Meat Lovers Pizza Large 18'' Recipe
Loaded with pepperoni, sausage, ham, and bacon.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Dough & Base (for one large 18" pizza)
Sauce & Cheese
Meats (Meat Lovers Toppings)
Finishing
Method
Dough & Base (for one large 18" pizza)
Preheat and prepare
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes with a pizza stone or heavy baking steel on the middle rack. If using a baking sheet, preheat oven to 475°F (245°C).
On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into an 18-inch round. Transfer to a pizza peel or baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Brush the dough edge lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to help browning.
Sauce & Cheese
Sauce
Spread 1 cup of pizza/marinara sauce evenly over the stretched dough, leaving a 1-inch border for the crust.
Cheese & seasoning
Sprinkle 4 cups shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Scatter 1/4 cup grated parmesan across the top. Evenly dust 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes over the cheese for flavor.
Meats (Meat Lovers Toppings)
Prepare meats
If not already cooked: cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels, then chop or crumble. Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles; drain excess fat. Chop ham into bite-size pieces if using slices.
Evenly distribute the meats over the cheese: arrange pepperoni slices in a single layer (about 50–70 slices depending on size) covering the surface. Sprinkle 1 cup cooked crumbled Italian sausage across the pizza. Scatter 1 cup chopped ham and 3/4 cup crumbled bacon so every slice will have a mix of meats.
Baking
Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and blistered and the cheese is bubbling. If using a lower oven temp (475°F), bake 12–16 minutes. Rotate halfway through baking for even coloring.
If you prefer extra browning on the pepperoni, broil on high for 30–60 seconds at the end—watch closely to avoid burning.
Finishing
Remove pizza from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon olive oil over the top. Add fresh basil leaves if using. Let rest 2–3 minutes to set the cheese.
Slice into 8 generous slices and serve hot.