Italian Stuffed Meatballs

Recipe

1. Gather all ingredients.

2. Take 13x9 casserole dish and spray lightly with cooking spray.

3. Next, soak bread pieces in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes - This is called a panade and the secret to getting moist meatballs.

4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring until onion is very tender, about 10 minutes more.

5. Gently mix ground beef and Italian sausage together in a large bowl. Add onions, soaked bread, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes; mix together using a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Cut cubes of mozzarella cheese, to stuff inside your meatballs. Set cubes aside.

8. Form ground beef mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; arrange in a single layer in your 13x9 casserole dish.

9. Place cube of mozzarella cheese, inside each meatball.

10. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of bread, cut into 1/2" cubes

• 1 cup of whole milk, plus more as needed, to cover bread.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 pound 80/20 ground beef

• 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 8 oz block of mozzarella cheese (cubed)

Equipment

• Medium to Large mixing bowls

• Small mixing bowl

• 13x9 casserole dish

• Measuring cups

• Rubber baking spatula

• Tbs/Tsp

• Chef's knife

• Cutting board

• Sauté pan