and fire cooking them on skewers really brings them to life!
That’s because I can pile flavor on the middle of the sausage, down the length of the skewers. And when I say this, I quite literally mean piling on. We’ve got mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, alfredo sauce, pepperoni, bacon bits and garlic Parmesan butter bringing all the flavors to the party.
When I made this pizza sausage skewers recipe, you know I reached for Cowboy Charcoal. This stuff burns the hottest and cleanest, so there were no off-putting flavors detracting from the delicious pizza goodness. I love it for my smoked butters and smoked chimichurri too!
Post sponsored by Cowboy Charcoal
Why You’ll Love Pizza Sausage Skewers
One of the best parts about going to a pizzeria with a big group is that you can order a bunch of different pies and then sample everything. That was my thought process with these pizza sausage skewers.
The sweet sausage pairs well with the savoriness of the red sauce and pepperoni. I also liked the idea of using the spicy sausage with the alfredo sauce because that creaminess will help calm the spicy. Then there’s the garlic butter, which we baste on both at the end because it truly works with everything!
Looking for more sausage skewers? Check out my recipes for Shrimp and Sausage Skewers, Chicken Bacon Ranch Sausage Skewers and Philly Cheese Sausage Skewer. I also have a roundup of my favorite skewers recipes for you to try!
Pizza Sausage Skewers Ingredients
- Red Sausage Pizza: For the red sauce fans out there, we’re using sweet Italian sausages, shredded mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni slices and fresh basil leaves.
- White Sausage Pizza: For those in the white sauce corner, we’ve got spicy Italian sausages, more shredded mozzarella cheese, alfredo sauce, bacon bits and Buffalo sauce.
- Garlic Parmesan Butter: To make the garlic Parmesan butter, grab some unsalted butter, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley and red chili flakes.
Go-To Garlic Bread
If you’re looking for an entirely protein-based meal, these pizza sausage skewers deliver. But, if you’re looking for an epic side, some garlic bread is so freakin’ delicious to round out the pizza flavors.
To make garlic bread, grab a baguette or Italian loaf, mince 5 cloves of garlic, soften 1/2 cup butter, chop 2 tablespoons parsley and grate 1/4 cup of Parmesan or Pecorino cheese. They’re all the same ingredients as the garlic Parmesan butter, so I know you’ll be ready! You could also use a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning in place of the parsley if you want.
Mix the softened butter with the garlic, parsley and Parmesan, plus a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Cut the bread in half lengthwise, then spread the garlic butter mixture on both sides of the bread. Place the bread halves on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup, then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. Enjoy with all your favorite Italian meals!
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How to Make Pizza Sausage Skewers
Let’s get skewering! First, using your Cowboy Charcoal, heat grill for medium heat (around 350 degrees F). Place the grill grate or where you plan to lay your skewers at least 4 inches away from the heat. It’s also helpful to create two three-zone cooking areas so that the skewers cook over indirect heat, between two fires instead of directly over the flames.
Begin by carefully skewering your 8-10 sweet Italian sausages and your 8-10 spicy Italian sausages, through the pointed end of a skewer, onto a two-prong skewer or using two single prongs.
Place on your grill grates, then grill skewers for about 7-9 minutes per side. Make sure to watch out for flare ups, and pull the sausages off or move the coals around it that becomes a problem.
Once the skewers are close to their final internal temperature (165 degrees F), begin adding the toppings to them. On top of the sweet sausages, add the marinara and mozzarella cheese. Then, on top of the spicy sausages, add alfredo sauce and mozzarella cheese.
When you’ve built the base, build each sausage skewer with their toppings. You’ll want slices of pepperoni and fresh basil leaves for the red sauce skewers. On the white sauce skewers, sprinkle skewers with bacon bits. Once you’ve completed this step, let the sausage cook (ideally covered) for 2-3 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
When they’re done, top with parmesan cheese, red chili flakes, a drizzle of honey and/or (my personal favorite) a drizzle of my FYR RED Hot sauce. Pull your sausage pizza kabobs off the grill and let them cool for 5 minutes.
To finish, baste your sausages with the garlic Parmesan butter. Then, pull them off the skewers, slice and enjoy!
What to Serve with Pizza Sausage Skewers
Sausages and peppers are a natural combination, so you could serve these pizza sausage skewers with a combination of grilled red and green bell pepper and the garlic bread in the note. A simple green salad topped with cherry tomatoes and drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil, or other grilled vegetables, like zucchini or asparagus, would be freakin’ delicious too.
Additionally, if you just want an easy bread side, you can grab a round of pizza dough from the grocery store. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired shape and bake it on top of the grill over medium-high heat. Fold dough over the sausage and boom: pizza sausage skewers, taco-style.
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover pizza sausage skewers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can reheat them on the grill at medium heat for 5-10 minutes of cooking or in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop for the same amount of time.
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FAQs
My recommendation for this pizza sausage skewers recipe is to use metal skewers. First off, you can reuse them. Also, having a flat surface makes the food more stable so it doesn’t rotate or slide while you’re grilling.
Some cooks say the metal heats up faster than a wooden skewer and cooks the inside of the meat too quickly. I haven’t seen this during my time grilling with them. But if you want to go with wooden skewers or bamboo skewers, make sure you get products with a smooth finish so they’re less likely to splinter. Soaking them in water helps with splintering and charring issues.
Use a digital meat thermometer. With a digital thermometer, you can get quick and accurate readings. It makes it easy to ensure your pizza sausages reach the food-safe temperature of 165 degrees F.
When it comes to a piece of sausage, no one wants to take a bite and find raw meat! To measure the temp, stick the thermometer probe through one end of the sausage until it reaches the middle lengthwise. This approach will give you an accurate reading from the center of the sausage.
Pretty much everywhere, since it’s hands-down the best stuff around. Check the company’s store locator for a hardware store or supermarket that carries it near you. You can also order online.
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Pizza Sausage Skewers
Ingredients
Red Sausage Pizza:
- 8-10 Sweet Italian Sausages
- ¼ cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 3-4 tbsp Pizza Sauce
- 5-6 Sliced Pepperoni
- 3-4 Basil Leaves
White Sausage Pizza:
- 8-10 Spicy Italian Sausages
- ¼ cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 3-4 tbsp Alfredo Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Bacon Bits
- 1.5 tbsp Buffalo Sauce
Garlic Parmesan Butter:
- 1.5 cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tbsp Grated Parmesan
- 1.5 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 1 tbsp Red Chili Flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your grill for medium heat (around 350F) making the grill grate or the place where you lay your skewers at least 4 inches away from the heat.
- Begin by carefully skewering your sausage onto a two prong skewer or using two single prongs.
- Add the skewers to the grill to cook for about 7-9 minutes per side. Make sure to watch out for flare ups, and pull the sausages off or move the coals around it that becomes a problem.
- While the sausages cook, mix all the ingredients for the garlic parmesan butter sauce in a bowl of jar. Then set aside until ready to use. Optional: Drop a hot coal into your butter to "smoke" it. Let it sit in the butter for about two minutes, then remove with tongs and discard coal.
- Once the skewers are close to their final temperature (165F), begin topping them. Add the marinara and alfredo sauces and then top with cheese.
- Then build each sausage skewer with their toppings. Once finished, let the sausage cook (ideally covered) for 2-3 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Once done, top with parmesan cheese, red chili flakes and buffalo sauce (for the white sauce pizza). Pull off and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Baste with the garlic parmesan butter when done, pull off the skewers, slice and enjoy!
Hi I was wondering where we can get the same skewers you use in this video for the pizza sausage skewers.
From Super Skewers on Amazon!
Thinking of trying this on a pinwheel sausage this weekend. Think that will work? It should right?
Yup! Just keep it tight!