Description
Juicy, herb-scented beef meatballs stuffed with gooey mozzarella, seared to a golden crust and finished in a bright tomato sauce. Perfect over pasta, in subs, or served as a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups tomato sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) if baking, or heat a skillet with olive oil if you plan to sear and simmer.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, chopped onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined, avoid overworking.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Lightly oil a baking sheet if baking. If searing first, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Assemble the Dish: Portion the meat mixture (about 1.5 ounces per meatball for medium size), flatten slightly, place a cube of mozzarella in the center, then wrap and roll to seal the cheese fully inside each meatball.
- Cook to Perfection: Sear meatballs in the hot skillet until browned on all sides, then transfer to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, or place browned meatballs directly into 3 cups of warm tomato sauce and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
- Finishing Touches: Spoon extra warm tomato sauce over the meatballs, sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan and chopped parsley to finish.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve hot over pasta, in toasted rolls, or on a platter for guests. Let the meatballs rest a few minutes before serving to keep them juicy.
Notes
- Keep mozzarella well chilled and cut into even cubes to prevent premature melting during assembly.
- Chill assembled meatballs for 10 minutes before cooking to help them hold their shape.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
- For extra browning, sear in a hot skillet before finishing in the oven or sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 3 meatballs)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4.5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg