Description
Juicy meatballs packed with garlic, spinach, and herbs, each hiding a melty mozzarella surprise—comfort food that’s cozy, cheesy, and irresistibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground turkey (or use 1 lb of either)
- 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (or almond flour for GF version)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 12–15 cubes of mozzarella (about ¾ inch size)
- Olive oil for drizzling or pan frying
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C), or heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Prep spinach by cooking, squeezing out water, and chopping.
- In a large bowl, combine beef, turkey, spinach, garlic, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Mix until just combined.
- Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture, flatten in your palm, place a mozzarella cube in the center, and wrap meat around it, sealing well.
- Place on a lined baking sheet or set aside if pan-frying.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes until cooked through and golden, or pan-fry in batches with olive oil, turning to brown all sides and covering for a few minutes to melt cheese fully.
- Let rest a couple minutes before serving.
Notes
Use a cookie scoop for even sizing. Seal meatballs tightly to prevent cheese leakage. Broil 2–3 minutes at the end for crispy edges.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked or Pan-Fried
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: meatballs, mozzarella, spinach, garlic, cheese-stuffed, comfort food