Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Mozzarella stuffed meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce makes a great accompaniment for spaghetti or for meatball sandwiches.  

I am a meatball maniac... so are my kids and my husband! I made a big batch of meatballs stuffed with cubes of mozzarella cheese and they were cheesy and delicious! 

This was a meal that my family gave two thumbs up.  The kids were thrilled cutting into the meatballs and seeing the surprise filling of gooey cheesy mozzarella inside. It was thrilling for me to cut into them too... hey, I'm a kid at heart.  

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Recipe by Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1lb lean ground beef
1lb ground pork
3 slices bread soaked with 1/3 milk
1 egg
1 cup Parmesan cheese
red chili flakes to taste
1 tsp dried basil flakes
1 tsp dried oregano flakes 
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and black pepper to taste
6oz Mozzarella Cheese cut into dice size cubes

Sauce:
1 large onion chopped
3-4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 can (28oz) plum tomatoes
1 jar favorite pasta sauce (45oz)
salt and black pepper to taste
red chili flakes to taste
1 tsp dried basil flakes
1 tsp dried oregano flakes 
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp white sugar (if needed)

 Directions:

Meatballs:

Soak the bread with milk and mash well.  Then add cheese, egg, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, onion powder, oregano, basil in a bowl and mix with soaked bread.  Add the ground beef and pork and mix together well bread/cheese mixture.   Form into large balls and use thumb to make an indentation.  Place cube of mozzarella cheese in the indentation and reform the meatball around the cheese. 

 
Place meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet one inch apart.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  Place in sauce and finish cooking.    

Sauce: 

Saute onion with garlic on medium heat in 2 Tbs olive oil.  Next add the can of plum tomatoes.  Break tomatoes up with a wooden spoon or a potato master. 

Then add the chili flakes, oregano, basil, sugar and jar pasta sauce.  Simmer for 20-25 minutes, taste and adjust spices as needed.  Add baked meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve with spaghetti noodles or with mini rolls for meatball sandwiches. Enjoy.

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