Description
Hearty beef pizza pie brings Italian-American comfort to your dinner table. Savory ground beef, melted cheese, and crispy crust combine for a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup pizza sauce (or marinara sauce)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for greasing the pan)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano (for garnish)
- ¼ cup pepperoni slices, diced (optional)
- ¼ cup sliced olives, mushrooms, or bell peppers (optional)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and lightly oil a 9-inch pie dish to ensure effortless release.
- Crust Positioning: Carefully lay pie crust into the dish, trimming edges and creating an elegant crimped border for a polished presentation.
- Meat Transformation: Sauté ground beef and onions in a skillet over medium heat until beef browns thoroughly and onions become translucent, developing rich, deep flavors.
- Flavor Infusion: Introduce garlic, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture, simmering to marry and intensify the robust taste profile.
- Layering Foundation: Spread the seasoned beef mixture evenly across the pie crust, creating a hearty base for the pizza pie.
- Cheese and Topping Artistry: Blanket the meat with a generous layer of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, then embellish with optional pepperoni, olives, or vegetables to personalize the dish.
- Baking Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven until cheese melts into a golden, bubbling landscape and the crust achieves a delicate, bronzed finish.
- Serving Finale: Allow the pie to rest momentarily, garnish with dried oregano, then slice and serve this rustic culinary masterpiece.
Notes
- Customize Meat Selection: Choose lean ground beef (90/10) to reduce excess fat while maintaining rich flavor, or substitute with ground turkey for a lighter protein option.
- Perfect Cheese Distribution: Grate cheese freshly at home for superior melting quality and avoid pre-shredded varieties that contain anti-caking agents preventing smooth melting.
- Prevent Soggy Crust: Partially pre-bake pie crust for 5-7 minutes before adding meat filling to create a crispy base that resists moisture from sauce and meat juices.
- Balance Seasoning Intensity: Adjust red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning according to personal spice tolerance, starting with smaller quantities and incrementally increasing for desired heat level.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg