Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Giada has come through once again! I was looking for a recipe to use up some leftover smoked mozzarella that we had in the fridge. I saw these meatballs and knew they would make for a quick and easy dinner. I think that they took 30 minutes to both make and bake. They are tender and flavorful with gooey, smokey cheese on the inside. While for us this week, they are a dinner and lunch option, they would also make a great appetizer for a party. Enjoy over pasta with a side salad or as a sub with sauce and more melted cheese!

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons marinara sauce (I use Victoria’s) plus 1/3 cup
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package of ground beef (1.5-2lbs)
• 16 cubed pieces of smoked mozzarella cheese (1/2 inch cubes)

1. Position the oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the onion, parsley, parm cheese, bread crumbs, egg, marinara, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Once mixed, add in the beef, mixing with your hands. Shape the meat mixture into 16 meatballs. Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so the cheese is completely concealed.
3. Spoon 1/3 cup extra marinara in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the meatballs inside and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through.