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Cooked spinach and fresh breadcrumbs form a soft beef mixture around cubes of mozzarella. Sear the sealed meatballs, then finish them in marinara in the oven. Use fresh breadcrumbs as listed; the same volume of compact dry crumbs would change the mixture.
Use three garlic cloves with the spinach and the remaining four in the meat mixture. The four tablespoons of oil are divided between wilting spinach and searing meatballs. Reserve two tablespoons for the sear and use up to two for the vegetables.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 blend
- Set out: 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
- Set out: 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
- Set out: 2 1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- Set out: 3 large eggs, room temperature
- Set out: 2 tablespoons whole milk
- Set out: 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
- Set out: 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Set out: 24 ounces marinara sauce
- Set out: Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Heat up to two tablespoons of oil in a skillet and wilt the spinach. Add three chopped garlic cloves near the end, then drain excess liquid, cool briefly and chop the spinach finely.
- Stage 2
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Combine beef, fresh breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, the remaining garlic, salt and pepper gently.
- Stage 3
- Fold in the prepared spinach. Divide mozzarella into small cubes and wrap each completely in a portion of the meat mixture.
- Stage 4
- Heat the reserved two tablespoons of oil in an oven-safe skillet and sear the meatballs in batches, turning carefully. Return all meatballs to the pan and pour marinara around them.
- Stage 5
- Cover with oven-safe foil and bake about fifteen to twenty minutes, continuing until the meat surrounding the cheese reaches 165°F. Rest briefly and serve with the sauce.
Hot wet spinach can soften the meat mixture and make shaping difficult. Wilt it, let excess liquid drain and chop finely after brief cooling. Do not add all the liquid collected in the bowl.
Are fresh and dry breadcrumbs interchangeable?
No. The two-and-a-quarter cups refer to fresh breadcrumbs, which are less dense and hold moisture differently from fine dry crumbs. Use the stated type, and mix gently so the three eggs and milk are distributed without compacting the beef.
How is the cheese sealed?
Divide the mozzarella into small cubes and the meat mixture into enough portions to enclose them fully. Flatten a portion, add cheese and pinch the meat around it with no exposed corners. A small test portion helps judge whether the chosen cube is too large.
What shows the meatballs are finished?
Check the meat surrounding the cheese rather than placing the probe only in the molten center. Finish the assembled sauce dish to 165°F. Some cheese leakage is possible even with sealed edges; serve that melted cheese with the marinara rather than overbaking to stop it.
Storage and serving later
Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below; do not wait for a large hot batch to cool completely on the counter. University of Illinois Extension’s leftover guidance gives a three-to-four-day refrigerated window and 165°F for reheating foods served hot. Keep cold salads and toppings chilled, and follow shorter product-label limits where applicable.
Related recipe choices
For another complete recipe, see Gochujang Beef Meatball Bowls with Rice and Spicy Mayo or Cheddar Beef Meatballs with Barbecue Glaze. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal.
USDA’s temperature guidance specifies 160°F for ground beef. Thermometer placement guidance explains checking the thick center rather than relying on surface color.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- How are the garlic and oil divided?
Use three garlic cloves with the spinach and the remaining four in the meat mixture. The four tablespoons of oil are divided between wilting spinach and searing meatballs.
- Why cool and drain the spinach?
Hot wet spinach can soften the meat mixture and make shaping difficult. Wilt it, let excess liquid drain and chop finely after brief cooling.
- Are fresh and dry breadcrumbs interchangeable?
No. The two-and-a-quarter cups refer to fresh breadcrumbs, which are less dense and hold moisture differently from fine dry crumbs.
- How is the cheese sealed?
Divide the mozzarella into small cubes and the meat mixture into enough portions to enclose them fully. Flatten a portion, add cheese and pinch the meat around it with no exposed corners.
- What shows the meatballs are finished?
Check the meat surrounding the cheese rather than placing the probe only in the molten center. Finish the assembled sauce dish to 165°F.