Can I make these ahead of time?

Certainly! Form them and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours, or freeze them raw for up to 3 months.

What if I use only ground beef?

Then you can use all beef, but add 1 extra tablespoon of olive oil, so they do not dry. The pork makes them richer, but all-beef works.

My cheese leaked out. What happened?

You have not closed the meat around the cheese thoroughly: we need not a single gap and less diameter.

Can you replace fresh spinach with frozen?

you can, but you will need about 10 oz frozen and lead all the water out of the spinach; otherwise, the meatball will be wet.

How do I know they're done?

Use a meat thermometer - they should hit 165°F inside. Or cut one open and make sure there's no pink.

Can I skip this step?

You could bake them straight at 400°F for 25-30 minutes but forgo the glorious brown crust.

Spinach Garlic Meatballs Stuffed With Mozzarella

Description

Discover the ultimate Spinach Garlic Meatballs Stuffed With Mozzarella recipe! These juicy, cheese-filled meatballs with hidden veggies will become your family’s new favorite dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Spinach Mixture:

- 8 oz fresh baby spinach (don’t use the tough stuff)

- 3 cloves garlic, chopped tiny

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- Salt and pepper

For the Meatballs:

- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 – trust me on this)

- 1 lb ground pork (don’t skip this!)

- 4 cloves garlic, minced up real good

- 2¼ cups breadcrumbs (I use panko)

- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, the real stuff

- 3 large eggs (4 if yours are small)

- 2 tablespoons milk

- 1 teaspoon salt

- ½ teaspoon black pepper

- 8 oz mozzarella, cut into tiny cubes

For Serving:

- 2–3 cups marinara (Rao’s is my go-to)

- Fresh basil

- More Parmesan for sprinkling

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Instructions

Step 1: Cook That Spinach

Drizzle olive oil into a large skillet over moderate heat to get it hot. Add the garlic and allow it to sizzle for around 30 seconds – don’t let it turn brown; otherwise, it will get bitter. Dump in all that spinach and stir it around until it’s completely wilted down. Season with salt and pepper, then chop it up fine on your cutting board. Let it cool down completely or it’ll cook your eggs when you mix everything.

Step 2: Mix the Meat

Dump both meats into your biggest bowl. Add the garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and that cooled spinach. Now here’s what my Italian neighbor taught me – mix it gently with your hands just until everything comes together. Stop right there. Overmixing makes hockey pucks, not meatballs.

Step 3: Stuff Those Babies

This is where it gets fun. Take about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture and flatten it in your palm like a little pancake. Drop a cube of mozzarella right in the middle, then wrap that meat around it. Make sure you seal it completely – no cheese peeking out anywhere. Roll it gently into a ball. You should get about 32 meatballs. Keep your hands slightly damp so nothing sticks.

Step 4: Get That Golden Color

Heat some olive oil in your skillet – I use about 2 tablespoons. Get it nice and hot, then add your meatballs in batches. Don’t crowd them or they’ll steam instead of brown. Roll them around until they’re golden on all sides, takes about 6-8 minutes total. They won’t be cooked through yet, that’s fine.

Step 5: Finish in the Oven

Crank your oven to 350°F. Put all those browned meatballs back in your oven-safe skillet and slide them into the oven. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until they hit 165°F inside. I always check with my thermometer because nobody wants undercooked meat.

Step 6: Sauce Time

Warm up your marinara in a pot while the meatballs finish. When they’re done, spoon that sauce around them, not on top – you want to keep that pretty brown crust. Throw some fresh basil on there and extra cheese if you’re feeling fancy.

Notes

Don’t cheap out on the ground beef blend. You need that 80/20 fat ratio for juicy meatballs. I tried 90/10 once thinking I was being healthy – they were like little dry rocks.

If you absolutely have to use frozen spinach, get about 10 oz, thaw it completely, and squeeze every drop of water out. I’m talking squeeze it in a kitchen towel until your hands hurt. Any extra moisture will ruin everything.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Searing + Baking

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs
Calories: 320 per serving
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 850mg
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 95mg