Ingredients

The following ingredients have 16 Servings
  • 1½ pounds ground chuck (80-90% lean)
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
  • ½ t dried oregano
  • 1 egg (lightly beaten)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 4 ounces Mozzarella pearls or 6 ounces fresh mozzarella (cut into ½” cubes)
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • Fresh basil or parsley (chopped)

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano, egg and Worcestershire Sauce. Mix together until ingredients are incorporated.
  • Pinch off 2 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Make a large indentation in the middle (without pushing all the way through), and place 3 mozzarella pearls in the middle of the indentation. Bring the meat up and around the cheese, and completely close off the cheese inside the meat. Roll gently to smooth out the meatball. Place the ball on the lined baking sheet and repeat until all meatballs are made.
  • Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes. If the cheese bubbles out, the meatballs still taste great. (I made several of these and just a few cooked without the cheese bubbling out.)
  • While the meatballs cook, heat the marinara sauce in a small stovetop pan until hot.
  • Remove the meatballs from the oven and allow them to cool just a few minutes. Place the sauce in a serving bowl and arrange the meatballs over the sauce. Sprinkle with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
  • The meatballs can be served with pasta, Italian bread and salad as an entire meal.
  • The meatballs can also be made a little smaller and served as an appetizer.
  • Enjoy!