Baked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Posted on January 5, 2024

You’ll love these juicy meatballs with a gooey mozzarella cheese center! Cook them in marinara sauce (either homemade or store-bought) for a simple dinner over some spaghetti, or alongside a light salad. I went with ground chicken for these meatballs, but ground turkey, lean ground beef, or lean ground pork would work as well.

PREPARATION TIME

PREP – 20 MINUTES 
COOK – 20 MINUTES
TOTAL – 35 MINUTES

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken, ground turkey, or lean ground beef

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 raw egg, beaten

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs, plus more for later (or gluten free breadcrumbs if needed)

2 teaspoons dry oregano

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

1 cup fresh chopped parsley

Kosher salt and black pepper

20 baby mozzarella balls, bocconcini, (if you have more, you can use them in the sauce)

Extra virgin olive oil, the everyday California EVOO is a good option here

Pasta sauce, homemade or 25 ounces store-bought marinara

Instructions

Make the meatball mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat (I used ground chicken), garlic, egg, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs. Add the oregano, paprika, and parsley. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and mix to combine. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the mixture for later or you can proceed to finish the recipe. See prepare ahead notes).
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Prepare a bowl with more breadcrumbs (start with ⅓ cup). You’ll roll the meatballs in this mixture later.
Form and stuff the meatballs. Take heaping 1-tablespoons of the meatball mixture and form them into balls, making an indentation in the middle. Insert a mozzarella ball in the center of each meatball, and reform the meatball making sure the cheese is covered with the meat mixture.
Roll the meatballs in the breadcrumbs so that each meatball is covered with breadcrumbs all over.
Brown the meatballs in olive oil. In a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat, add enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is shimmering, add the meatballs to the skillet, making sure each meatball comes in contact with the oil. Cook the meatballs, turning over as needed, until a golden brown crust forms on the outside (about 2 to 3 minutes).
Add the sauce. Turn the heat off, then pour the sauce all over the meatballs (carefully as it might splatter). If you have a few extra mozzarella balls to use up, you can nestle them in the sauce.
Cover and bake. Cover with a lid (or foil if the pan does not have a lid), and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Juicy, tender chicken meatballs stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese and tossed with rich tomato sauce.
0 seconds of 4 minutes, 1 secondVolume 90%

Notes

What meat to use? For lighter meatballs, I decided to use ground chicken. Ground turkey would be another light option. But you can also use lean ground beef or ground pork.

What is bocconcini? It is basically baby mozzarella balls, about the size of a cherry tomato. If you can’t find it, use regular fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes.

Make ahead tips: You can make the meatballs, coat then in bread crumbs, lay them on a large baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate a night ahead of time. Or, you can freeze the uncooked meatballs. Lay the meatballs in a freezer safe container, in layers if possible. (Use parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick together.) Cook them directly from frozen.

Serving suggestions: Serve these saucy, cheesy meatballs over some spaghetti for an easy pasta dinner. Or, pair them with a green salad.

How to store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Or, you can freeze the meatballs and sauce in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months.

Visit our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils, organic spices, and more.

Nutrition

Calories: 222.3kcalCarbohydrates: 13.5gProtein: 20.1gFat: 10.5gSaturated Fat: 3.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 101.7mgSodium: 929.1mgPotassium: 859.1mgFiber: 2.7gSugar: 4.8gVitamin A: 1575.2IUVitamin C: 22.1mgCalcium: 163.5mgIron: 3.1mg

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