Skip to main content

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs and Tomato Basil Sauce

So while I was making these for dinner a while back I was making little comments to myself...you know stuff to remember for next time...stuff to be sure to tell you all about in case you decide to make these little meatballs from heaven...needless to say I said "balls" a lot...and my husband felt the need to share some of these comments on Facebook.  You see the things I put up with?!  Now you understand why I am frustrated!  Lol, no worries though, they got made, the family loved them and I tuned my silly hubby out long enough to write down what I need to tell you all about these "balls"!

I read about these on Picky Palate's site a few weeks ago and have been desperate to try them ever since.  It took a few tries, but I was so glad when I finally found a grocery store around here that had the marinated mozzarella balls...yes honey...I said balls.  Sigh.  Anyway...I used my normal meatball recipe and enclosed these yummy little bites of fresh mozzarella inside.  I then topped them off with my absolute favorite tomato basil sauce, a recipe I adapted from a Rachael Ray magazine a few years ago and paired them with spaghetti noodles and some buttered herb bread.  It was a great meal...ah, how I love pasta...and bread...and meatballs.  Yes honey, I know, I know...I said it again.


You will probably notice that I have much larger quantities shown in these picture than my recipes call for...I was cooking for 8 people...who are partly Italian...and who LOVE pasta


Our Meatball ingredients


Mix all the meatball ingredients together well 


Super yummy marinated mozzarella balls...my BFF introduced me to these a few years ago...thanks Sarah!!!!! : D


Place one mozzarella ball into a divot made in each meatball





Bake for half an hour and then try not to eat them before dinner!



Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
idea borrowed from Picky Palate

1  1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup diced onions (or dried minced onions if you are out of onions like me...)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg. marinated fresh mozzarella balls

*measurements are approximate...I usually don't measure mine out

Mix all of the ingredients together except for the mozzarella balls.  Roll into whatever size meatballs you prefer, mine were about and inch and half in diameter.  Drain the mozzarella balls, being sure to get as much oil out as possible without losing any of them because it makes it a lot easier to seal them in if they are not all slimy with oil.  Place one mozzarella ball into each meatball and completely enclose the cheese, being sure to seal the ground beef mixture well around it so that it doesn't all melt out.  Bake in the oven at 350 F for 30 minutes or so.





We will start with some tips for chopping fresh basil.  Stack up all of the leaves


Roll them all up together...


Slice them finely...


Turn the knife or your cutting board and while rocking your chef's knife back and forth, finely chop the basil or whatever other herb you are using for your particular recipe.


Tada!!!


Saute the onions and garlic


Add the tomato sauce, basil and Parmesan cheese


Simmer until your pasta and meatballs are done!


Basil Tomato Sauce
adapted from a Rachael Ray magazine a few years ago...not sure which one

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
30 oz. canned tomato sauce
7 basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup diced onions (again use dried if you have to like I did this time)

First, start a large pan of water to boil for the pasta. In a sauce pan over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in about a Tbsp. of olive oil until onions are transparent or the garlic is lightly browned.  Add the tomato sauce, basil and parmesan.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste and let simmer on super low heat until the meatballs and pasta are done.

For the bread, I just sliced up a loaf I bought at the store and spread a little bit of butter I had mixed with basil on it and broiled it for about 2 minutes in the oven.





Enjoy!

Comments

  1. SQUEEEE Cheese Balls!!!! Did you find a really nice small Italian Deli? OMG they look so good I am so going to try that when I get stateside!!!! Miss you to pieces I wish you were here with those meat balls drool!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I actually managed to find them at one of the grocery stores up in Longview (bigger town north of us). As soon as I saw the recipe I thought of you and had to make them!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Easy Bread Machine White Bread

About 6 months ago, I made the very difficult decision to leave my long-time job at Lower Columbia College for the opportunity to work at University of Portland, which had been a dream of mine for quite a while. During my last few days at LCC, one of my co-workers and friends asked me if I would finally be able to resume my blog and share recipes since I was going from a 40 hour work-week to a 35 hour work-week. At the time, I told him I wasn’t sure but that I would certainly try! Well, it has been 6 months...and all that extra time ended up consumed with a new obsession - gardening! (I’m sure there will be more about that new adventure in the future.) Anyway, I still haven’t been all that active with baking lately but I think this is the perfect opportunity to change that, if for no other reason, than it has  been almost impossible to even buy bread in the town of Woodland right now! Lol Which leads me to my post today - we’re making bread! And though I will end up making many

Easy Fudgy Brownies

I’m sure many of us are craving some comfort foods at this time - I base this of course on the fact that it seems that the baking aisle in every grocery store I have gone into since March 15th has been mostly empty of even the very basic of supplies - flour, yeast, brownie mix…It is getting better but short of going to literally every grocery store from here to Portland which makes me just a tad bit nervous and completely defeats the point of limiting time out in public, there appears to be a very small selection in pre-made mixes; and if I’m being honest, boxed mix is usually my go to for brownies! That being said, luckily I have a selection of brownie recipes I regularly use and like with supplies I normally stock in my pantry. For those of you craving a good fudgy brownie and lacking in mix like me, here is a from scratch brownie recipe that is not only super easy but dirties very few dishes. Enjoy! Fudgy Brownies Recipe adapt

Strawberry Savannah Smile Cupcakes

With all the beautiful weather we've had over the last couple of weeks, I find myself longing for Spring - for sunshine and flowers, longer days and the chirping of birds.  And of course...Girl Scout cookies!  For those who are linked in to the Girl Scout community, you know that the beginning of Spring is when Girl Scout cookies are delivered and girls of all ages begin to pop up at local grocery stores, working hard at setting up their booths and telling their community what service projects and fun trips they hope to support with the money they earn through all of their hard work.  I myself am a Girl Scout leader and the Troop Cookie Manager for our troop so I swear I live, breath and dream all things cookie from January through March. What better way to celebrate the beginning of all that hard work than to make a cookie inspired recipe for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington recipe contest?  And I can't think of any better way to get people in the mood for Girl Sco