Baked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Cheese stuffed meatballs!

Is there anything more comforting than juicy meatballs smothered in a rich red sauce? I think not! Not only are these mozzarella stuffed meatballs perfect for batch-cooking, they’re also an ideal appetizer, a low-carb meal along with a salad, or simply served over spaghetti for an easy dinner. One of my favorite meatball recipes is my baked chicken meatballs, so I didn’t reinvent the wheel here. The meatball mixture is very similar, with a few key tweaks. I added a light breadcrumb coating that forms a nice golden-brown crust when sautéed in a little extra virgin olive oil. And I made it a little more indulgent with one simple ingredient: bocconcini (baby mozzarella balls). Yes, bite into one of these stuffed meatballs and you’ll be met with perfectly gooey, warm cheese. To bring the comfort factor full circle, the meatballs are tossed in pasta sauce, either homemade or, for a short-cut, good store-bought marinara. Think of these as chicken parmesan meatballs! Best part? You can prepare these chicken meatballs ahead (check out my tips below).

Mozzarella meatballs ingredients

This chicken meatballs recipe has 3 main components: The meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and rich homemade tomato sauce. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

For the meatball mixture: You’ll need 1 pound 1 lb ground meat. I went with ground chicken, but ground turkey, lean ground beef, or lean ground pork would work as well. You’ll also need an egg, minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, dried oregano, sweet paprika, and fresh Italian parsley for the meatball mixture. Baby mozzarella balls (bocconcini): Bocconcini are small balls of mozzarella around the size of a large cherry tomato. If you can’t find them, you can use regular fresh mozzarella. You’ll need to slice it into much smaller cubes, though, so it will fit in the meatball. Extra virgin olive oil: A little EVOO works to brown the meatballs in a skillet so they form a nice golden crust. Our mild-intensity Arbequina California olive oil is a good option. Pasta sauce: Use either homemade spaghetti sauce or store-bought marinara.

How to make mozzarella stuffed meatballs

While these chicken meatballs take a little time and preparation, the effort is well worth it! Here’s how to make chicken parmesan meatballs:

Make the meatball mixture. Grab a large mixing bowl and combine 1 pound ground meat, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 beaten egg, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ⅓ cup breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, and 1 cup fresh chopped parsley. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste and mix again. To avoid tough, dense meatballs, handle the mixture gently. Just mix enough that everything is incorporated. Stuff the meatballs. Start by wetting your hands with water so the meat mixture doesn’t stick. Take 1 heaped tablespoon of the meatball mixture and form it into a ball. Make a little indentation in the middle, and add a mozzarella ball into that indent. Reform the meatball around the cheese, making sure that the meat completely encloses the bocconcini. Bread the stuffed meatballs. Add about ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl. Roll each meatball in the crumbs so it is completely coated. Set aside on a platter and repeat until all the meatballs are breaded. Brown the meatballs in extra virgin olive oil. Add some olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet. You need just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat over medium-high heat on the stovetop until the oil is shimmering, and then add the meatballs. Make sure each meatball is making contact with the the skillet. Cook, turning, as needed, until the breadcrumbs transform into a golden crust. This will take 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spaghetti sauce and bake. Turn off the heat, and carefully pour tomato sauce (homemade or 25 ounces store-bought) all over the meatballs. If you have a few extra mozzarella balls, nestle them in the sauce. Cover the pan with a lid or foil and bake in a 400 degrees F heated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes (or until the meatballs are cooked through). Cooked chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. Serve warm, before the cheese hardens up.

Make ahead tips

Meatballs are a wonderful dish to prepare-ahead of time because they are easy to refrigerate (or freeze!) before you cook them.

To refrigerate

You can shape the meatballs a day in advance, and store them on a tightly covered baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight.

To freeze

To work even further ahead, you can freeze the uncooked mozzarella stuffed chicken meatballs in an airtight container. I use a long, slightly deep freezer-safe container and freeze the meatballs in layers, with sheets of parchment paper between them so they don’t stick together. They will be good in the freezer for up to 3 months (but I like eating them within 2). You can cook them directly from frozen.

Serving ideas

One thing I love about meatballs is how versatile they are. Need an appetizer? Simply thread a couple onto small skewers and pair them with a dipping sauce. For dinner, the easiest way to turn these chicken parmesan meatballs into a meal for the family is to quickly cook some spaghetti, and smother the noodles in the rich sauce with a few meatballs. Add a side of crunchy garlic bread or a light green salad. Or, turn the chicken parmesan meatballs into a saucy pita sandwich or wrap similar to what I do with my kofta pitas.

How to store leftover stuffed meatballs

The great thing about meatballs in general is that they are an excellent option for batch-cooking. I sometimes double the recipe just so I have plenty of leftovers to keep for later! Leftover cooked meatballs will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Simply reheat the meatballs and sauce in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. If you decide to batch-cook, you can either freeze the meatballs while they are still raw, as I detailed above, or you can freeze them together with the pasta sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a skillet on the stove.