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Flavor-packed meatballs with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, peppers and onion makes this meatball pizza recipe a family favorite that everyone enjoys.
You can never have enough pizza - from Chicago-style deep dish pizza to chicken and bacon pizza. There are just so many options out there.
But until today, I had never made a pizza with meatballs on it. However I was inspired by my favorite pizza joint in Baltimore - Joe Benny's.
Let's just say this immediately moved to the top of our pizza rotation. It is actually a very simple recipe, with some marinara sauce, cheese and meatballs. And if you want added flavor - peppers and onion.
And while I always have some homemade meatballs in the freezer, you can easier use premade meatballs if necessary. So if you are looking for a simple but tasty pizza recipe, this meatball pizza should be at the top of the list!
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Recipe Ingredients
- Pizza dough - homemade or store-bought.
- Marinara sauce - I highly recommend taking the time to make your own but store-bought works as well.
- Mozzarella - fresh is best. Where you get the meltiness factor.
- Meatballs - I prefer homemade but store-bought works.
- Green bell pepper and onion - adds some texture and flavor.
- Parmesan cheese - adds a slight nutty flavor.
- Basil - added freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 500°F. You want stone to be in oven for at least 30 minutes at 500°F. Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal or flour. Use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the dough to the shape you want and place on pizza peel. Evenly spread the marinara sauce over the dough.
- Spread the cheese throughout. Top with meatballs
- Add diced peppers and onion and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Once stone is preheated, turn broiler to high. Transfer pizza to pizza stone and bake for 4-5 minutes or until top is bubbly and bottom is golden brown. Remove the meatball pizza from the oven and top with fresh basil.
FAQs
Of course not. I just like making pizza dough, but you can buy fresh pizza dough where you roll out yourself or pre-baked crusts.
I still suggest buying the fresh dough. Most grocery stores carry it these days, but Trader Joe’s has the best!
The stone holds heat and gives you a nice crust on the bottom which is important in a great pizza.
I know not everyone has a pizza stone. If you don't, use a cast iron skillet. Just place some oil in the skillet before adding the dough and toppings and bake on the bottom third of the rack instead.
I would highly recommend this homemade marinara sauce or even this roasted tomato sauce.
However if you want to buy at the store, try Rao's or Ragu.
I'm partial to beef/pork meatballs but turkey meatballs work great as well.
As far as frozen meatballs, try Nature's Rancher.
Let's be honest, there isn't anything wrong with cold pizza. But if you must reheat this meatball pizza, don't do it in the microwave or it will get soggy.
Just place on a baking sheet in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Take the time to make your own dough. My go-to is this no-knead pizza dough.
- If short on time, just use store-bought sauce and meatballs.
- Don't go overboard on the sauce. You want to just spread it lightly.
- Use a pizza stone so you can broil the pizza and get a nice crust, but bubbly top.
Other Pizza Recipes
- Sicilian-Style Pizza
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Hot Honey-Drizzled Salami Pizza
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- Sun-Dried Tomato Prosciutto Pesto Pizza
If you’ve tried this meatball pizza recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Meatball Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 250 grams (all-purpose flour)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp dry active yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
Pizza
- ¼ cup marinara sauce
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 6 meatballs, cut in half
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup sweet onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4-6 basil leaves
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands. It should be sticky, but not lumpy.
- Cover with saran wrap and a towel in a warm place, allowing it to rise for 24 hours. Transfer to a floured surface and shape into ball. Use when ready.
Pizza
- Place pizza stone in oven 8" from the broiler element and preheat to 500°F. You want stone to be in oven for at least 30 minutes at 500°F.
- Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal or flour. Use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the dough to the shape you want and place on pizza peel.
- Evenly spread the marinara sauce over the pizza dough. Spread the cheese throughout. Top with meatballs, diced peppers and onion. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Once stone is preheated, turn broiler to high. Transfer pizza to pizza stone and bake for 4-5 minutes or until top is bubbly and bottom is golden brown. Remove from oven and top with fresh basil.
Notes
- Take the time to make your own dough. My go-to is this no-knead pizza dough.
- If short on time, just use store-bought sauce and meatballs.
- Don't go overboard on the sauce. You want to just spread it lightly.
- Use a pizza stone so you can broil the pizza and get a nice crust, but bubbly top.
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