What’s better than meatballs? Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs of course! Juicy meatballs and melty mozzarella all smothered in a zesty homemade red sauce perfect for pairing with spaghetti. Now that’s amore!
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Mozzarella stuffed meatballs are the elevated version of a traditional meatball. Why only sprinkle cheese on top when it can ooze right from the center? These meatballs are made with both ground beef and Italian sausage, a ton of great spices, and of course are stuffed with fresh mozzarella. A simple homemade tomato sauce tops everything off. Serve these with a heaping bowl of spaghetti or make meatball subs and top with extra mozzarella. You’ll never go back to regular meatballs ever again!
Pining for more pasta recipes? Look no further than these indulgent Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells or a big batch of comforting Sausage & Peppers Tortellini.
Why are my meatballs falling apart?
This could be for a couple different reasons. First, when rolling be sure to roll the meatball until the outside is entirely smooth with no cracks. The cracks are what contribute to the crumbling of the meatball. The other problem may come from not allowing the meatballs to firm up in the fridge. Definitely don’t skip this step! Let them chill once formed for 10-15 minutes to be sure they stay together when cooking.
How To Make Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
For the Meatballs:
- Mix. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, balsamic vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, fennel seeds, dried oregano, egg, and salt and pepper. Gently mix with your hands until everything is incorporated.
- Shape. Once combined, shape the meatballs into roughly a sphere. Make an indent in the middle.
- Add. Add in a cube of mozzarella and reshape. Roll in your hands until the meatball is smooth on the outside and the mozzarella is tucked inside the middle.
- Repeat. Repeat until all the meat has been used. You may have some mozzarella leftover and that’s okay. You should have around 12 large meatballs in the end.
- Chill. Place the meatballs in the fridge for about 10 minutes until they firm up.
- Brown. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet and add the meatballs. Brown on all sides. The meatballs should wind up with a crispy coating on the outside. Set aside while you make the sauce.
For the Sauce:
- Blend. Dump the canned tomatoes into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Saute. Using the same pan as the meatballs, add a dash more oil along with the chopped garlic. Saute for a minute or so then add the pureed tomatoes.
- Add. Sprinkle in the sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the meatballs back to the pan.Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Serve. Serve over pasta with a sprinkling of extra mozzarella and enjoy!
Storing Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Leftover meatballs and sauce will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 days. Just pop in the microwave or back on the stove to heat until warmed through!
Ingredients Notes for Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
For the Meatballs:
- Ground Beef – I try to go for the leanest ratio I can find so there’s not quite so much grease. 80/20 or even 70/30 is ideal.
- Italian Sausage – Mild or medium, up to you!
- Garlic – Crushed into whatever size you prefer. Dice into tiny chunks if you don’t want the added texture or leave the garlic as larger pieces for a bit of crunch.
- Balsamic Vinegar – I love the flavor this adds! Just be sure to get the vinegar and not the glaze as the glaze is too thick.
- Red Pepper Flakes – I don’t find these add too much heat, just extra flavor. However you can always add more to make these spicy meatballs.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated for a luxe experience.
- Fennel Seeds – A must when creating that Italian flavor profile.
- Oregano – Fresh or dried. I had dried on hand so that’s what I used.
- Salt and Pepper – Enough to taste.
- Egg – To hold the meatballs together.
- Olive Oil – For a lightly, crispy coating. Avocado oil also works well.
- Mozzarella – The best part! One ball should be enough, cut into small cubes to fit inside each meatball. You’ll probably have some leftover and that’s perfect as a garnish.
For the Sauce:
- Canned Tomatoes – Use whole, peeled tomatoes as opposed to crushed or chopped. The whole ones contain less water and more flavor!
- Garlic – Finely chopped this time. Feel free to add more than 1 clove.
- Sugar – To cut down some of the acidity.
- Balsamic Vinegar – For that splash of flavor.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Ingredients
For The Meatballs (12 large)
- 15 oz (430g) ground beef
- 2 Italian sausages
- 2 cloves garlic , crushed
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 ball mozzarella cut into cubes
For The Sauce
- 2 x 15 oz (800g) peeled plum tomatoes , canned
- 1 clove garlic , finely chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Add all the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl apart from the mozzarella. Using your hands mix everything together without squeezing too tightly.
- Once everything is combined thoroughly shape a rough meatball using the palm of your hands. Once you have a meatball shape, make an indent in the middle of the ball using your finger. Place a cube of mozzarella in the hole and seal it back up. Roll the meatball between the palms of your hands again until shiny and smooth.
- Repeat until all the meat has been used up (you should have 12 large meatballs). Place them in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Add a small amount of olive oil to a large pan and brown the meatballs on all sides. They should have a nice, crispy coating on the outside. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Next, make the sauce, add the canned, peeled plum tomatoes to a blender and blitz until smooth. Add the chopped garlic to the same pan you cooked the meatballs in and saute for a few seconds then add the tomatoes.
- Add sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the sauce and let it simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes. Serve.
Notes
- Use whole peeled, canned tomatoes instead of chopped or crushed. Whole tomatoes have much less water in them and much more flavour, these are the best for pasta sauces.
- You probably won’t use the whole ball of mozzarella. If you have any leftover try tossing it over the meatballs at the end and cover with a lid for a few seconds until the mozzarella melts over them. Alternatively, keep it covered in the fridge to add to salads.
My family is going to love these cheese stuffed meatballs! Such a fun twist!
This looks really delish! I’d love to try this for dinner one of these nights!
Okay the cheese in those meatballs is genius!
Such a fun surprise inside! Pretty sure my boys are going to devour these!!
These look fantastic! Meatballs are always a favorite in our house!
Bring on the mozzarella!! Can’t wait to try these.
Those look positively scrumptious!