Bake bread according to package directions. Set aside.
Add pizza sauce, ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and 1¼ cups of the Italian cheese to a medium saucepan; warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts and mixture is smooth and heated through.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown ground hamburger, Italian sausage and pepperoni. When nearly done, drain off excess grease, if any. Add peppers and onions; cook for 3-5 minutes until onions and peppers have reached desired consistency.
Reserve ½ cup of the sauce mixture. Add remaining heated pizza sauce mixture into meat and veggies and stir to combine.
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with aluminum foil.
With sharp knife, cut the top off of each loaf. Lightly press center of bread down to form bowls or remove some of the bread fluff. Place each bread bowl on prepared baking sheet.
Spoon meat/cheese sauce mixture into bread bowls. Sprinkle remaining Italian cheese over meat sauce, then drizzle reserved sauce on top. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until cheese on top has thoroughly melted.
Notes
The recipe makes enough to fill 6-10 pizza bread bowls, depending on the size of the bread bowls you're using and the amount of filling it takes to stuff them. If you're using round boules, it will use more of the filling than sub rolls. (I usually make 6 of them using 6-inch sub rolls and typically have leftover sauce, which I save for my next pasta night.)See Recipe Tips in blog post for other helpful suggestions.This recipe was originally published 2/19/2015. At that time, I used Pillsbury refrigerated French bread loaves to make these. When updating the recipe in 2024, I adapted it to use bakery bread instead. However, you could use Pillsbury French bread loaves; cut each loaf into thirds before baking seam side down for the time indicated on package. Proceed with remaining recipe as directed.