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Mozzarella-stuffed turkey meatballs
This week I lucked out and found some major markdowns on ground turkey and mozzarella – so I stocked up and I made the best of the deal by turning it into Mozzarella-stuffed turkey meatballs – one of our favorite freezer meals. It’s a super easy recipe and adding the mozzarella takes barely any extra time at all.
This recipes will make about 48 meatballs – for us this is about 4 meals. Each meatball is about 2 inches in diameter.
INGREDIENTS
3.75 pounds of ground turkey (this is three (3) 20 oz containers)
I used Jennie-O Italian Seasoned variety because it’s what I found on sale. Any variety will work. I prefer the leaner meat.
12 oz mozzarella block, cut into 1/2 cubes, about 48 (this is usually how the round mozzarella loaves are sold)
I had a little bit of cheese left over, but not much! You can also use string cheese – cut into little squares.
2 Cups bread crumbs
4 eggs beaten
4-5 garlic fresh cloves, minced
Add more if you really love garlic, less if you don’t!
2 Tablespoons dried Oregano or italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
Other ingredients you could consider – minced fresh onion, fresh or dried parsley or fresh parmesan cheese.
HOW TO PREPARE
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with foil or Silpat baking sheets. (I didn’t do this and didn’t have too many issues with sticking).
2.) Toss ground turkey and all ingredients into a very large bowl.
3.) Using your hands (clean hands), gently mix the ingredients together. Try to mix as little as possible. The more you mix, the more likely your meatballs are to fall apart.
4.) Once ingredients are evenly combined, take a small handful of turkey and make a little patty. Press your thumb into middle of patty and place a piece of cheese inside indentation. Wrap turkey around cheese, sealing edges.
5.) Place meatball on cookie sheet (with edge) or broiler pan or on oven-safe grate inside cookie sheet (especially if you have higher fat content meat).
6.) Bake for about 25 minutes at 375 degrees, until thoroughly cooked through and lightly browned.
Serve your turkey meatballs with a homemade spaghetti sauce or a homemade roasted marinara sauce or with sauce from a jar (I won’t judge), pasta and some fresh mozzarella or parmesan cheese. These would also make great meatball subs! They’d also make great appetizers – just stick a toothpick inside hot meatballs and serve with marinara dipping sauce!
Freeze meatballs for up to 3 months. I usually just place mine in freezer bags in groups of 12. To thaw, take out the morning or evening before you plan to serve. Heat in marinara sauce or in the oven until heated throughout.
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These look so good Heather, I can’t wait to give them a try.
Hope you like it Christy!!