Cheesy Meatball Pizza Bites
Meatball Pizza Bites are a great appetizer that everyone will love! They make a quick snack when you need something cheesy, saucy, and delicious. The whole family will enjoy these tasty bites, whether as an appetizer, for dinner, a party, or for fun!
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My family loves a good appetizer and if it’s pizza-inspired all the better. My skillet pizza dip was somewhat of an inspiration for this meatball pizza appetizer. This meatball cups appetizer inspired these Sloppy Joe cups.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The ingredients are readily available in your grocery store.
- There are a lot of tasks kids can help with. Scroll down to see to what they can do.
- All the best pizza flavors in one appetizer.
- Pizza meatball bites works as an appetizer or a meal.
- Easy to eat! No big, messy slice to manage.
- Beginner-friendly recipe. Easily use store-bought convenience foods or make your own meatballs and sauce.
Ingredients for Cheesy Pizza Meatball Cups
This is a recipe that kids are sure to love. It’s a great “pantry pull” recipe too. What is a pantry pull, you ask? It’s a recipe you can make with items you already have on hand. This recipe would be a pantry pull for me. I had everything I needed to make it without going to the store.
- Crescent Roll Dough
- Ground Beef
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Italian Cheese – I like provolone or mozzarella cheese.
- Marinara Sauce or Pizza Sauce – I prefer my homemade pizza sauce but have used a homemade marinara sauce too.
- Pepperoni Slices
While this is the perfect cheesy meatball appetizer or party snack, I have also served them for lunch and family dinner. They make a nice light meal, especially if you serve them with a salad. They are also perfect for kids’ birthday parties and after-school snacks.
Equipment
No special equipment is needed to make meatball pizza bites.
- Skillet
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter
- Regular Size Muffin Pan
- Cheese Grater – I prefer to buy a block of cheese and grate it myself. It melts much better.
- Tongs – for the meatballs.
- Butter Knife or Small Spatula – for removing the pizza meatball cups from the muffin tin.
How to make pizza meatball cups
- Cook the meatballs
- Cut the crescent dough and add pizza sauce.
- Add the meatballs.
- Top with pepperoni and shredded cheese.
- Bake and serve.
Get kids in the kitchen to help with this recipe. By doing so you give them the knowledge to make this snack anytime they want.
How Can Kids Help make this meatball pizza bites recipe?
Teach your kids life skills and get them help with these tasks:
- Opening the tube of crescent rolls.
- Forming the meatballs.
- Older kids can cook the meatballs.
- Shred your cheese! Older kids can do this task.
- Place the squares in the muffin cup wells.
- Spooning pizza sauce on crescent squares.
- Place meatballs in crescent pizza cups.
- Adding pepperoni and cheese.
Always supervise kids in the kitchen!
Want a secret shortcut to make cheesy meatball pizza bites? Use store-bought Italian frozen meatballs. If you’re short on time, it’s a great option. I do like making homemade meatballs and keep ground beef on hand. Sometimes I bring it home from the store and make the meatballs for the freezer, so I have them ready to go for this recipe or even pasta night.
How do you serve meatball pizza bites?
Serve them as an appetizer or main dish. I like to offer some warm pizza sauce on the side for dipping or adding more to the meatball cups.
All recipes are tested in my Florida kitchen exclusively by me.
More Pizza-Inspired Recipes
If you and your family love pizza-inspired recipes, try my Garlic Bread Pepperoni Pizza, Easy French Bread Pizzas or Pepperoni Cheese Pizza Sliders for a quick weekend lunch. Slow Cooker Pizza Dip or these pizza sloppy Joes should be on your menu if you’re entertaining a crowd. Along with these cheesy meatball pizza bites, they all make great game-day food.
What is the best way to form meatballs?
The easiest way to make meatballs is by using a cookie scoop. They come in a variety of sizes so choose the size right for you. For this cheesy meatball cups recipe use a small or medium scoop.
What dough works best for meatball pizza bites?
I like crescent dough because it’s somewhat flaky. While pizza dough would also work, it will be a bit more difficult to work with to cut the squares.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a comment and 5-star review on the recipe card below. If you really love this recipe, please share it on your social media!
Cheesy Pizza Meatball Cups
Ingredients
- 1 tube crescent rolls
- ½ pound ground beef
- salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ – ½ cup pizza sauce
- 12 slices pepperoni
Instructions
- Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Unroll crescent dough and pinch together seams. Cut into 12 equal squares. Gently stretch each square and place in each muffin cup.
- In a bowl combine the ground beef and seasonings. Mix well without over mixing. Form mixture into 12 meatballs.
- Add meatballs to skillet and cook until done, about 15 minutes. As an alternative, you can bake them as well.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- While meatballs cook, add 1 tablespoon pizza sauce to each muffin cup. Top with a a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Add a cooked meatball to each cup. Place a slice of pepperoni on top and sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes until crescent rolls are golden and cheese is melted.
Meet Ellen
Recipe Creator ~ Food Writer ~ Food Photographer
Hi, I’m Ellen and welcome to Family Around the Table where I share recipes the whole family will enjoy. They are also easy to make. With 20 years of experience in food writing and recipe creation, you will surely find something for everyone. Read more by clicking About Ellen below.
Favorite Recipe: Almond Crusted Chicken
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Favorite Dessert: Hershey Bar Pie
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My husband and I would love these with a couple of beers! They look delicious!
My husband would absolutely love these.