minniet's Recipe

Slow-Cooked, Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

Category: Recipes

1 1/4 pounds ground beef

•3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

•4 mozzarella cheese sticks, each cut into 6-8 small pieces. Place on a plate and chill in the freezer until ready to use.

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1 egg

•1 egg yolk

•3/4 tablespoon Italian seasoning

•1 teaspoon onion powder

•kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

•marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought, garnish

In a large bowl, combine ground beef with breadcrumbs, egg and egg yolk, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper.

Use your hands to mix everything together until combined.

3.Take a small handful of meat (2-3 tablespoons) and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball and place 1 cube mozzarella cheese in the center.

Form meat into a round ball around the cheese, then repeat with remaining meat and cheese cubes.

5.Place all cheese-stuffed meatballs in the greased slow cooker, then cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours (or on LOW for 3-4), or until meatballs are cooked all the way through, but still tender and juicy.

Remove from slow cooker and serve hot with marinara sauce.

*For a quicker method, the meatballs can be baked. Follow directions to make meatballs, but instead of placing in the slow cooker, place meatballs 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes until browned and cheese is melts.
**These can also be made ahead and frozen! Prepare the meatballs as instructed in the recipe but instead of putting them straight into the slow cooker (or the oven if baking), just place them side by side in a zip lock bag ( you may need two), seal and place in the freezer. When ready to cook them, follow recipe instructions and increase cooking time slightly to allow for thawing.
*This recipe makes about a dozen large meatballs. This works great for an appetizer or side dish. If you want to use this for a main dish, I'd recommend doubling the recipe to be safe.