Description
Juicy beef meatballs stuffed with gooey mozzarella and baked until golden, then smothered in a creamy spicy cheddar sauce. This comforting dish is rich, cheesy, and packed with bold flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, onion, salt, black pepper, and paprika until just mixed.
- Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
- Flatten a portion of the meat mixture, place shredded mozzarella in the center, seal tightly, and roll into a ball. Place into prepared dish and repeat.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until fully cooked and browned.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and red pepper flakes, stirring until smooth.
- Pour spicy cheese sauce over baked meatballs and serve hot.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meat to keep the texture tender.
- Seal the cheese well inside each meatball to prevent leaking.
- For extra browning, briefly sear meatballs in a skillet before baking.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control spice level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 165mg