Description
Delicious meatballs filled with garlic, spinach, and warm cheese, perfect for a cozy family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Ground Beef or Turkey (can substitute with lean turkey)
- 2 cups Fresh Spinach (sautéed)
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 small Onion (optional, finely chopped)
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs (or oats/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
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tbsp Chopped Parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Sauté the spinach and garlic until wilted and fragrant, then cool slightly.
- In a bowl, mix together the ground meat, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the cooled spinach.
- Chill the mixture for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Take a small handful of the mixture, press a chilled mozzarella cube into the center, and seal to form a ball.
- Place meatballs on the baking sheet with space between each one.
- Bake until browned and the internal temperature reads 165°F for turkey or 160°F for beef.
- Let meatballs rest for 5 minutes before serving, then garnish with parsley and extra parmesan if desired.
Notes
Chill the mixture before shaping to prevent sticking. Use chilled mozzarella cubes to avoid leaking during cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: meatballs, spinach, garlic, family recipe, Italian dish, cozy meal