Pepperoni Meatballs

Easy Pepperoni Meatballs

We love Italian food at our house…especially spaghetti and meatballs. I usually make Instant Pot spaghetti during the week, but love to make homemade meatballs on the weekends when I have more time. These pepperoni meatballs are a fun variation that taste amazing!

This pepperoni meatballs recipe was born out of desperation. I was having a meatball craving and didn’t have any ground pork in my freezer…only ground beef. I love to make my homemade meatballs with half ground beef/half ground pork, so I decided to branch out (mostly because pepperoni was the only other meat on hand.)

The good news is that the pepperoni meatballs turned out awesome! It’s like eating pizza meatballs. What’s not to love?! They taste amazing with cooked pasta and marinara sauce, but would also taste delicious on a meatball slider or meatball sub. These pepperoni meatballs are the best of both worlds!

Recipe Ingredients

These pepperoni meatballs are a fun twist on a classic pizza with many of the ingredients already in the pantry.

• Pepperoni: The key ingredient that makes these pepperoni meatballs taste just like a pizza.
• Mushrooms: I love the earthiness mushrooms add, as well as giving the pepperoni meatballs a bit more texture.
• Onion: The onion adds a nice bite against the meat.
• Ground beef. You still need a little bit to bring it all together.
• Eggs. The binder that keeps the meatballs from falling apart.
• Milk. I like to use milk to make sure the pepperoni meatballs stay super juicy and tender.
• Panko breadcrumbs. I like the texture of panko, but you can also use oats, if you prefer.
• Garlic. A necessary ingredient that adds so much flavor. You can use garlic powder in a pinch.
• Seasoning: I use a mix of Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper to bring all the flavors of these pepperoni meatballs together.

How to Make Pepperoni Meatballs

The food processor makes these pepperoni meatballs super simple to make. If you don’t have one available, you can finely chop everything by hand.

• Blend. Pulse the pepperoni in a food processor until it is ground completely. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Next add the mushrooms, onion and garlic to the food processor. Pulse until ground, then add the mixture to the bowl.
• Shape. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the pepperoni and use your hands to combine. Form the mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake. Bake at 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and browned on the bottoms. Serve with pasta, marinara and parmesan cheese!

Important reminder: Make sure to remove the little silica gel package from the pepperoni bag before adding the slices to the food processor. I learned the hard way and accidentally blended it in with the pepperoni!

Cooking Tips

• I prefer 80% lean ground beef for juicy pepperoni meatballs, but you can make turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs. Turn it into a meal with chicken meatball parmesan.
• Don’t overmix. Mix just until combined, so the meat stays tender and juicy.
• When forming your meatballs, try using a bit of oil on your hands to help form the balls.
• If you want a little kick, feel free to add some red pepper flakes into the meat mixture.
• Flip halfway through so that the bottoms don’t burn and all sides get brown.
• Scoop the meatballs with a medium cookie scoop so they are all the same size.

Storing + Freezing

Storage: These meatballs can be kept in the fridge up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Freeze: Store in a freezer-friendly bag up to 3 months. To avoid having them freeze in a clump, flash freeze them on the baking tray first before transferring them to the bag.