• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Seeking Good Eats logo

  • Recipes
  • by Course
  • Low Carb & Keto
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizers & Snacks

    Stuffed Baked Meatballs (Two Ways)

    Published: Nov 14, 2019 · Modified: Dec 14, 2022 by seekinggoodeats · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    Jump to Recipe
    meatballs in a white fluted serving dish with marinara sauce.
    meatballs in a white fluted serving dish with marinara sauce.

    These Stuffed Baked Meatballs make a perfect dinner or appetizer recipe! There are two tasty ways to make these baked meatballs - mozzarella or cheeseburger stuffed. Serve the mozzarella stuffed meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce, and the cheeseburger meatballs with big mac sauce. Kids love eating these meatballs, and they are really fun to make!

    cheese stuffed baked meatballs served with marinara sauce on a white serving plate.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll ❤️ Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
    • 🥘 What You'll Need
    • 🔪 How To Make It
    • 🥗 How To Serve Them
    • FAQs
    • More Ground Beef Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll ❤️ Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

    There are so many reasons to love cheese-stuffed baked meatballs!

    Make-Ahead Appetizer or Dinner

    Make these baked meatballs ahead of time and then freeze them. I will often make several batches of meatballs at one time and then freeze them a couple of months before the holidays. That way, I have a super easy, homemade meatball appetizer when I need it!

    If serving meatballs for a party, here's an easy trick: thaw meatballs and place them in the slow cooker. Pour marinara over the top and turn the slow cooker on low. Heat on low until meatballs are warmed through. Turn the slow cooker down to warm. Voila! They are super easy, and they stay nice and warm.

    Low Carb and Keto Meatballs

    Use nutritional yeast and sugar free ketchup to make them low carb and keto meatballs.

    fat 14 g | net carbs 5.9 g | protein 18.2 g

    Kid-Friendly Recipe!

    Kids love eating these meatballs, but did you know they love to make them too? They are fun to make because you get to squish the meat and stuff with cheese. So much fun. As a kid, I always love making meatloaf and meatballs because I would use my hands to mix all the ingredients. I'm still that way today! LOL!

    🥘 What You'll Need

    Here's what you'll need to make stuffed baked meatballs:

    Ingredients needed for making baked meatballs.

    Ground Beef - 80/20 ground chuck has good flavor.

    Pork Sausage

    Breadcrumbs or Nutritional Yeast - use nutritional yeast if you are following a low carbohydrate plan.

    Onion Powder

    Italian Seasoning

    Garlic Cloves

    Salt

    Pepper

    Eggs

    Tomato Paste

    Ketchup - use regular or sugar free

    Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

    Dill Pickles

    For Serving - Marinara Sauce, BBQ, Ranch, or Big Mac Sauce

    For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!

    🔪 How To Make It

    Here are the step-by-step instructions for making stuffed baked meatballs:

    Mix Ingredients Together

    In a large mixing bowl, mix ground beef, sausage, nutritional flakes (or breadcrumbs), seasoning, eggs, tomato paste, and ketchup until combined.

    You can use a spoon or you can use your hands! I've always thought it was fun to mix it with my hands!

    Steps for making baked meatballs add all ingredients and mix.

    Shape Meatballs

    Divide the mixture into 28 to 32 meatballs. Press the meatballs down.

    Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

    Place a 1/2" to 3/4" piece of mozzarella cheese, wrap the meat around cheese, seal, then place on a baking tray.

    Shaping mozzarella stuffed meatballs.

    Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs

    Place a 1/2" piece of cheddar cheese and a piece of pickle. Wrap the meat around the cheese, seal it, then place it on a baking sheet.

    Making cheeseburger stuffed meatballs.

    Tip: you want to have an even amount of meat surrounding the cheese. If you can feel the cheese poking through, cover it with meat.

    Bake

    Place the meatballs on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes, or until meatballs reach 160 degrees F.

    Placing meatballs on a baking sheet then baking.

    🥗 How To Serve Them

    Here's how to serve cheese stuffed baked meatballs:

    For an easy dinner, I would serve the mozzarella stuffed meatballs with marinara over pasta, zucchini noodles, or steamed veggies.

    As appetizers, I would serve the mozzarella meatballs with marinara or spaghetti sauce, and the cheeseburger baked meatballs with bbq or big mac sauce.

    I have to tell you that my family went bonkers over the cheeseburger meatballs! They suggested the next time I make them add a piece of bacon. According to them, everything is better with bacon. Yum. What a great idea! Thanks, fam! 🙂 

    FAQs

    Can I make meatballs ahead of time?

    Yes! You can make baked meatballs ahead of time.

    Either form them and place them on a tray to bake later in the week, or you can go ahead and bake them and reheat when you're ready. You can also bake them and freeze them for later as well.

    Can you freeze meatballs?

    Yes! You can freeze these baked meatballs! The meatballs should be cooked first.  I love to make meatballs ahead of time and then freeze them for future use. I try to use them within 3 months.

    How to make meatballs without breadcrumbs

    You can make meatballs without breadcrumbs. While breadcrumbs do act as a binder, it is a combination of eggs, moisture, fat content, and how much you press the meat together when forming the meatballs that hold the meatballs together in this recipe.

    This recipe also calls for nutritional flakes. I have found they hold together a little when the flakes are added, then if I don't use them.

    How long to cook meatballs in oven at 350?

    This depends upon the size of the meatball of course, but a 1-1/2" to 2" meatball will take anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes. The best way to cook a meatball is to bake it until it reaches 160 degrees F. You can tell if a meatball is done is by checking the temperature with an instant-read thermometer.

    How long to cook meatballs in oven at 375?

    Depending upon the size of the meatball, it will take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes to cook in an oven at 375. The final temperature of the meatballs should be 160 degrees F.

    At what temperature are meatballs done?

    Meatballs are done when they reach 160 degrees F.

    Should I bake or fry meatballs?

    You can do both, but baking is easier because you don't have to stand over a stove. You can place the meatballs on a baking sheet, place in the oven, then go do something else while they're baking.

    More Ground Beef Recipes

    • Stuffed Big Mac Meatloaf
    • Stuffed Italian Meatloaf Recipe
    • Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)
    • Reuben Bake With Meatballs
    • Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers
    • Creamy Beef Taco Soup
    • Baked Beans With Ground Beef
    • Mexican Ground Beef and Potatoes Recipe

    If you tried these baked meatballs, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give it a 5-star rating and/or a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please share photos of your creations with me and others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Don't forget to tag #seekinggoodeats

    📋 Recipe

    Cheese stuffed meatballs on a white plate with marinara sauce for dipping

    Cheese Stuffed Baked Meatball Recipe

    The perfect dinner or appetizer recipe! Two tasty ways to make these baked meatballs - mozzarella stuffed or cheeseburger stuffed. Can be made regular or low carb and keto.
    5 from 3 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Author Kori
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer and Snack Recipes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 232 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Baked Meatball Recipe

    • 1 pound ground beef 80/20 ground chuck
    • 1 pound pork sausage
    • ¼ cup breadcrumbs or nutritional yeast (low carb and keto use nutritional yeast)
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • ⅓ cup ketchup (low carb keto: use sugar free)

    Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

    • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese sticks (sliced into ½" pieces)
    • marinara sauce (for dipping)

    Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs

    • 8 ounces cheddar cheese (cut into ½" cubes)
    • 4 ounces dill pickles (cut into ¼ to ½" cubes)
    • big mac sauce (for dipping)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, mix ground beef, sausage, nutritional flakes (or breadcrumbs), seasoning, eggs, tomato paste, and ketchup until combined.
    • Divide mixture into 28 to 32 meatballs. Press the meatballs down and place mozzarella cheese in the center (or cheddar and pickle). Press meat around cheese and seal the meatball. You want to have an even amount of meat surrounding the cheese.
    • Place the meatballs on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes, or until meatballs reaches 160 degrees F.

    Notes

    Serve the mozzarella stuffed meatballs with your favorite spaghetti sauce, and the cheeseburger stuffed meatballs with a BBQ or big mac sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 6.4gProtein: 18.2gFat: 14gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 1075mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 2.6g

    © 2023 Seeking Good Eats™

    More Appetizers & Snacks Recipes

    • chunky guacamole avocado dip served in a white bowl.
      Guacamole Avocado Dip
    • Buffalo chicken wing dip served in a gray baking dish and garnished with celery. A person is dipping a cracker into the dip.
      Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip Recipe
    • Frozen Meatballs Recipe
    • A wreath shaped charcuterie board arranged on a wooden cutting board.
      Christmas Charcuterie Board

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sara says

      November 27, 2022 at 2:36 am

      Hi Kori! This looks fantastic! Do you think this recipe could work with two lbs of ground turkey or chicken instead?

      Reply
      • seekinggoodeats says

        November 28, 2022 at 3:39 pm

        Hello! I have not made them, but you definitely could! I have some ground chicken and you've inspired me to make them now. 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Image of Kori Seeking Good Eats Founder

    Hello! I'm Kori and I am a food LOVER. I've had a lifelong passion for cooking and eating (of course)! At some point that catches up with you, right? Older and wiser, I now watch what I eat more closely. What's the hardest and most frustrating part? Finding recipes that are healthy, easy to make, AND taste great.

    More about me →


    Recent Recipes

    • Sour cream is drizzled over the cheesy baked enchiladas in a 13 inch by 9 inch baking dish.
      Homemade Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
    • Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
    • A white bowl piled high with broccoli salad with bacon, cheese, carrots, and nuts.
      Cauliflower Broccoli Salad
    • A round glass bowl of pasta salad with olives, tomatoes, and colorful fresh vegetables.
      Creamy Tortellini Pasta Salad

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As featured in collage of websites

    Information

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure page for more information.

    Copyright © 2023 Seeking Good Eats™