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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 to BBQ chicken pizza to garlic 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.
Why This Recipe Works
- Perfect crust - The homemade pizza dough leads to that perfect crust which is crispy and airy at the same time.
- Cheesy - When you have pizza, you expect cheese and you get that with this recipe with both mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Utilizes leftovers - I mentioned above but if I have leftover meatballs, I use them with this pizza. I've even made some specifically for this meatball pizza because I like it so much!
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Ingredient Notes
- Pizza dough - While I like to make my own, store-bought dough works fine.
- Marinara sauce - I highly recommend taking the time to make your own but store-bought works as well.
- Cheese - You use mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to get both creaminess and saltiness.
- Meatballs - I always have some frozen homemade meatballs in the freezer, which is what I use. However store-bought is a good substitute.
- Onion and green bell pepper - Sautéed or fresh for added flavor and texture. You can add other veggies like mushrooms too.
- Fresh basil - Adds a fresh, herby touch. You can't go wrong with oregano either.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Lightly oil a 10x15 sheet pan. With oiled hands, gently stretch the dough across length and width just past the edge of the baking sheet in an even layer. Evenly spread the sauce over top before adding the cheese.
Add the meatballs, onion and dice pepper. Bake at 500° for about 15 minutes. Finish with some 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!
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.
No. I like to use it as it is already hot once you put the pan on top, which leads to a crispy bottom. However you can omit and the pizza will still be great!
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.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the pizza turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Large bowl - Used to mix the for the pizza dough
- Baking sheet - You want a 10x15 sheet pan so it is big enough for the pizza.
- Pizza stone - While it's not baked directly on a pizza stone, the stone imparts heat into the sheet pan.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Take the time to make your own dough. My go-to is this no-knead pizza dough.
- Let the dough rest if it won't cover the whole sheet pan before stretching again to fit.
- 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.
- Take the time to grate your own cheese. No pre-shredded cheese with this pizza.
Other Pizza Recipes
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
- 375 grams all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dry active yeast
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water
Pizza
- ¼ cup marinara sauce
- 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- 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
- Preheat oven to 500°F and add pizza stone. Lightly oil a 10x15 sheet pan. With oiled hands, gently stretch the dough across length and width just past the edge of the baking sheet in an even layer.
- Evenly spread the marinara sauce over the pizza dough. Spread the cheese throughout. Top with meatballs, diced peppers and onion. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pizza, and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. 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.
- Let the dough rest if it won't cover the whole sheet pan before stretching again to fit.
- 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.
- Take the time to grate your own cheese. No pre-shredded cheese with this pizza.
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