Pizza Meatballs
Get ready to elevate your dinner game with these irresistible Pizza Meatballs—a fun, flavorful mash-up of two comfort food favorites. Juicy meatballs made with a blend of ground beef and pork are stuffed with gooey mini mozzarella balls, then seared to perfection before baking in a rich pizza sauce. Topped with melted shredded mozzarella and optionally garnished with fresh basil, these cheesy, saucy bites deliver all the bold flavors of a classic pizza in a compact, crowd-pleasing form. Perfect as an appetizer at parties, a game-day snack, or a satisfying main course served over pasta, Pizza Meatballs are a quick and easy dinner idea that will satisfy every craving. With a prep time of just 20 minutes and simple ingredients, this recipe is ideal for busy weeknights while still wowing your taste buds.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 0.5 lb ground pork
- 0.5 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 16 mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 cups pizza sauce
- 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 leaves fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until all ingredients are evenly combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the meatballs tender.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and flatten it slightly in your hand. Place one mini mozzarella ball in the center, then fold the meat mixture around it, rolling it into a ball to fully encase the cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture and mozzarella balls until you have approximately 16 meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sear the meatballs for 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned all over. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Remove the meatballs and set them aside.
In the same skillet (or a separate oven-safe dish if needed), spread 1 cup of the pizza sauce across the bottom. Nestle the seared meatballs into the sauce. Spoon the remaining 0.5 cup of pizza sauce over the meatballs.
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the meatballs and sauce.
Transfer the skillet or dish to the preheated oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired, and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
953 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 68.3 g | 88% | |
| Saturated Fat | 29.5 g | 147% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 238 mg | 79% | |
| Sodium | 1405 mg | 61% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 25.2 g | 9% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.6 g | 9% | |
| Total Sugars | 11.1 g | ||
| Protein | 59.3 g | 119% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.4 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 624 mg | 48% | |
| Iron | 4.7 mg | 26% | |
| Potassium | 806 mg | 17% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
