Meat Lovers Pizza Recipe

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, stir warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the water and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Mix dough

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead and rest

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic (or use a stand mixer with dough hook 4–5 minutes). Form into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60–75 minutes.

Shape crust

Punch down dough, transfer to a lightly floured surface, and roll or stretch into a 12–14-inch round. Transfer to a pizza peel or parchment-lined baking sheet. If time is short, you can use store-bought dough or prebaked crust.

Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let sit 10–15 minutes for flavors to meld. This yields a slightly thick, spreadable sauce.

Cook chicken

Cut chicken breast into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with 1/8 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until cooked through and lightly browned, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Cook ground beef

In the same skillet, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add ground beef, season with 1/8 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed and return beef to pan to crisp slightly for 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels if desired.

Prepare vegetables

If using, thinly slice red onion and green bell pepper. Toss with a tiny pinch of salt to soften raw bite (optional).

Arrange toppings: have pepperoni slices measured and ready to layer on the pizza. Pre-cooked chicken and beef should be warm or at room temperature before topping.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If using a lower-temp oven, preheat to highest setting and allow ample heat-up time.

Sauce the crust

Spread an even layer (about 1/2–3/4 cup) of the prepared sauce over the shaped dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border for the crust.

Cheese & meats

Sprinkle about 1 3/4 cups of shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Distribute the cooked ground beef and chicken evenly across the pizza. Arrange pepperoni slices to cover the surface (about 35–40 slices for a 12–14-inch pizza). Scatter sliced onion and bell pepper if using.

Extra cheese finish

Top with the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and the shredded provolone. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top and finish with dried oregano and red pepper flakes if desired.

Bake

Slide pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 8–12 minutes depending on oven temperature. Rotate halfway for even browning.

Rest and slice

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 3–5 minutes so cheese sets slightly. Sprinkle with a light extra pinch of grated Parmesan or dried oregano if desired. Slice into 8 slices and serve hot.