How to Make a Homemade Meatball Pizza

This Homemade Meatball Pizza is so incredible. With homemade meatballs and a crispy, chewy crust it’s pizza perfection.

Making Homemade Pizza

I find making homemade pizza to be a really enjoyable activity. It’s very satisfying to stretch out that crust and the possibilities for toppings are endless. It doesn’t hurt that it happens to be one of my favorite foods!

You can really use your imagination and come up with some amazing combinations for different pizza recipes. I also feel a lot better about eating a homemade pizza versus delivery or frozen pizza. And, the whole family can get involved for a fun pizza night.

I also like the fact that you have control over all of the ingredients and can customize with your favorite toppings. That means you can make it as healthy as you like (or not!).

New York Pizza Inspiration

My inspiration for this meatball pizza recipe came from a meatball pizza we had while vacationing in New York with my family. It may be hard to believe, but at that time I had never had one before.

This pizza had flavor-packed meatballs, multiple types of cheese and a super crispy crust. It was absolutely delicious and the whole family thought it was great.

So, I set out to make my own homemade version. It did not disappoint.

Quick and Easy to Make

For my version, I use my favorite baked meatball recipe, a no-cook pizza sauce, this easy homemade pizza dough, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. So, not that many ingredients and most of the prep time is waiting for the homemade dough to rise. It makes for a pretty easy recipe.

Can I Use Store-Bought Dough?

You can use store-bought pizza dough if you don’t want, or have time, to make your own. I find Trader Joe’s has fresh pizza dough that works great in this recipe. This also greatly reduces the time needed to make the recipe.

Can I Use Store-Bought Meatballs?

Yes, you can use store-bought meatballs for this recipe. Just make sure they are thawed before using.

Frankly, the actual meatballs you use on this pizza is entirely up to you. If you are more of a plain meatball person, you can do that.

If you love mini meatballs, or different seasoned meatballs, those also work great. Your favorite meatball ingredients just make this more of your own personal pizza.

I like to have extra meatballs in my freezer because they work well in so many recipes. So, these leftover meatballs I have make great pizza meatballs!

Do I Need a Pizza Stone?

It isn’t necessary to have a pizza stone as you can use a metal pizza pan. I find a pizza stone works really well, but you do have to heat it up in the oven prior to using. That hot pizza stone is key to a crispy pizza crust.

Baking the Pizza

Once you have your dough in your desired shape and size, spread the sauce on the crust and top with lots of cheese and sliced meatballs. Transfer to your pre-heated pizza stone in a 550 degree oven.

The super hot temperature is the secret to a super crispy crust and the pizza only takes about 10 minutes to cook. It turns out perfectly every time.

How to Reheat Leftover Pizza

One of the great things about pizza is that not only is it a great comfort food, but it also makes for a great leftover meal the next day. Now, my husband will actually eat cold pizza right from the fridge, but that’s not my style!

I prefer to take it out of the fridge, put as many pieces as I want on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and put into a cold oven. Turn the oven on to preheat to 350 degrees. By the time it reaches that temperature, the pizza should be hot and crispy.

Tips and Tricks

• If your dough has been in the refrigerator, let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes to take the chill off. It will roll out easier if it’s closer to room temperature.
• Make sure you put a fairly generous amount of cornmeal on your pizza peel. This will insure that the pizza will easily slide off of it onto the baking stone.
• Preheat the pizza stone while the oven is preheating. A hot pizza stone is key for a nice crisp pizza crust.
• Be careful not to add too much sauce onto the crust and maintain a 1 inch border. If there’s too much sauce, the crust will be soggy.
• The meatballs should be sliced relatively thin, no more than 1/4 inch for the best result.
• Don’t add the fresh basil until after the pizza has come out of the oven.
• Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. It will be easier to slice and serve if it’s had a chance to cool slightly.

Ingredients Needed to Make a Homemade Meatball Pizza

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Pizza dough – You can use any of your choice, but I personally love this recipe.
• Pizza sauce – I love to use this super easy homemade pizza sauce, but store bought pizza sauce or marinara sauce also work great, if that’s what you have on hand.
• Meatballs – Either homemade meatballs or store-bought work great.
• Fresh mozzarella cheese – Fresh is my preference for this pizza, but feel free to use regular part-skim shredded mozzarella.
• Dried Italian seasoning – Dried oregano can be substituted if you prefer.
• Parmesan cheese – I prefer the texture of grated parm over shredded on this pizza.
• Fresh basil – This adds a nice fresh flavor to the pizza after it comes out of the oven.

Helpful Equipment for Making Pizza

• A pizza stone will get you a good result, but a metal pizza pan will also work if that’s what you have.
• A pizza peel is essential for transferring the pizza to the pizza stone. If you don’t have one, the back of a baking sheet will also work.
• A rolling pin is very helpful for getting the dough thin enough.

More Pizza and Flatbread Recipes You’ll Love

• Easy Deep Dish Pizza Casserole
• Philly Cheesesteak Flatbread
• Smoked Salmon Flatbread
• Homemade Supreme Pizza
• BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza

ENJOY!