These Mediterranean Cheesy Baked Meatball French Bread Pizzas are crispy, cheesy, savory, and packed with Mediterranean flavors. We prepare these pizzas with French bread, seasoned ground meat, marinara sauce, mozzarella, feta cheese, garlic, oregano, parsley, and olive oil. Each serving has approximately 520 calories and 38 g of net carbs. We make these pizzas in about 40 minutes. These Mediterranean Cheesy Baked Meatball French Bread Pizzas are ideal for family dinners, casual gatherings, game nights, lunch, weekend meals, and Mediterranean-inspired dinners. You can prepare the meatballs earlier and refrigerate them for three days. You can serve these pizzas with Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Roasted Vegetables, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, Green Salad, or Tzatziki Sauce.
STATS:
- Course: Main Course, Dinner
- No. of Calories: 520 kcal
- Diet: Mediterranean
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, American
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Portion size: 1 French bread pizza
- Cooking mode: Baking
- Total servings: 4
- Difficulty level: Easy
- Total time: 40 minutes
TOOLS:
- Bowl
- Skillet
- Tray
- Baking paper
- Knife
- Spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
INGREDIENTS:
MEATBALLS:
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
PIZZA:
- 1 French bread loaf
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1½ cups mozzarella
- ½ cup feta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp parsley
INGREDIENT NOTES AND THEIR SUBSTITUTIONS:
GROUND MEAT:
- We use lean ground beef or turkey to make juicy and flavorful meatballs. As an alternative, you can use ground chicken.
BREADCRUMBS:
- Breadcrumbs help hold the meatballs together and provide a tender texture. You can use whole-wheat breadcrumbs as an alternative.
FRENCH BREAD:
- French bread provides a crispy and sturdy base for the pizza toppings. You can use a baguette or ciabatta instead.
MARINARA SAUCE:
- Marinara adds rich tomato flavor and moisture to the pizzas. You can replace it with homemade tomato sauce.
MOZZARELLA:
- Mozzarella provides a creamy and stretchy melted cheese topping. Provolone or Monterey Jack can be used instead.
FETA:
- Feta provides a salty and tangy Mediterranean flavor. You can substitute goat cheese.
OLIVE OIL:
- Olive oil adds flavor and helps the bread become golden and crisp. Avocado oil can be used as an alternative.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- We warm the oven to 200° Celcius.
- Stir the black pepper, ground meat, salt, breadcrumbs, paprika, egg, oregano, garlic, and parsley.
- We shape the mixture into little meatballs.
- Preheat the olive oil in a pan and cook the meatballs for only six minutes till completely cooked.
- Cut the French bread into slices lengthwise and put it on a tray.
- Coat the bread using olive oil and distribute the marinara sauce on it.
- Make half slices of the meatballs and put them on the bread.
- Include the oregano, mozzarella, and feta.
- Bake till the bread becomes crispy and cheese melts, for almost twelve minutes.
- Serve hot with fresh parsley.
TIPS:
- We utilize small meatballs so they fit easily on the French bread.
- Avoid including extra marinara sauce to avoid soggy bread.
- You could toast the bread for some time and then include the toppings for additional crispiness.
- Include the roasted peppers, olives, or spinach for extra Mediterranean flavor.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
FRESH & LIGHT:
- Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Green Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
ROASTED SIDES:
- Roasted Vegetables
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Mediterranean Zucchini
SAUCES:
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Garlic Yogurt Sauce
STORAGE INFORMATION:
FRIDGE:
- Put the remaining pizza in a closed box and chill it for three days.
FREEZER:
- Tightly cover the pizza portions separately and freeze for two months.
FAQs:
Could we utilize frozen meatballs?
- Yes, you can use frozen meatballs after cooking them, as mentioned on the package instructions.
May we utilize ground chicken?
- Yes, you can use ground chicken works perfectly as a lighter replacement.
Will we include veggies?
- Yes, you can use the roasted peppers, spinach, mushrooms, or olives.
Could we prepare the meatballs earlier?
- Yes, you can use cooked meatballs can be refrigerated for more than three days.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONS:
Proteins: 32 g
Caloric Content: 520 kcal
Net carbs: 38 g
Sodium: 920 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 6 g
Fats: 25 g
Portion Size: 1 French bread pizza
Total carbs: 42 g