Bocconcini Stuffed Meatballs

I happened to have some leftover bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls, packed in water and often sold in a tub in the deli section of the grocery store), so, of course, I decided to stuff them inside some meatballs to see what would happen.  It turned out pretty great!

I served the meatballs with spaghetti tossed with a quick tomato sauce and sprinkled with fresh basil for a very tasty, decadent meal. 

Here's what you need for these crazy meatballs:


1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 egg
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
20 mini bocconcini

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and mix together the pork, beef, breadcrumbs, garlic. seasoning, egg, parmesan, salt and pepper.  

Gently mix it all together with your hands until well-combined, but don't overmix. 

Drain the bocconcini in a colander.  

Take about 1/20th of the meat mixture and flatten it into a mini patty.  Place the bocconcini in the centre and wrap the meat around the cheese.

Roll the meat into a ball to cover the cheese.  

Repeat with the rest of the meat and cheese, placing the stuffed meatballs on foil-lined baking sheets.  

Cook the meatballs for about 25 minutes in the oven until browned.  Some of the cheese may start to leak out, but that's ok!  

While the meatballs are cooking, cook your spaghetti and heat up some marinara sauce.  You can make a home made pasta sauce or just use a good jarred sauce.  

Once it's all done, toss the pasta with some sauce and serve the pasta with a few meatballs topped with extra sauce.  The meatballs are big and very rich, so you don't need too many.  You can always go back for seconds!  Sprinkle the whole thing with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

When you cut the meatballs open, the cheese will spill out and you will be happy!  

Enjoy.