Description
These Baked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and filled with gooey melted cheese! Made with ground chicken, turkey, or lean beef, these meatballs are coated in breadcrumbs, browned to perfection, and simmered in rich marinara sauce. Serve them over spaghetti or with a light salad for a satisfying meal. Perfect for quick and easy dinner recipes with ground beef, simple high-protein meals, and recipes to try for dinner!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb ground chicken, turkey, or lean ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 raw egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs (plus more for rolling)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 cup fresh chopped parsley
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 20 baby mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 25 oz pasta sauce (homemade or store-bought marinara)
Instructions
- Make the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, garlic, egg, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, oregano, paprika, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Preheat oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare breadcrumbs: Add extra breadcrumbs to a small bowl for rolling.
- Form the meatballs: Take about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture, form into a ball, and make an indentation in the center. Insert a mozzarella ball and reshape to fully cover the cheese.
- Roll in breadcrumbs: Coat each meatball evenly in breadcrumbs.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the sauce: Turn off the heat and pour the pasta sauce over the meatballs. Add extra mozzarella balls to the sauce if desired.
- Cover and bake: Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are fully cooked.
Notes
- These meatballs can be made with chicken, turkey, or lean beef for a lighter option.
- Serve over pasta, zoodles, or alongside a salad for a balanced meal.
- Can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg