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Meatball Pizza takes everything you love about spaghetti and meatballs and piles it onto a crispy, cheesy crust, with tender homemade meatballs, gooey mozzarella, and tangy sauce in every bite, and it is the pizza my whole family requests on Friday pizza night. If you are a meatball fan, this loaded pie is your new favorite, right up there with our spaghetti and meatballs.
Homemade meatballs and a quick par-baked crust mean this pizza tastes like your favorite pizzeria, made right in your own kitchen.
Meatball Pizza Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 37 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 57 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 16 pieces
- ⚡ Calories: 237kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cheesy, saucy pizza loaded with savory homemade meatballs
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our margherita pizza
Quick Answer
Mix ground beef with parmesan, panko, egg, and seasonings, roll into meatballs, and bake until golden. Stretch pizza dough onto a pan, pierce it, brush with oil, and par-bake. Spread on pizza sauce and mozzarella, top with halved meatballs and more cheese, and bake at 425 degrees until golden and bubbly.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Homemade meatballs beat frozen. Mixing your own meatballs means they are perfectly seasoned, tender, and fresh-tasting instead of bland and rubbery.
- Par-baking keeps the crust crisp. Pre-baking the dough before topping it means the center stays crispy and never goes soggy under the sauce and cheese.
- Halving the meatballs spreads them out. Slicing the meatballs in half lets them sit flat and gives you a piece of meatball in nearly every bite.
- Two cheese layers anchor the toppings. Cheese under and over the meatballs locks them in place so nothing slides off when you grab a slice.
- Baking the meatballs first. Cooking the meatballs before they top the pizza means they are fully done and golden, with no raw centers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is two of the best comfort foods, pizza and meatballs, in one cheesy, saucy bite.
- It uses the same savory homemade meatballs as our spaghetti and meatballs, just piled onto a crust.
- The recipe makes two pizzas, so it is perfect for feeding a hungry crowd on pizza night.
Key Ingredients
Here is what loads up this homemade meatball pizza.
- Ground beef mixed with parmesan, panko, and seasonings makes tender, flavorful meatballs.
- Pizza dough gives you that chewy, crispy crust, and store-bought or homemade both work.
- Mozzarella cheese melts into the gooey, stretchy layer that holds it all together.
- Pizza sauce brings the classic tangy tomato flavor.
- Parmesan and Italian herbs season the meatballs and finish the pie, the same flavors in our margherita pizza.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make it your own with these easy swaps.
- Use frozen or store-bought meatballs to save time.
- Make your own crust with our Neapolitan pizza dough for a from-scratch pie.
- Add sliced peppers, onions, or mushrooms for extra toppings.
- Swap in Italian sausage or turkey for the meatballs.
- Use our homemade pizza sauce for the freshest tomato flavor.
How to Make Meatball Pizza
- Mix the ground beef, egg, parmesan, panko, and seasonings together until just combined.
- Roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and 165 degrees inside, then cut each one in half.
- Stretch a pizza dough ball onto a greased 14-inch pan and pierce it all over with a fork.
- Brush the dough with olive oil and par-bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned.
- Spread on pizza sauce, leaving a half-inch border, then add a layer of mozzarella.
- Top with the halved meatballs and more cheese, then sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden and bubbly, rest 5 minutes, then slice. Repeat for the second pizza.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Par-bake the crust before topping so the center stays crisp under the meatballs and cheese.
- Cut the meatballs in half so they sit flat and you get a piece of meatball in every bite.
- Do not overload the toppings, too much weight makes the crust soggy.
- Bake the meatballs first so they are fully cooked before they go on the pizza.
- Let the pizza rest 5 minutes before slicing so the cheese sets.
- Make it a pizza night spread with our BBQ chicken pizza for variety.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This meatball pizza is the star of any pizza night. Slice it up and serve it hot with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Make it a pizzeria spread with our BBQ chicken pizza and a Chicago deep dish pizza.
Round out the meal with a side of spaghetti and meatballs or our easy sheet pan pizza for a crowd.
Meatball Pizza FAQs
Yes. Thaw and halve frozen or store-bought meatballs, then add them to the pizza. Making your own gives the best flavor, but frozen is a great shortcut on a busy night.
Absolutely. Homemade dough works beautifully here. Stretch it to fit your pan, pierce it with a fork, and par-bake it just like the store-bought dough.
Par-bake the crust before adding toppings, do not overload it with sauce or meatballs, and bake on the lower oven rack so the bottom crisps up.
Make and bake the meatballs up to two days ahead and refrigerate. When you are ready, par-bake the crust, assemble, and bake so the pizza is hot and fresh.
Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a 375 degree oven or air fryer until hot and crisp, not the microwave which makes the crust soft.
Whole milk shredded mozzarella melts the best for that classic stretchy pull. A little grated parmesan on top adds a salty, nutty finish.
Hungry for more pizza? Try our BBQ chicken pizza or a Chicago deep dish pizza next.
If rolled up pizza flavors are your thing, our classic stromboli takes it to the next level.
Serve the slices with our kid-friendly football punch recipe.
Best Meatball Pizza (Homemade Meatballs)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
For assembly:
- 2 16 ounce pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 pound shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
- grated parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, set aside.
- Place the ground beef, egg, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, basil, and oregano in a large bowl. Mix well to combine, I like to use my hands to do this.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Take 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll it in your hands to form a ball. Place on the prepared sheet tray, not touching. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown, and they reach 165°F internal temperature. Let cool on the counter while you prepare the crust.
- Lightly spray a 14-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Add 1 of the pizza dough balls into the center of the pan. Gently stretch it out to be the same size as the pan. If you find the dough is shrinking back, you can let the dough rest for 5 minutes then stretch it out again.2 16 ounce pizza dough
- Take a fork and pierce the dough all over. Brush ½ tablespoon of olive oil over the dough. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Cut the meatballs in half and set aside.
- Add ½ cup pizza sauce onto the dough and spread it out, leaving a half-inch border along the edge. Top with ¼ of the cheese. Add half of the sliced meatballs. Top with another ¼ of the cheese. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon dried oregano on top and ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.1 cup pizza sauce, 1 pound shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown along the crust and the cheese is browned. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make the second pizza.fresh chopped parsley for garnish, grated parmesan cheese
Notes
- Prebake the crust for a few minutes before adding toppings for extra crispiness.
- Use a lightly oiled bowl to let the dough rise if making from scratch for the best texture.
- Roll the meatballs into small balls so they cook evenly and fit nicely on the pizza.
- Use a pizza stone or a preheated baking sheet for a golden brown and crispy crust.
- Let the pizza cool for a few minutes on a wire rack to keep the crust crispy.
- Experiment with different types of cheese for new and exciting flavors.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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If you know how long your crust takes then go with that time frame.
I’m going to try this. I make pizza quite often using my homemade dough. My question is that I’m thinking 20 min total time baking is too long. I usually bake my crust with all toppings for 12 min. I’m afraid 20 min will burn my crust.
I was thinking to bake 5 min the 1st time and then the remainder after toppings are on.