Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs (Freezer Friendly!)
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Cheese Stuffed Meatballs are so good! Tender beef meatballs stuffed with mozzarella, they are a game changer that the whole family will love!
Make enough for 1 meal, or make enough for 6!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
Ever see Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares? In one of them, there are twin guys who own a restaurant and stand out the front shouting “HOMEMADE MEATBALLS” to the traffic. I keep hearing those guys in my head when I think about this recipe.
I am always looking to streamline my evenings. Having these in the freezer is fantastic for a quick meal. Throw them in some marinara sauce, cook some pasta and HELLO DINNER!
These are special little meatballs because they are stuffed with cheesy goodness that make them slightly different (and a whole lot yummier) than regular meatball recipes.
You can oven bake them on a baking sheet or cook them in a skillet, making this super convenient!
Try my Instant Pot Meatballs for another way to make these! I hope you love these as much as we do!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- These aren’t your average meatballs! They pack a punch of flavor, and are filled with cheesy goodness.
- These meatballs can be made in bulk and frozen, ready to pull out and cook for a quick dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I cook them fully and freeze them on a sheet pan until solid then store in a sealed ziplock bag in the freezer. I can use 2 or 20 at any given time.
Yes! You can do a mix of all three, or pick one or two meats to blend.
What to serve with Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
I serve them in a couple of ways. Sometimes as an appetizer, with toothpicks and a bowl of marinara for dipping, and other times thrown in some marinara sauce and tossed with spaghetti.
I also love to use these meatballs in hoagie rolls or subs, and make a yummy lunch!
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Mozzarella String Cheese. Cut these, and be sure to freeze them. If you don’t they’ll ooze as they cook, and you’ll lose that yummy cheesy bite.
- Ground Beef. For meatballs, you can use a blend of beef and pork, or sausage if you prefer. I like lean ground beef most of the time, but for this, an 80/20 fat ratio will work as well as a 97/3/
- Bread Crumbs. These are regular breadcrumbs. For extra flavor, grab roasted garlic or seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Eggs. Large eggs. Beat them lightly before adding to make it easier to blend in.
- Onion. Dice this finely. You don’t want huge chunks of onion in your meatballs.
- Garlic. I say 4 cloves of garlic. But you know garlic. Measure that with your heart! Garlic powder can also be used.
- Salt & Pepper. This is essential. Start with 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper
- Italian Seasoning. Make your own (recipe below) or grab it at the store.
- Olive Oil. Or any oil you prefer for cooking.
- Marinara. Use store bought or homemade marinara sauce.
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How to make this recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
JumpGet prepped
Remove mozzarella cheese (string cheese) from wrappers and cut each string into 8 equal sized pieces. Place cheese cubes in a large bowl or 1 freezer bag and freeze until it is time to form meatballs.
Make the meatballs
Using your hands, thoroughly combine all meatball ingredients (beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper) in a large bowl.
Shape the meat mixture into 1 inch meatballs, around each piece of cheese.
Seal meatballs well to keep the cheese from oozing out.
Cook the meatballs
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the meatballs, turning often until they are browned on all sides.
Drain any fat, then add the marinara sauce to the skillet and stir to combine with the meatballs.
Simmer, covered with a lid for 8-10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
Remove from skillet, allow to cool.
Devour.
Kylee’s Notes
What to do with leftovers
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Substitutions/Additions
You can use pork, sausage or ground beef for these meatballs.
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen before or after cooking. Cover tightly with foil and wrap with plastic wrap.
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Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
Ingredients
- 5 sticks of mozzarella string cheese
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 large onion diced finely
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For serving
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
Instructions
Get prepped
- Remove 5 sticks of mozzarella string cheese from wrappers and cut each string into 8 equal pieces. Place in a large bowl or 1 freezer bag and freeze until it is time to form meatballs.
Make the meatballs
- Using your hands, thoroughly combine 2 pounds ground beef, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 large eggs, 1/2 large onion (finely diced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning in a large bowl.
- Shape into 1 inch meatballs, around each piece of frozen mozzarella.
- Seal meatballs well to keep the cheese from oozing out.
Cook the meatballs
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook the meatballs, turning often until they are browned on all sides
- Drain any fat, then add 24 ounces marinara sauce to the skillet and stir to combine with the meatballs.
- Simmer, covered with a lid for 8-10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve with pasta.
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!Update: This recipe was originally published in May of 2017. It was republished with updated photos in March of 2026.
About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
My family loves these meatballs. They are so easy and full of flavor.