Description
Delicious spinach garlic meatballs stuffed with melted mozzarella cheese, combining lean ground beef or turkey with fresh sautéed spinach and savory seasonings. Perfectly baked or pan-seared for juicy, flavorful meatballs everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 2 cups fresh spinach, sautéed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (can substitute oats or almond flour)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella cubes, chilled
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Optional Enhancements
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Sauté spinach and garlic: Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the fresh spinach with minced garlic until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool and finely chop before using.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, chopped spinach, and optionally chopped onion, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
- Form meatballs with mozzarella: Take a portion of the meat mixture and encase one chilled mozzarella cube inside, shaping into a sealed ball ensuring the cheese is fully enclosed.
- Cook the meatballs: Choose either to bake the meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes or pan-sear them in oil over medium-high heat for 8 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Optional simmering: For extra flavor, simmer cooked meatballs in warm marinara sauce for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Rest the meatballs: Allow the meatballs to rest for 5 minutes after cooking to retain their juiciness and prevent cheese leakage upon cutting.
Notes
- Use chilled mozzarella cubes to prevent cheese leakage during cooking.
- Avoid overmixing the meat mixture to keep the meatballs tender.
- Substitute breadcrumbs with oats or almond flour for gluten-free variations.
- Adding red pepper flakes can introduce a spicy kick if desired.
- Simmering in marinara sauce adds moisture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
