Description
Delicious spinach garlic meatballs filled with melted mozzarella, seasoned with Italian herbs, and perfect for baking or pan-searing. These moist and flavorful meatballs make a great appetizer or main course that everyone will love.
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 with oats or almond flour)
- 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 8 oz Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cubes, chilled
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
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 and minced garlic until the spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then finely chop the mixture.
- Combine Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef or turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, chopped sautéed spinach, and optional onion and red pepper flakes. Stir gently until all ingredients are just combined to avoid dense meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Take portions of the meat mixture and encase chilled mozzarella cubes completely, shaping into meatballs to seal the cheese inside.
- Cook Meatballs: Choose your cooking method: bake the meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes or pan-sear them in a little oil over medium-high heat for 8 minutes per side until cooked through and browned.
- Optional Simmer: For added flavor and moisture, simmer the cooked meatballs in warm marinara sauce for 10 minutes before serving.
- Rest Meatballs: Let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes after cooking to retain juiciness and allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- Use chilled mozzarella cubes to prevent the cheese from leaking during cooking.
- Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Sautéing spinach before mixing enhances its flavor and reduces moisture in the meatballs.
- Breadcrumb substitutes like oats or almond flour can be used for gluten-free options.
- Simmering in sauce is optional but recommended for juicier meatballs and extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
