The Best Rolls for When You Want a Savory Breakfast

Breakfast rolls go savory with sausage, Cheddar, and a red pepper dipping sauce.

By
Jasmine Smith
Jasmine Smith
Jasmine Smith is a recipe developer and tester for the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama, and her work has been published in Southern Living, EatingWell, RealSimple, Food & Wine Magazine, MyRecipes, Health, and Simply Recipes. 
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published December 15, 2023
Savory breakfast rolls in a dutch oven pan at a table a setting with a stack of plates (top plate has a serving of rolls and eggs), a cup of coffee, and a small bowl of marinara sauce

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

The aroma of freshly baked rolls on a weekend morning is just the thing to rouse a house from slumber. It gets me up lickety split! But whenever I start my day with a buttery cinnamon roll or sticky bun (or two or three), I’m both overly full and oddly hungry about an hour later.

So I took the beloved concept of fresh rolls in the morning and made it savory. The results are lovely and think you will love these, too. They’re filling without loading you with empty carbs. Better yet, you use frozen dinner roll dough, so they’re easy to put together. A bright red roasted pepper sauce on the side offsets the richness of the rolls. Serve them with scrambled eggs for an elegant breakfast, or deviled eggs for a charming luncheon.

Savory breakfast rolls in a dutch oven pan at a table a setting with a stack of plates (top plate has a serving of rolls and eggs), a cup of coffee, and a small bowl of marinara sauce

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

More Savory Breakfast Items

Savory Breakfast Rolls

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Proof Time 45 mins
Total Time 2 hrs
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound hot ground pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)

  • 15 frozen dinner rolls such as Rhodes (1 1/4 ounces each), thawed

  • All-purpose flour, for dusting

  • 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

  • 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 2 teaspoons sherry or apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • Flaky sea salt 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Brown the sausage:


    Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until crumbled and browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels using a slotted spoon. Set the skillet aside; don’t wipe it clean.

    Cooked sausage in a cast iron braiser for savory breakfast rolls recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  3. Shape the rolls:

    Working with 1 dinner roll at a time, roll the dough into a 5-x-2 1/2-inch rectangle on a lightly floured work surface. Top each dough with about 2 tablespoons sausage and 2 tablespoons cheese. Beginning on one short end, roll the dough tightly over the filling, like a jelly roll.

    Filling added to rolled out dough ball for savory breakfast rolls recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    savory breakfast rolls rolled over the filling

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  4. Let the rolls rise:

    Place the rolls, swirl side up, in the same skillet. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

    Savory breakfast rolls (unproofed) in a cast iron braiser

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    Savory breakfast rolls (after proofing) in a cast iron braiser

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  5. Bake:

    Uncover the rolls and bake until deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

    Baked savory breakfast rolls in the cast iron braiser

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  6. Make the sauce: 

    Meanwhile, process the red peppers, garlic, and vinegar in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. 

    Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the red pepper mixture and cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in salt and remove from heat.

    Red pepper sauce in a food processor for savory breakfast rolls recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    Red pepper sauce cooked in a saucepan for savory breakfast rolls recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
  7. Finish the rolls and serve: 

    Remove the rolls from the oven. Stir the melted butter and parsley together in a small bowl and brush it over the rolls. Top with flaky sea salt and serve with red pepper sauce on the side.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

    Melted butter and parsley brushed onto the baked savory breakfast rolls

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
    Serving of savory breakfast rolls with an egg on a plate, and in the surroundings, in a cast iron braiser with more rolls, a cup of coffee, and a bowl of marinara

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
880 Calories
59g Fat
59g Carbs
31g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 880
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g 75%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 123mg 41%
Sodium 1606mg 70%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 79mg 397%
Calcium 412mg 32%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 483mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.