Meat Lovers Pizza

This Meat Lovers Pizza is piled high with melty cheese, spicy pepperoni, crispy bacon, juicy sausage crumbles, and herby italian seasoning! Learn how to make this hearty pizza quick and easy in your very own kitchen!
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This Meat Lovers Pizza is piled high with melty cheese, spicy pepperoni, crispy bacon, juicy sausage crumbles, and herby Italian seasoning! Learn how to make this hearty pizza quick and easy in your very own kitchen! 

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Slices of two meat lovers pizza ready to enjoy

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Thereโ€™s no meal more perfect than a slice of hot, crisp, and cheesy, pizza. If you feel me, youโ€™ve come to the right place! I love making homemade pizza; itโ€™s so much fun and I can get the whole family involved (most of the time).

Sure, takeout pies are delicious and convenient but being in control of your own flavors and textures is such a great experience. The best part is, once youโ€™ve done it a few times pizza making is a breeze!

Today, weโ€™re making one of my favorite pizza varieties: Meat Lovers. Smoky bacon, tender ham, spicy pepperoni, and well-seasoned Italian sausage crumbles are spread out onto a fluffy crust coated in sweet marinara and freshly shredded mozzarella cheese in this deliciously classic recipe. Letโ€™s get to cooking yโ€™all!

Pizza ingredients like crumbled meat, shredded cheese, spices and pizza sauce

What are the toppings?

A meat loverโ€™s pizza is just what it sounds like: a pizza piled high with salty, hearty meat. The meat toppings can vary but, typically, this decadent pie is served up with crumbled italian sausage, bacon bits, pepperoni slices, and sliced Canadian (or regular) ham. 

How to Make Meat Lovers Pizza 

The difficulty of this recipe will depend on whether or not you decide to make a homemade dough. I often make large batches of my pizza dough recipe and freeze the leftovers for later on. 

Thereโ€™s nothing wrong with going the pre-made dough route! I do it quite often and still get amazing results. Either way, be patient with the dough and donโ€™t worry if you donโ€™t get that perfect circle- it takes practice, people! 

Pizza dough on a pan with sauce and mozzarella

I recommend spooning the pizza onto the dough and spreading it, rather than dumping it on all at once. Thatโ€™ll make the dough heavy and soggy.

Pizza dough with sauce, cheese and meat piled high

Layer on the toppings however youโ€™d like! Use this recipe as more of a guideline and feel free to make it your own: use different meats, adjust the measurements, etc.

Watch the pizza closely as it cooks. Not just because it cooks quickly but also because itโ€™s fun! The crust rises, the cheese bubbles, and the pepperonis curl and crisp. Itโ€™s the best sight to see.

A close up of meat pizza ready to enjoy

Pizza Making Tips 

  • If you prefer a little more texture on the bottom of your pizza, sprinkle a couple tablespoons of cornmeal on the bottom of the pan.
  • Really want to save time? Try this recipe using a 12-inch sized pre-baked crust. Follow the manufacturerโ€™s directions for temperature and bake time.
  • Thinly sliced green peppers, onions, olives, and mushrooms all make great veggie additions to this pie!
  • For a fresher taste, try making your own pizza sauce at home. Iโ€™ve got a great recipe right here.
  • You can use any kind of cheese youโ€™d like! Provolone, gouda, or a mild cheddar would work. Mix up a couple different cheeses for a fermented, sharp taste.
  • I recommend slightly under-cooking your protein since it will cook a little bit more once itโ€™s on your pizza.
  • Start checking the pizza for doneness at about 10 minutes. Itโ€™ll be up to you to decide how crispy youโ€™d like the crust to be. I find that 13 minutes in my oven makes for a crisp, yet fluffy crust. 
One slice of meat lovers pizza being taken from a pizza

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Meat Lovers Pizza 

If you take a little extra time to properly store your pizza, youโ€™ll end up with fresher tasting leftovers, and the texture will be more similar to when it was fresh. 

I like to line an airtight container with paper towels and stack each slice inside in between layers of more paper towels. If you need to, separate the slices into more than one container. 

Place the container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Refrigerated pizza can be reheated on a pizza pan in a conventional oven set to 350 degrees or toaster oven set to 400 degrees. Watch the slices closely and heat until bubbly and heated through, about 5-10 minutes. 

Can I freeze homemade pizza?

Absolutely! Stock your freezer with leftover pizza slices as a gift to your future self. To do so, wrap the individual slices in plastic wrap and then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once theyโ€™re nice and frozen, go ahead and transfer the slices to freezer-safe zip top bags and label them with the date. 

Frozen meat lovers pizza will keep for about 2 months. (If it lasts that long of course.)

A large pizza with slices ready to take out

The Best Way to reheat pizza

The best way to reheat a slice or two of pizza is on the stovetop using a large skillet, a little water, and a lid. Preheat the skillet to medium heat, add about a tablespoon of water per slice, and cover the skillet. Heat the pizza for about 3-5 minutes, adding another splash of water if you need to buy a little more time. This method can also be used for refrigerated leftover pizza. 

If heating up four or more slices, use the oven broiler and preheat a baking sheet for about 5 minutes and then add the slices to the hot pan and continue to low broil for 4-5 minutes longer, or until the cheese is bubbly.

Grandbaby Cakes Best Pizza Recipes

My family and I have pizza night at least once a week! We love getting in the kitchen together and making our favorite cheesy concoctions. 

Try out a few more of our family-favorite pies: 

Slices of two meat lovers pizza ready to enjoy

Meat Lovers Pizza

This Meat Lovers Pizza is piled high with melty cheese, spicy pepperoni, crispy bacon, juicy sausage crumbles, and herby italian seasoning! Learn how to make this hearty pizza quick and easy in your very own kitchen!
5 from 8 votes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pizza dough homemade or store bought
  • 1/2 cup pizza sauce recipe here
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
  • 4 oz parmesan freshly shredded
  • 8 pepperoni slices
  • 2 bacon slices cooked and crumbled
  • 2 canadian bacon slices cut into smaller pieces
  • 1/4 lb spicy or mild Italian sausage cooked and crumbled
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp red pepper chili flakes optional

Instructions

  • Set the oven rack to the lower position. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
  • Allow the prepared pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. This step is only required if youโ€™re working with a refrigerated dough.
  • Prepare the toppings: fry the bacon, cook the sausage, shred the cheese using a GoodCook Grater, and measure out the rest.
  • Shape the Dough โ€“ On a lightly floured surface, stretch and shape the dough into a 10-inch circleโ€”transfer to the baking sheet. Use fingers to press into a 12-inch circle. Leave the edges slightly thicker, about ยฝ-inch tall and wide.
  • Brush olive oil on the edges to make the crust crispier when baked.
  • Spread the pizza sauce over the dough, followed by the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, pepperoni, bacon, Canadian bacon, and sausage. Sprinkle on italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (if desired).
  • Cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 to 13 minutes.
  • Immediately slice and serve while still hot.

Notes

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVER MEAT LOVERS PIZZA
If you take a little extra time to properly store your pizza, youโ€™ll end up with fresher tasting leftovers, and the texture will be more similar to when it was fresh.
I like to line an GoodCook EveryWare airtight container with paper towels and stack each slice inside in between layers of more paper towels. If you need to, separate the slices into more than one container.
Place the container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Refrigerated pizza can be reheated on a GoodCook AirPerfect Pizza pan in a conventional oven set to 350 degrees or toaster oven set to 400 degrees. Watch the slices closely and heat until bubbly and heated through, about 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 1061mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 379IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 324mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under:  Dinner, Main Dishes, Oven, Pizza, Super Bowl and Game Day Party

Comments

  1. This is so delicious! Since my pizza pan is smaller than the one Jocelyn uses, I ended up having enough left over of everything to make another pizza. I also skipped the Canadian bacon (weโ€™re not big fans) and used a half pound of Italian sausage. I might add mushrooms next time. It was to die for, especially that sauce!!!

  2. what a wonderful change of pace for me, heavy in a good way and nice for a weekend, fun pizza to make too, thank you!

  3. OMG! This is one of the best pizzas I have seen for a long time now. Looks fantastic and I am making this for my family tonight. Thansk for sharing.

  4. It looks so good. I’m sure my hubby will love this version since he’s not a fan of pizza with lots of vegetables. ๐Ÿ˜€

  5. You had me at “meat lovers”! Love this pizza recipe and it was a hit with the family.

5 from 8 votes (1 rating without comment)

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