This cheese bread comes together quickly as a meal or as a pizza appetizer. If the meatballs are made ahead of time, plan to spend twenty minutes on cooking. If the meatballs are not already made, enlist some helping hands to roll them and they will be done in a flash as well.
Not only is this a fast recipe to cook, it is a crowd pleaser. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the meat and cheese combination for a meal or snack. Also, consider the variations at the end of the article. Some of them will be faster to make than this meatball recipe. The possibilities go on and on, so feel free to choose your own toppings too!
Meatball Cheesy Bread (Dinner for 4, Appetizers for 8)
Ingredients
- 2 recipes of Homemade Pizza Dough
- 1/2 recipe of Italian meatballs, cooked and thawed (see below)
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
- Tomatoes for garnish or marinara for dipping (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (425 degrees for a convection oven).
- Form the pizza dough into two rectangles approximately 8" by 10" and place them on greased or floured cookie sheets.
- Drizzle olive oil over the top of the dough and sprinkle the garlic powder on top of that.
- Arrange bell pepper slices over the top of the dough. Add the cooked meatballs.
- Sprinkle cheese over the whole pizza. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust begins to brown and the cheese is melted. Slice the pizza into breadstick shapes.
- Serve with tomato garnish or marinara dipping sauce if desired.
Italian Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 C dry bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Form the meat into 1/2" balls and place them close together on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for ten minutes. Be sure they are cooked through.
- Use the meatballs immediately or freeze them for later use.
The above meatball recipe is very simple, but also very tasty. They freeze and reheat well for quick meals later on.
VariationsTo keep the basic idea of the rustic appetizer pizza while adding variety, try the following topping ideas: (keep the crust, olive oil and garlic base)
- Classic pepperoni and mozzarella - These toppings never go out of style.
- Jalapeños and cheddar - Adding some spice can be very nice.
- Artichoke hearts and feta - Sharp and cool flavors balance well.
- Parmesan and sundried tomatoes - This is a classy choice for pizza.
- Figs and goat cheese - Try something unique and refreshing.
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