Turkey Parmesan Stuffed Meatballs

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When I think of a fabulous Italian appetizer, my Turkey Parmesan Stuffed Meatballs immediately come to mind. When this breaded and fried giant meatball hits the table, and you cut into it and ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese oozes out, it is pretty much a perfect moment. These are so good as a starter, but also great for a meal with a side salad or serve this over your favorite pasta as an entree. It all works.

I’ve choosen lean ground turkey for this recipe but you could easily substitute ground chicken or beef. And speaking of subsitutions, feel free to substitute your favorite melting cheese for the mozzarella. Some good options would be fontina, gouda or Yarlsberg for a twist.

To make the breading I’ve mixed both dry Italian breadcrumbs and panko for flavor and crunch, and then added my new favorite seasoning, Parmesan inspired roasted garlic and chile seasoning from Shawhan Farms. I love the stuff! I’ve used it to make my roasted garlic Parmesan bread and my Crispy Parmesan Asparagus with Parmesan Dipping Sauce too.

Not only did I use the seasoning in the breadcrumb mixture, but I also mixed it in with the meatball ingredients to add even more flavor. A definite game changer.

While I do fry the meatballs first, before I bake them, I use olive oil and only a little. I’m just doing a very fast and very hot shallow fry to get that crust golden brown, then I finish in the oven. Be sure to drain the meatballs on paper towels before putting on the baking sheet. This will get rid of excess oil. And, as always, sprinkle with salt as soon as they come out of the oil.

I serve these with my marinara sauce which is easy to make and I always have it in the freezer ready to go. Yes, you can always use store bought sauce too. Alternatively, you might want to serve this with a pesto sauce, maybe my garlicky pea shoot pesto or pistachio basil pesto, or a rich alfredo sauce would be good too.

While this are my giant, quarter pound meatballs, I’ve also made baby turkey meatballs with this recipe too. (I like extremes!!!) Just roll your meat balls smaller, and stuff with just one smaller cube of cheese. Let’s face it, garlic parmesan meatballs taste good no mater what size they are. And these cheese stuffed turkey meatballs turn out great every time.

Let’s get right into making the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, egg yolk, 2 tablespoons of Italian breadcrumbs and all the seasonings. Mix until combined. Don’t over mix or the meatballs will be tough. Form into two large meatballs.

Cut some mozzarella cheese into four large cubes, about the size of dice. You’ll stuff two of these into each meatball. You can use either mozzarella from the deli section or fresh mozzarella.

Use your thumb and create an indentation in the middle of the meatball. Place two cubes of cheese in the indentation. Wrap the meat around the cheese, covering it completely and creating a meatball. Do these with the second meatball.

Place the meatballs on a plate and put in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to set up.

Set up your breading station in three shallow bowls. In the first, add the flour and some salt and pepper. In the second, add the egg, water and some salt and pepper. Whisk it well to create a loose egg wash. In the third bowl, mix the panko, dried Italian breadcrumbs (store-bought is fine) and the parmesan seasoning and some salt and pepper.

You are now ready to roll the meatballs first in flour, then in the egg mixture and finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Coat well and press crumbs to stick to meatball. Place on a plate and chill again for 15 minutes. This helps the meatball keep its shape when frying.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Add the olive oil to the cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the temperature is 350 degrees F. Please use a thermometer to check temperature. You want this to be a really fast and hot fry. If your oil isn’t heated enough, the meatballs will sit in the oil and soak it up and get greasy. That’s not what we want. No thermometer? Throw a few breadcrumbs in the oil and if they immediatel sizzle and get brown, the oil is ready. If they just sit there, let the oil heat further. Do not let it smoke – that is too hot!

Place your meatballs in the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides. you a large spoon to move the meatballs around. Once golden, place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Immediately salt them when they come out of the oil.

It is now time for the baked parmesan meatballs segment. Place the fried meatballs on the parchment lined baking sheet and finish them in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes.

Serve with the marinara sauce on a plate or in a small casserole dish. I finish with a few microgreens or chopped parsley for color. You can grate more cheese on top too. This is a yummy meatball and one you’ll be making over and over. If you like this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below.

Looking for other meatball recipes? Try some of these:

Zucchini and Mushroom Meatballs

Holiday Meatballs

Lamb Meatballs with Baked Feta Pasta

Three-Meat Meatballs with Tagliatelle