Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

Cheese stuffed meatballs are a flavorful blend of lean ground beef, Italian sausage, and gooey cheese smothered in a rich tomato sauce that will have you coming back for more.

Prep Time25

Cook Time25

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Cheese Stuffed Meatballs Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 139kcal

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef, 93% to 7% fat
½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
1 large egg
⅓ cup breadcrumbs
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 to 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, 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 mozzarella cheese, ¾-inch cubes (from an 8-ounce block)
24 ounces 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.
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.
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 to 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.
Once your sauce is warm, spoon some of the sauce (about ½ to ¾ cup) onto the serving plate, add the meatballs, and spoon another ¾ to 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.

Notes

Stick to lean ground beef to avoid excessive fat and liquid release during baking.
Place cheese cubes in the freezer before stuffing to prevent them from oozing out too much when baked.
Be gentle when combining the ingredients; overmixing can result in tough meatballs.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your meatballs as the suggested baking time approaches.

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