Kick Off The Party With Ooni's Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

An Ooni pizza oven on the left and a bacon cheeseburger pizza on the right

By: Bailey

Content Writer

6 min read

The NFL '24-'25 football season has officially begun, which means you're probably already in the swing of throwing game-day watch parties. If so, there's a good chance that you're looking for snack suggestions and recipes. Many tailgate snacks have become classics among football fans, but perhaps you're craving something different. With help from Ooni, we're happy to provide you with the recipe for a delicious bacon cheeseburger pizza. And of course, to do so, you're going to need a high-quality outdoor pizza oven from Ooni. Ooni pizza ovens are fairly budget-friendly compared to other brands, and they give amateur cooks the power to experiment with different cooking styles and recipes, especially since there is no shortage of pizza configurations. For those whose outdoor appliance collection starts and ends with a grill, get ready to invest in a new outdoor appliance at Abt.

A man removing a cooked pizza from his Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven using a peel.

A cooked pepperoni pizza getting taken out of an Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven

Three different Ooni outdoor pizza oven models at Abt can fit and cook the recipe we've provided. While we've chosen to highlight the Ooni Karu 16, you can also try the Ooni Koda 16 or the Ooni Koda 2 Max and enjoy similar, tasty results. The Ooni Karu 16 can fit and cook pizzas up to 16 inches in size. Within 15 minutes of pre-heating, the oven can reach a maximum temperature of 950°F. And once you've placed your pie on the cordierite pizza stone, you can cook a whole entire pizza in just 60 seconds. One of the best parts of the Ooni Karu 16 is its fueling flexibility.

This appliance can either cook with wood for a smoky, aromatic flavor or gas for a lower maintenance cooking experience. However, if you prefer gas, you must purchase an Ooni Karu 16 gas burner separately. This Ooni model features a fully insulated oven body with optimized airflow engineering, which allows for more precise temperature control. Plus, a digital thermometer is mounted to the outside of the appliance so you can always monitor the heat. Thanks to ViewFlame technology and the glass oven door, you can even keep a curious eye on your pie and the flames around it as your meal cooks. But you can use the Ooni Karu 16 for more than just pizza. The appliance can accommodate foods like bread, meat and other dishes. Looking to learn more about these cookers? Explore our outdoor pizza oven buying guide.

A stainless steel pizza peel with a black handle

Someone using a pizza cutter rocker blade to cut a pizza on a cutting board

The Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven with a black Ooni oven cover over it

If you're ready to invest in the Ooni Karu 16, why not continue expanding your collection? Preparing and serving your pizza requires more than just a pizza oven. To begin, you'll need a safe way to remove your pie from the hot oven. That's why we carry top-notch Ooni pizza peels at Abt. These heat-resistant tools ensure that you get your food out as smoothly as possible. Once you've let the pizza sit and cool for a bit, you can use the Ooni pizza cutter rocker blade to cut the dough cleanly.

This blade features a comfortable easy grip, so no matter how thick your pizza is, you'll be able to cut without struggle. In fact, with just one quick move, you can cut an entire 14-inch pizza in half. When the game day watch party is over, you'll want to make sure your pizza oven is properly stored so you can use it time and time again. Luckily, Ooni offers a custom cover just for the Ooni Karu 16. This cover has an adjustable strap and an elastic edge, which makes securing the cover around your oven easier than ever. Plus, it's 100% waterproof, so you never have to worry about your pizza oven breaking due to rain damage.

When you think of game day food, there are definitely some classic snacks and dishes that come to mind. Food like buffalo wings, nachos, chips & dip, hot dogs, ribs, queso and more are typically heavy hitters at most tailgates. There's a reason foods like these are so popular among sports fans: for starters, most of this fare can be considered bar food. These businesses are go-to places for football watchers as they typically line their walls with screens displaying every live sports game. Don't have that ESPN package you've been dying for? Go to your favorite sports bar to watch and you're guaranteed to get some top-notch wings, too.

These snacks are also popular football party choices because they're all considered comfort food. The Ooni recipe we're featuring for this year's football season is a fun spin on two classic comfort foods: a bacon cheeseburger pizza. This Italian-American flavor fusion is bound to get your guest's mouths watering, and it's the perfect dish to serve to get that team spirit up. Check out the recipe below and leave us a comment with all your taste test thoughts, should you make it for your next tailgate. If you're looking for more pizza inspiration, check out our recipe for air fryer pizza pockets.

A pizza covered in ground meat, pickles, cheese, lettuce and burger sauce

Yields 5 Servings

12 oz. store-bought pizza dough
5 tbsp pizza sauce
3.5 oz. minced beef
1.5 oz. shredded mozzarella
1.5 oz. shredded American-style cheddar
2 slices smoked bacon slices
1 dill pickle, sliced
3 leaves of lettuce, shredded
1 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard

Turn on your Ooni pizza oven and preheat the pizza stone inside to 950°F. Check the temperature with an infrared thermometer.
Add your olive oil to a cast iron pan. Then, place the pan into the pizza oven to warm up.
Once the pan is warm, take it out and add your bacon slices to it. Return the pan to the oven and cook the bacon until it's crisp.
Remove the bacon from the pan and chop it into small pieces. Set aside.
Add the minced beef to the cast iron pan and put it back into the oven until the meat is browned. Set aside.
Stretch your ball of pizza dough to roughly 16 inches wide and lay it down onto your pizza peel.
Use a ladle to spread the pizza sauce evenly across the dough, leaving a border (the crust).
Sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar evenly over the sauce, then layer the bacon, minced beef and pickle on top.
Slide your pizza off of the peel and into the pizza oven, rotating the dough consistently. Once the dough is cooked and the cheese is fully melted, remove the pizza from the oven.
Whisk together all the burger sauce ingredients in a separate mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the shredded lettuce on top of the pizza, then drizzle the burger sauce on top.