Paula Deen Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs and Sauce

Paula Deen Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs and Sauce is a hearty dinner with beef and pork meatballs, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce, ready in 5 hours 40 minutes. It's an easy slow cooker spaghetti dinner for Sunday dinner, potluck or game day, and it's make-ahead friendly.

Press the mozzarella into the center of each meatball and seal the meat all the way around it. If the seam stays open, the cheese leaks into the sauce while the meatballs simmer.

Paula browns the meatballs in olive oil before they go in the slow cooker, which gives them a crust that holds up through 5 hours in the sauce. Adding the breadcrumbs 1/2 cup at a time also lets you stop once the mixture shapes easily, so the meatballs stay tender instead of dense.

Paula Deen Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs and Sauce

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

5

hours 

20

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Beef and pork meatballs hide a center of fresh mozzarella and simmer in tomato sauce until tender. Browning them first holds the shape, and the long, slow cook leaves them soft all the way through.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
  

• 1 lb ground pork
  

• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
  

• 3 large eggs
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black pepper
  

• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
  

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
  

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  

• 4 oz divided into 12 pieces fresh mozzarella
  

• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
  

• 2 jars your favorite tomato sauce
  

• 2 lbs cooked al dente spaghetti
  

Directions

• Mix the meat: Combine 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground pork, 4 tablespoons Parmesan, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 cloves garlic, basil, parsley and 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a large bowl. Then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture forms balls easily.
• Stuff the meatballs: Form the mixture into 12 balls, then press your thumb into the center of each one to make a hole. Tuck in a piece of the 4 oz fresh mozzarella and push the meat around it to close the hole.
• Brown the meatballs: Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and drizzle in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook until just browned, then lift them out with a slotted spoon into the slow cooker.
• Simmer in the sauce: Pour 2 jars of your favorite tomato sauce over the meatballs. Cover and cook on LOW for about 5 hours.
• Serve over spaghetti: Cook 2 lbs spaghetti al dente while the meatballs finish. Spoon the stuffed meatballs and sauce over the pasta and serve right away.

Tools for this recipe

• Crock-Pot 7-quart manual slow cooker, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, OXO stainless slotted spoon, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use only ground beef instead of beef and pork?

Yes, 2 lbs of ground beef works if that's what you have. The meatballs will be a little less tender, since the pork adds richness and softness.

How long do leftover meatballs keep?

Store them in their sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker so the mozzarella center stays soft.

Can I make the meatballs ahead of time?

You can shape and stuff them a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Brown them just before they go in the slow cooker.

Can I cook these in the oven instead of a slow cooker?

A covered baking dish or Dutch oven in a low oven can stand in for the slow cooker. Keep the heat gentle and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and tender in the sauce.

Why did my mozzarella leak out of the meatballs?

The seam wasn't sealed all the way, so the cheese melted out into the sauce. Smooth the meat firmly around the mozzarella and roll each ball again so no gap shows.