Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

5 from 6 votes

Mozzarella stuffed meatballs made with beef, Italian sausage and parmesan, with melted mozzarella hiding in the middle and warm marinara spooned over the top.

Prep Time25

Cook Time25

rest time5

Total Time55

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: meatballs

Calories: 136kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef (93%-7% fat)
½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
1 large egg
⅓ cup breadcrumbs
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus additional 1-2 tablespoons for garnish)
⅓ cup yellow onion very finely diced
2 tablespoons half & half
2 teaspoons grated garlic
1½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
15 cubes (¾-inch) mozzarella cheese (from an 8-ounce block)
24 ounce jar of tomato & basil marinara sauce
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil. Spray the foil with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine together the lean ground beef, mild Italian sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, finely minced yellow onion, half & half, grated garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper. You can use your hands, or a wooden spoon, to make sure that all the ingredients are fully combined. Be sure not to overmix your meatball mixture, or it will get tough.
1 pound lean ground beef , ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage, 1 large egg, ⅓ cup breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese , ⅓ cup yellow onion, 2 tablespoons half & half, 2 teaspoons grated garlic, 1½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Using a 2-inch-sized cookie scoop, scoop out the 15 meatballs and place them onto a plate until all the meat mixture is used.
Taking one meatball into the palm of your hand, gently flatten it into a disc about 3½ inches wide.
Place one mozzarella cheese cube into the center of the flattened disc, then carefully fold the sides up and around the cheese cube. Gently roll the meat into the shape of a meatball. Make sure that none of the cheese is exposed.
15 cubes (¾-inch) mozzarella cheese
Place the mozzarella cheese-filled meatball onto the prepared baking sheet. Continue filling and rolling until all the stuffed meatballs have been formed and placed in rows onto the baking sheet.
Bake the cheese-stuffed meatballs for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and the meat is cooked thoroughly with no pink remaining. You can cut one of the meatballs open to check for doneness at the 20-minute mark.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and allow them to rest for five minutes on the baking sheet.
While your meatballs are resting, you can heat your jar of tomato & basil marinara in a medium skillet on medium-low heat.
24 ounce jar of tomato & basil marinara sauce
Once your sauce is warm, spoon some of the sauce (about ½-¾ cup) onto the serving plate, add the meatballs, and spoon another ¾ - 1 cup of the warmed sauce over the top of the meatballs. You will have some sauce left over.
Garnish the cheese-stuffed meatballs with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and fresh chopped parsley.
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Notes

Tips:

I put the mozzarella cubes on a plate in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before stuffing, so the cheese doesn't ooze out as much while the meatballs bake.
I use a firm block of whole milk mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is too soft and runs out of the meatball, and mozzarella cheese sticks cut into 1-inch pieces also work.
I stick with lean ground beef, because fattier beef gives off more grease as it bakes and the cheese runs out more often.

Storage:

Once the meatballs cool completely, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a saucepan on medium-low heat with any leftover sauce, or microwave them on a microwave-safe plate for 1 to 2 minutes. To freeze, let the baked meatballs cool completely and store them in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2 months, with any extra sauce frozen separately. Thaw them in the refrigerator, then warm the meatballs and sauce together in a saucepan on medium heat.

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