Cheese Stuffed Meatballs are perfectly baked meatballs with a cheesy surprise center! Topped with marinara sauce, you will be satisfied and stuffed yourself after devouring a few of these! If you are really hungry, go ahead and top your spaghetti with a couple of these hearty meatballs! If you love meatballs, be sure to try my Flavorful and Tender Swedish Meatballs, Meatballs in Teriyaki Sauce, Ground Pork Honey BBQ Meatballs or Crockpot Peppered Meatballs in a Creamy Peppery Sauce.
CHEESE STUFFED MEATBALLS
When it comes to cheese, I can’t say no. I get extra cheese on my pizza, double-stack my crackers with cheese, and don’t get me started on how much I love cheese curds. I think you get the idea. So, when it came to these stuffed meatballs, there was only one ingredient that needed to be stuffed inside–CHEESE! Mozzarella cheese is packed inside these perfectly baked meatballs and topped with marinara sauce. Yes, it’s that simple but THAT good! You don’t even need the pasta, but go for it if that is what you are craving.
CHEESE STUFFED MEATBALLS RECIPE
It starts with the perfect meatball and then it gets even more perfect (if that is such a thing) by adding the cheesy middle.
Ingredients (full recipe below)
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- Egg
- Parmesan cheese
- Flat-leaf parsley
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Milk
- Breadcrumbs
- Minced garlic
- Onion
- Mozzarella cheese
- Marinara sauce
HOW TO MAKE CHEESE STUFFED MEATBALLS
It’s easy to make these cheese-stuffed meatballs.
- First, combine the ground beef, ground pork, egg, cheese, parsley and salt in a large bowl.
- Then, in a separate bowl, combine the milk, breadcrumbs, garlic, and onion.
- Add the milk mixture to the ground beef mixture. Don’t overmix all the ingredients. If you overmix the ingredients, it will make the meatballs tough. Just get the ingredients combined for the most tender meatballs.
- I would suggest that you grease your hands before you start forming the meatballs.
- Place each ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Then, press your thumb into each meatball, creating a well.
- Put a cube of the mozzarella cheese in each well, rolling the meatball into a ball again, around the cheese.
- Place each stuffed meatball back on the parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes. The internal temperature of the meatballs should be 165°F.
- Top them off with warm marinara sauce and enjoy!
HOW TO FREEZE CHEESE STUFFED MEATBALLS
Cook the meatballs following the instructions and let them cool completely. Then, with the meatballs placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet, put them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Next, transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe zipped bag. Remember to write the date and reheating instructions on the bag. The meatballs will be okay in the freezer for up to two months. To reheat, you can cook them in the microwave for 90 seconds or so. Or, you could bake them for 25 minutes at 350°F.
VARIATIONS TO CHEESE STUFFED MEATBALLS
If you want to go a little leaner on the meat, you could use lean ground pork for the entire meatball. Just make sure you have 2 pounds of it to cover the pound of ground beef you are replacing. Turkey meatballs or Chicken Meatballs would also be an option. For cheese, provolone cheese would be delicious. Or, you could cut up pieces of string cheese to use for the cheesy center.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into ½ in cubes
- 1 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, beaten egg, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix together until just combined.
In a medium bowl, combine the milk, breadcrumbs, garlic, and onion.
Add the milk mixture to the meat mixture being careful not to overwork ingredients.
Form into desired size meatballs, greasing hands before starting to keep the meat from sticking, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Press your thumb into the meatball to create a well. Place a cube of cheese into the well and mold the meat over the ball. Roll in the palms of your hands to form an even ball and place back on the parchment-lined baking pan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and roast until the outsides are browned and they read 165°F on a meat thermometer (about 25 minutes).
Top with warm marinara sauce.
