Cheeseburger Pizza (Ready in 35 Minutes)

This cheeseburger pizza takes everything you love about a classic drive-thru cheeseburger and bakes it onto a crisp, golden crust. It has the savory ground beef, tangy special sauce, two kinds of cheese, and crunchy pickles that make the original so good, all ready in about 35 minutes.

It is the kind of weeknight dinner that pleases the whole table without much fuss. The pickles and sauce do the heavy lifting for flavor, so you barely need a pile of ingredients.

Why This Pizza Stays in the Rotation

The crust gets cracker-crisp on the edges and chewy in the center because we bake it hot on a preheated stone. The burger sauce, a quick mix of pantry condiments, tastes bright and a little sharp, like the real thing.

The cheddar brings a savory depth and the mozzarella gives you that stretch. A scattering of cold pickle slices right before serving adds the crunch and bite that makes the whole pie taste like a cheeseburger, not just a pile of toppings.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough: store-bought or homemade; bring it to room temperature if it was chilled.
• 1/2 lb ground beef: 80/20 stays juicy and browns well.
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt: divided.
• 1/4 tsp black pepper.
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise.
• 2 tbsp ketchup.
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard.
• 1 tbsp dill pickle relish: do not drain it; the extra liquid adds tang to the sauce.
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
• 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella.
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar.
• 1/4 cup cooked bacon crumbles.
• 1/4 small red onion: thinly sliced.
• 1 small tomato: diced or thinly sliced, seeds removed so the crust does not get wet.
• 1/4 cup sliced dill pickles: add them after baking so they stay crisp.
• Olive oil: for brushing the crust.

Variations / Substitutions

• Swap the beef: ground turkey or chicken work fine. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to bring back some savoriness.
• Skip one cheese: all cheddar is fine, or all mozzarella for a milder flavor. The two-cheese mix just gives the best cheeseburger taste.
• Make it spicy: drizzle sriracha into the burger sauce or scatter sliced pickled jalapeños over the top.
• Dairy-free: use a meltable dairy-free mozzarella-style shred and skip the cheddar, or use a sharp-tasting plant-based alternative.

If you enjoy burger-flavored mashups, the Bacon Double Cheeseburger Dip is another fun one to try.

How To Make Cheeseburger Pizza

Step 1: Brown the Beef

Set your oven rack to the middle position with a pizza stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet on it. Crank the heat to 475°F (245°C) and let it preheat. While the oven comes up, place the 1/2 lb ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, season it with the 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and cook, breaking the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes.

The beef should look like fine, browned bits with a few crispy edges. Drain off any fat that pools in the pan, then set the meat aside.

Step 2: Mix the Burger Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp dill pickle relish, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and a pale orange-pink.

It should taste tangy and creamy, with the relish adding little flecks of texture. That is exactly what you want.

Step 3: Roll Out the Dough

Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper about the size of your baking surface. Turn the 1 lb pizza dough out onto the parchment and gently stretch or roll it into a 12-inch round. It does not need to look perfect; a rustic shape adds character. Brush the outer 1-inch border with a little olive oil so the edge browns deeply.

The dough should feel puffy and pliable. If it keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then stretch again.

Step 4: Top the Pizza

Spread the burger sauce over the dough, leaving that oiled border bare. Scatter the 1 cup shredded mozzarella and the 1/2 cup shredded cheddar evenly over the sauce. Distribute the browned beef, the 1/4 cup bacon crumbles, the sliced red onion, and the diced tomato across the pizza.

A light hand with the toppings keeps the crust from turning soggy. You want everything in a single layer, not piled thick.

Step 5: Bake and Finish

Slide the parchment with the pizza directly onto the hot stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is deep golden underneath. Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately scatter the 1/4 cup sliced dill pickles over the top so they warm slightly but stay crunchy.

Slice into wedges and serve right away while the cheese is gooey and the edges crackle when you bite them.

A Few Notes Before You Start

• Hot stone equals crisp bottom: let the oven preheat fully with the stone or baking sheet inside for at least 20 minutes. That blast of heat sets the crust fast.
• Room-temperature dough cooperates: if your dough was refrigerated, let it sit out for 30 minutes before stretching. Cold dough fights back.
• After-bake pickles are key: do not bake the dill pickles; they wilt and lose their snap. Cold pickles on hot pizza are the signature bite.
• Rest before slicing: let the baked pizza cool for 2 or 3 minutes. The cheese sets up just enough that your slices hold together.

Bake times can shift a little depending on how thin you roll the dough.

Storing Leftovers

• Refrigerate: wrap slices in foil or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: a dry skillet over medium heat warms slices well and recrisps the bottom in about 5 minutes. A 350°F oven or toaster oven also works for 5 to 8 minutes.

What To Serve With Cheeseburger Pizza

A handful of lightly dressed arugula with lemon and olive oil cuts through the richness of the cheese and beef. If you want something more hearty, crispy onion rings on the side play the same salty-crunchy notes as the pizza.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this pizza without pickles?

Yes. The pickles provide that sharp crunch you expect on a cheeseburger. If you skip them, try thinly sliced raw cucumber with a splash of vinegar or a few pickled banana peppers.

Why did my crust stay pale even though the cheese browned?

The oven likely was not fully preheated, or the baking surface was not hot when the pizza went in. Always preheat the stone or baking sheet for at least 20 minutes.

Can I use a store-bought pre-baked pizza crust?

You can. Reduce the bake time to 8 to 10 minutes since the crust only needs to heat through and melt the cheese. Watch closely so the bottom does not burn.

Can I assemble the pizza ahead and refrigerate it?

You can assemble it up to an hour ahead if you go light on the sauce and keep the pickles off until after baking. Any longer and the dough can turn soggy, so baking right away is safest.

Cheeseburger Pizza Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 610

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp dill pickle relish
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/4 cup cooked bacon crumbles
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small tomato, diced or thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 1/4 cup sliced dill pickles
• Olive oil, for brushing

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 475°F with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack. Brown the beef in a skillet with salt and pepper over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, and garlic powder until smooth.
3. On a floured sheet of parchment, stretch dough into a 12-inch round. Brush the outer border with olive oil.
4. Spread the burger sauce over the dough, top with mozzarella and cheddar, then beef, bacon, onion, and tomato.
5. Slide pizza onto the hot stone. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until cheese bubbles and crust is golden. Remove, scatter pickles over the top, slice, and serve immediately.

Notes

This pizza tastes best right out of the oven. If you want to prep ahead, brown the beef and mix the sauce up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge. Let the dough come to room temperature before stretching so it is easy to work with.