DIY Copycat Olive Garden Meatball Pizza Bowl Recipe

DIY Copycat Olive Garden Meatball Pizza Bowl Recipe

yield: 4 SERVINGS

prep time: 20 MINUTES

cook time: 50 MINUTES

total time: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground beef or ground sausage
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup finely diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper to taste

For the bread bowls:

  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

For the meatball pizza bowls:

  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 20 pepperoni slices

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all the meatball ingredients together, roll into medium sized meatballs, and place on a baking sheet about 1/2 an inch from each other.

2

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown and cooked.

3

To make the bowls, mix self rising flour and nonfat Greek yogurt until it forms a dough.

4

Place dough on a floured surface. Cut into four equal portions.

5

Flatten each dough ball, and place over the top of a flipped over bowl. (Make sure to first grease the bowl.)

6

Place all four bowls on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

7

Remove from oven and remove bread from the molds.

8

To assemble the bowls, add some of the cheese to the bottom of bowls, then spoon in sauce, followed by three meatballs and five pepperonis into each bowl. (Really you can adjust ingredient amounts based on preference.)Β 

9

Place bowls on a baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes or so until cheese is melted, and serve.

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29 Comments
Love Love Love I'd Have Seconds! Meh... Not Feeling It Needs A Do-Over
4.3 / 6 ratings
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holding an empty bread bowl

Love Olive Garden’s meatball pizza bowl? Today, we’re recreating the restaurant’s ultimate saucy meatball and pizza mashup with this fun and easy DIY Copycat Olive Garden Meatball Pizza Bowl Recipe! Make this dish for your family at home and enjoy this decadent restaurant-quality entrée without leaving your house!

cutting an Olive Garden meatball pizza bowl with a knife and fork


The first thing you’ll need to do is make a batch of this incredibly easy dough from this 2-Ingredient Bagels recipe (included below).

holding a ball of dough

Simply mix one cup of self-rising flour with one cup of nonfat Greek yogurt (you can also make your own favorite pizza dough recipe or pick up some pre-made dough at the store).


dough formed over glass bowls

These pizza bowls are pretty easy to make using upside-down bowls as forms. I used four 1-cup-sized Pyrex bowls, but you could use the bottom of a large muffin tin, too. Just make sure to grease the top/underneath well so the bread won’t stick! I learned this part the hard way.


Adding sauce to meatball pizza bowls before baking

You’ll need to make roughly 12 meatballs (use the simple recipe below), or you can use store-bought meatballs. I sometimes make homemade meatballs ahead of time and store them in the freezer for recipes like this.


copycat Olive Garden meatball pizza bowls on a baking sheet, ready to go into the oven


Print

DIY Copycat Olive Garden Meatball Pizza Bowl Recipe

yield: 4 SERVINGS

prep time: 20 MINUTES

cook time: 50 MINUTES

total time: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES

This family-friendly meal idea tastes like saucy meatballs and cheesy pizza had a baby!

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground beef or ground sausage
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup finely diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper to taste

For the bread bowls:

  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

For the meatball pizza bowls:

  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 20 pepperoni slices

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all the meatball ingredients together, roll into medium sized meatballs, and place on a baking sheet about 1/2 an inch from each other.

2

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown and cooked.

3

To make the bowls, mix self rising flour and nonfat Greek yogurt until it forms a dough.

4

Place dough on a floured surface. Cut into four equal portions.

5

Flatten each dough ball, and place over the top of a flipped over bowl. (Make sure to first grease the bowl.)

6

Place all four bowls on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

7

Remove from oven and remove bread from the molds.

8

To assemble the bowls, add some of the cheese to the bottom of bowls, then spoon in sauce, followed by three meatballs and five pepperonis into each bowl. (Really you can adjust ingredient amounts based on preference.)Β 

9

Place bowls on a baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes or so until cheese is melted, and serve.

Brought to you by Hip2Save.

baked meatball pizza bowls

What a cheesy-melty-saucy bowl of heaven!

My family loved this unique and yummy dinner idea! It’s kind of a fun twist on making spaghetti and meatballs, and it’s especially easy with the two-ingredient dough.

We enjoyed these bowls with a delicious salad topped with some Olive Garden salad dressing. SO GOOD!!


taking a fork full of filling out of a meatball pizza bowl


Make these 3-Ingredient Pizza Crescent Rolls for a fun appetizer or snack!


About the writer:

Lina has a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Arizona University with 11 years of blogging and photography experience having work featured in Today.com, Martha Stewart, Country Living, Fox News, Buzzfeed, and HGTV.


Join The Discussion

Comments 29

  1. Tolu

    Now, that looks yummy. Making this weekend. Thanks for the recipe Lina

    • Lina D

      Oh thanks Tolu! Enjoy ❀️

  2. Court!

    Looks delicious and the kids might eat it cuz it’s neat!

    • Lina D

      Yes – it is fun πŸ€—

  3. ds

    Wow that looks delicious Yum!!

    • Lina D

      Thanks so much ❀️

  4. Lulu

    Lina, your talent amazes me! You should publish a cookbook as every recipe you create looks delicious.

    • Lina D

      That’s super kind – thanks ❀️

  5. Jessica

    These look great! I’ll definitely have to try these! Some people have nothing nice to say, and obviously haven’t been taught the “when you have nothing nice to say” rule. My grandma was 100% Italian and loved the Olive Garden, so it couldn’t be too fake. πŸ˜‰ Thanks for the recipe, Lina! Can’t wait to make it!

  6. Stefanie

    What does it matter where the inspiration comes from? It’s clearly all homemade and Italian American food is a major comfort food for so many people in the US! This looks great Lina!

    • Lina D

      Ah thanks Stephanie!

  7. LC

    Yum!

  8. Alli

    I did the chicken gnocchi soup OMG everyone ate it up and ask for it as dinner now!!! It has become a household staple

  9. Blue

    This looks yummy & easy Lina! I noticed that you have us preheating the oven to 350 in step one, but baking it at 400 in step two then back to 350 in step 6. I think its just a typo in step 2. Thanks so much for all your hard work!

    • Lina D

      THANKS –I fixed. πŸ™‚

  10. Jen

    Thanks! I’ll definitely be trying this simply and quick recipe with the vegan meatballs that I make.

    • Lina D

      Oh awesome! Great idea ❀️

  11. Amanda

    Looks so yummy πŸ˜‹
    Thanks for all you do Lina, I love your posts!
    Also, your lasagna soup has become the most requested supper in our house, thanks so much for that too!

    • Lina D

      That is so fun to hear – thanks for your sweet comment Amanda πŸ˜ƒ

  12. Kristen

    Now we need their breadsticks πŸ₯– recipe πŸ˜‹

  13. brindha

    Wow… looks so good! Love the easy dough recipe. Thanks so much. You rock Lina!

    • Lina D

      Oh thanks for the sweet comment!

  14. beth pitt

    I made this tonight, the meatballs were sooo good. Thanks so much for posting this, Lina!

    • Lina D

      Oh yay! You’re so welcome πŸ™‚

  15. Emily

    Does anyone know how to make the bread bowls keto friendly?

    • Lina D

      I tried to make them with fathead dough plus baking powder – it didn’t really work for me. Maybe just make fathead dough as breadsticks and serve with it!

  16. Olgraygirl

    Yum! Very imaginative recipe–I am wondering if the bread could be used to make individual pizzas??

  17. Jerri

    What adjustments should I make if using regular, unbleached flour?

  18. LittleBird

    I just tried this tonight!! I can tell everyone do not use regular yogurt. (Oops!) The Greek must make a difference, as my bowls are sliding down the tins into puddles. My family is still game, though, LOL!! Thanks, Lina! 🀣

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