Pizza.. It’s really hard to find anyone who doesn’t love pizza. The truth is, it’s hard not to love. Chewy bread, zesty sauce, salty pepperoni and gooey cheese, how can you wrong?
In this recipe we take everything we love about pizza and put it into a meatball. Yes a pizza meatball, you heard it right. We dice up pepperoni and mix it with ground beef and spices. Then fill the meatball with fresh mozzarella cheese and simmer it nice and slow in marinara sauce. When you break into the meatball the melted fresh cheese comes oozing out, it’s almost to good to be true.
Try these tasty meatballs in a sub for the ultimate meatball pizza sandwich. Read the full recipe below.
1 24oz jar marinara sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup pepperoni small diced
1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano
1½ tablespoon dried or fresh basil
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 6oz container fresh mini mozzarella balls or your favorite cheese cut into ½ inch cubes
In a 6 quart slow cooker add in marinara sauce and tomato paste. Mix well so that tomato paste is fully incorporated.
In a large bowl add in all ingredients from ground beef to pepper. Mix well until everything is fully incorporated.
Take about 3-4 tablespoons of the meat and press into the palm of your hand. Place 1 piece of cheese in the center then shape into a ball, so that the cheese is encased in the meat.
Place meatballs into the slow cooker and very gently toss to coat in marinara.
Cook on high for 4 hours.
Top with fresh basil and parmesan if desired.
Tip: Try meatballs in a sub for the ultimate meatball pizza sandwich!
