Feel like you’ve tried every type of pizza imaginable? I bet you haven’t had a Pizza Ball!? They’re such an easy weeknight meal and a ton of fun.
I swear my kiddos would eat pizza every night if I let them. But who am I kidding, wouldn’t every kid?! For years we’ve had a tradition of Friday pizza and a movie night. But sometimes I like to switch things up to keep it interesting. These pizza balls have quickly become one of my little ones favorites. Dare I say, maybe even over pizza itself!
I dig these Pizza Balls. When they’re piping hot, the little spheres pull apart to reveal gooey melted cheese and whatever other toppings you can think of to put inside. You can fill them with vegetables, ham and pineapple, a variety of cheeses and more. The sky’s the limit! Let your kids be the guide in making the recipe their own and enjoy every last bite of the insanely delicious meal.
The portion size is smaller than a big slice of pizza, making them easy and fun for little hands to hold. I also find them a bit less messy than slices, which can drip cheese and sauce everywhere. Great to go from dinner to the lunchbox!
You’re definitely welcome to make this recipe with store-bought marinara sauce and prepared pizza dough, but there’s something so satisfying to me about making my own sauce and dough. Plus, it just makes the pizza itself taste fresher and even tastier! If you’re looking to make your own, my recipes for Pizzeria Pizza Dough and Veggie Heavy Pizza Sauce bring this recipe to a whole other level.
Another great thing about this delicious meal is how easily they freeze. Just spread the unbaked balls on a sheet, and freeze. When frozen, you can move them to a ziplock freezer bag. Just add 5 minutes to the baking time when ready to cook and voila! Pizza balls whenever that craving kicks in.
Pizza Balls
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 pound white or wheat pizza dough
- 3/4 cup chopped broccoli florets
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and grease a 9-inch pie plate with olive oil.
- Divide the dough into 16 even pieces.
- In a bowl, combine the broccoli* (or whatever addition you choose), mozzarella, and pizza sauce.
- Roll out a piece of dough into a 3-inch round, and place 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the center.
- Bring the edges of the dough to the center, pinching to make sure they stick together, then roll the dough into a ball.
- Place the ball, seam side down, in the pie plate. Repeat to form the rest of the balls.
- Brush each ball with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
- Optional additions: pepperoni, kale, spinach, ham, pineapple, peppers, olives, mushrooms or your favorite pizza toppings.
hey, i was wondering if you could say where you got that sqaure dough from. the only refrigerated dough my store has is a ball of pizza dough which is so hard to work with. i would love to find something already in a square!!
I have a lettuce knife (plastic knife that won’t bruise or brown the lettuce) that is pretty much the same as this and would be appropriate for a child: http://www.amazon.com/Zyliss-31612-Lettuce-Knife-Green/dp/B002MQ3SOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309188072&sr=8-1
Looks delicious. My kids love pizza and these should travel better in a lunchbox than regular pizza. Can you share the website where I can find that safe kids knife? Right now I only let my son use plastic and it doesn’t always work well. Thanks!
My son LOVED these, if his comment, “Look Mama! It’s yummy inside!” is any indication. One problem I did encounter, however. I must not have sealed the balls sufficently, because halfway through baking, I noticed some pizza sauce had leaked out. I just took a paper napkin, dabbed it dry and let it continue baking. Any tips on how to seal the dough so this doesn’t happen?
And thanks again for the great idea!
YES!!! I was hoping that today’s video would be Pizza Balls. I will be making these today 🙂
Fantastic timing! It was my Kindergartener’s last day of school. We were having a special lunch to celebrate. I made these, well a hybrid really. Delish! The only change I did was to bake them individually in muffin tins instead of in the pie plate (I actually don’t own a pie plate!). They were quick, easy, and a hit with the kiddos age 1 to 6 years old. Thank you so much for this idea. Best of all they will fit perfectly in our laptop lunch box come September!
Your son is so cute 🙂 I love how you get him involved with everything thats what my husband and i do with my son he is only 15 months old but it’s never too young to get them involved with stuff!
I let them cool about 10 mins before serving, but you can break them in half right out of the oven and they cool faster.
My son used to be an excellent eater, but lately he seems to not want anything I make for him. But he never turns down pizza. I love the presentation it makes with it being in the pie plate, I was just imagining it with a yummy green salad on the side. About how long does it take to cool down enough so the kids can handle it? I am thinking of doing this for dinner tonight. I have all the stuff. I am always amazed with all the creative ideas you come up with.
oh, now I am thinking it must be one of those plastic knives for cutting lettuce… Your site makes it so clear that you are a great mom and always thinking of your kids and family first. I really just found myself holding my breath when I first watched!! Boys! I’m bracing myself as my little one gets older!
Many thanks again 🙂
What a great idea and a good way to sneak some healthy vegetables in when they don’t even realize they are eating them!
Its actually plastic and it is made for kids 🙂
It’s a knife used specifically for kids. His school even bought sets for the kids to use there after they saw it. I’m SUPER careful with kids and knives. WHen they know they can use their own knives and understand the difference between mommy’s knife and Kenya’s knife it helps a lot.
Hi 🙂 The recipe looks great but I haven’t been able to watch all the way through – I love the interaction between you and your son, but it makes me so nervous seeing him with that knife! Is it a ceramic knife? It looks like it is very sharp and I keep gasping for fear of his little hands!
I’ll definitely try this recipe though! Thanks!
Super excited to try this one! Thanks! I love the videos as I’m a very visual person. It helps to see how it should look.
These look really yummy! And would be a great way to use up leftovers with the husband and kids knowing!! YAY! 🙂