Collect some meatballs & serve this enticing dish

Matt Jenner

Contributing Writer

When you're looking for an Italian fix without all the carbs, look no further than these mozzarella-stuffed meatballs. Bake these casserole style, topped with zesty marinara sauce and even more cheese! This is a delicious dish to make for a kid's birthday party or for any celebratory dinner with family and friends.

Although the recipe below calls for only ground beef, doing a 50/50 blend with ground pork would give the meatballs an extra depth of flavor. If you prefer, top the casserole with provolone, cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese instead of more mozzarella. Make this whole dinner low-carb by serving it with a green salad or zucchini noodles. This high-protein/low-carb dish works well for anyone on a Keto, Atkins or other low-carb lifestyle. Plus, it takes less than an hour to make, so you can get out of the kitchen faster.

Cooktop Cove

Low-Carb Mozzarella-Stuffed Baked Meatballs

4 to 6

20 minutes

35 minutes

45 minutes

2 pounds 80/20 ground beef

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

1 cup marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Fresh chopped parsley or basil (optional)

Heat the oven to 400 F. Prepare a casserole dish by greasing it with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, Parmesan cheese, egg, onion powder, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper and cayenne pepper. Combine until well mixed and fully incorporated.

Using clean hands or a medium ice cream scoop, form the ground beef mixture into small patties.

Place a piece of mozzarella cheese in the center of each patty, and carefully fold the edges up around the cheese to seal it in. Seal the meatball completely around the cheese so it does not leak out while baking.

Place the stuffed meatballs in the casserole dish.

Place the dish in the oven, and allow to bake until meatballs are browned and fully cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven.

Top the meatballs with the marinara sauce, spreading it evenly.

Sprinkle the top evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Put the casserole back in the oven and allow to cook until sauce is hot and the cheese is fully melted and bubbling, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes.

Garnish with chopped parsley or basil (optional).

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