Quick, easy homemade pizza dough, a rich marinara, tender meatballs and plenty of mozzarella come together in a meatball pizza that beats takeout.
Homemade Pizza with Meatballs and Pepperoni
Chewy-crispy crust, bright marinara, garlic-infused olive oil, savory meatballs, pepperoni and bubbling mozzarella—what’s not to love? While pizza delivery is convenient, making pizza at home is rewarding and surprisingly fast when you have a simple dough recipe and some prepared meatballs and sauce on hand.
This recipe uses an easy, reliable pizza dough that produces a chewy, flavorful crust with minimal fuss. The dough comes together quickly, requires only a short proof and can also be mixed ahead and refrigerated for later—perfect for busy weeknights. Pull it from the fridge about 30 minutes before shaping to let it come to room temperature for easier handling.
Tools to Consider
A baking stone and a pizza peel make home pizza easier and help crisp the crust, but they are optional. If you don’t have a stone, a rimless baking sheet lined with parchment works well.
- Pizza stone (optional for a crisper crust)
- Pizza peel or rimless baking sheet (useful for transferring pizza)
📖 Recipe
Homemade Pizza
Quick and easy dough, rich marinara, tender meatballs, pepperoni and gooey mozzarella come together in a homemade meatball pizza that tastes better than takeout. This is a friendly, flexible recipe—use your favorite toppings, adjust the spice level and scale the quantities as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe easy homemade pizza dough (see your preferred dough recipe)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- Prepared meatballs (sliced), pepperoni and any other toppings you enjoy
Instructions
- Place a pizza stone on a middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). If you’re not using a stone, line a rimless baking sheet with parchment and set it aside. If using a stone, preheat it inside the oven for about 30 minutes so it’s very hot.
- Lightly flour a work surface and divide the dough into four equal portions. Keep the pieces you’re not working with covered so they don’t dry out.
- If you plan to slide the pizza onto a hot stone, cut a 14–16 inch circle of parchment and place the dough on it on your pizza peel or rimless baking sheet—this helps you transfer the pizza easily. Parchment will not prevent the crust from crisping.
- Whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and salt in a small bowl.
- Working with one dough piece at a time, gently press and stretch it into a 9–12 inch round. If you’re new to shaping dough, take it slowly and let relaxation between stretches help the gluten relax so the dough shapes more easily.
- Place the shaped dough on the parchment or baking sheet. Brush the crust all over with the garlic-olive oil mixture. Spread 1/3 to 1/2 cup marinara over the center, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge for the crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella, then add halved meatballs, pepperoni slices and other toppings as desired.
- Slide the pizza, parchment and all, onto the hot stone. If baking on a prepared baking sheet, place the sheet directly in the oven. Bake 8–12 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown. Remove with a peel, baking sheet or large spatula and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough and toppings.
Notes
A baking stone and peel make pizza night easier and help create a crisp bottom crust, but you can bake excellent pizzas on a baking sheet. If using a stone, preheat it thoroughly so the crust begins to crisp as soon as it hits the surface. Use a rimless baking sheet or peel to transfer pizzas safely. Feel free to customize toppings and cheese quantities to suit your taste.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition will vary depending on dough, cheese, meatball recipe and portion sizes. Use your ingredient labels or a nutrition calculator for accurate values per serving.