Easy & Delicious Pepperoni Pizza Meatballs

All pizza lovers must try these pizza meatballs. You may not fully believe me until you bite into one, but y’all …these meatballs taste exactly like pizza. Italian sausage, some ground beef, chopped up pepperonis, and even a dollop of mozzarella all come together for the ultimate low-carb pizza experience. Delicious, cheesy, and perfect for dipping and impressing a crowd.

Pizza meatballs are a clever marriage of both pizza and meatballs. My recipe is baked, making them even easier to make in bulk. People love these meatballs because they taste just like pizza! The seasoning, chopped pepperoni, Italian sausage, and pizza sauce for dipping make these an unforgettable pizza night.

If you’re looking for more party appetizers, we’ve got you. These dry rub wings, this buffalo chicken dip, these BBQ meatballs, these sweet and sour meatballs, and this air fryer blooming onion are all total crowd-pleasers.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s the complete list of everything you’ll need for these TASTY pizza meatballs. We’ve listed substitutions where applicable + exact ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card.

• Ground beef – feel free to substitute this for any ground protein you love. Ground turkey or chicken are great options!
• Ground Italian sausage – mild, spicy, or sweet Italian sausage all work here. Just be sure to buy ground sausage (vs. sausage links)!
• Pepperoni – we used pork and beef pepperoni, but turkey pepperoni (or any other pepperoni you love) would work too.
• Shredded parmesan
• Bread crumbs – we used gluten-free panko, but any bread crumb will do.
• Egg
• Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper
• Mozzarella cheese sticks – mozzarella pearls will also work!
• Pizza sauce – any brand will do here! We love Rao’s and La Famiglia Delgrosso.
• Fresh basil – for serving, optional
• Red pepper flakes – for serving, optional

What’s the best ground beef to buy?

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How to Make Pizza Meatballs

One of the very best things about meatballs is that they are incredibly easy to make! They require very little effort but pack a BIG punch of flavor. These pizza meatballs are no exception! The process is really just a matter of mixing, scooping, and rolling. Here’s the full how-to:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Make the meatball mixture – add the ground beef, Italian sausage, diced pepperoni, shredded parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a large bowl and use your hands to mix the ingredients together until fully combined.
3. Scoop the meatballs – use a #20 scoop to scoop the meatball mixture, and place each meatball on a sheet pan. Don’t worry about rolling them smooth yet!
4. Add the cheese sticks – cut the cheese sticks into 1/2-inch pieces, and place a piece in the center of each meatball.
5. Roll – roll the meatballs, making sure that the cheese stick stays in the center.
6. Bake – bake the meatballs at 400°F for 25 minutes, until browned.
7. Serve and enjoy – serve with warmed pizza sauce, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

Though this recipe is pretty straightforward, we love a good tip or two!

• Make them in the air fryer – don’t want to turn your oven on? Make these meatballs in the air fryer instead! They’ll cook at 390°F for about 15 minutes.
• Make a double batch + freeze – if you know you’re going to love these yummy little bites, make a double batch to save on time and effort, and freeze the second batch for later. To freeze, transfer the sheet pan of meatballs to the freezer for 2-3 hours, then transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight bag or container to store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply place the frozen meatballs on a sheet pan, and cook in a 400°F oven (or 390°F air fryer) for 30 minutes (20 minutes in the air fryer).
• Skip the cheese – if you’d rather make a dairy-free pizza meatball, omit the cheese (shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese stick) and follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Recipe Variations

• Use a different protein – swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken if that’s more your thing.
• Add veggies – add sliced black olives or finely diced bell peppers to your pizza meatballs for supreme pizza vibes!
• Serve with ranch – a lot of people really love eating their pizza with ranch dressing. If you’re one of those people, dipping these meatballs in ranch dressing (vs. pizza sauce) would be a GREAT idea!

How to Serve

Serve your pizza meatballs alongside a bowl of warmed pizza sauce topped with fresh basil and red pepper flakes for a fun party appetizer! These would be a great addition to a Super Bowl (or any other potluck-style) spread.

I personally plan on prepping these pizza meatballs on the weekend to then pack in my daughter’s school lunch throughout the week. I use these Bentgo boxes, and love that I can even sneak the pizza sauce in there spill-free!

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, simply…

• Pop a couple in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
• Place them in a 400°F oven for 5-6 minutes.
• Toss them in an air fryer at 390°F for 3-4 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can pizza meatballs be made ahead of time?

You can absolutely make your pizza meatballs ahead of time! Here are a couple of options:

• Make them up to 3 months in advance – follow the recipe as written, and then, once the meatballs (and sheet pan) are cool to the touch, stick the entire sheet pan in the freezer for 2-3 hours, then transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight bag or container to store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply place the frozen meatballs on a sheet pan, and cook in a 400°F oven (or 390°F air fryer) for 30 minutes (20 minutes in the air fryer).
• Make them 1-3 days in advance – follow the recipe as written, and then, once the meatballs are cool to the touch, transfer them to an airtight bag or container, and place them in the refrigerator. To reheat, either place them in a 400°F oven for 5-6 minutes, or in a 390°F air fryer for 3-4 minutes, until warmed through.

Can pizza meatballs be frozen?

Yes! Pizza meatballs can definitely be frozen. To freeze the meatballs, follow the recipe as written (cooking the meatballs all the way through), then, once the meatballs (and sheet pan) are cool, place the entire sheet pan in the freezer for 2-3 hours. This will allow the meatballs to freeze separately, preventing them from clumping together later on. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight bag or container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Favorite Meatball Recipes

• Classic Ground Turkey Meatballs
• Moroccan-Inspired Meatballs
• Greek-Inspired Meatballs with Quinoa and Arugula Salad
• Spaghetti Squash Meatball Boats
• Slow Cooker Turkey Teriyaki Meatballs
• French Onion Skillet Meatballs
• Enchilada Verde Turkey Meatballs