Pinterest image for baked meatballs. - 1

Easy to make and stuffed with melty cheese, these Baked Meatballs are the perfect comfort food! They’re classic Italian-American flavors with 2 gluten-free options for the traditional breadcrumbs. Serve these juicy meatballs with spaghetti or my Roasted Potatoes and Carrots .

A white skillet with six baked meatballs topped with parmesan cheese basil leaves and surrounded by tomato sauce. - 2

These ‘to-die-for’ meatballs are inspired by an Instagram post I saw where someone was smoking meatballs for several hours. I immediately felt like I wanted smoked meatballs too… of course!

Watch How To Make Baked Meatballs

But I needed to have dinner on the table within the next hour, and so these Baked Meatballs happened instead. I had smoked Gouda in my cheese drawer, so I ended up stuffing my baked meatballs with it instead of smoking the meatballs.

From there, I served them the 1st time around with roasted red potatoes and carrots from a local farm and basil from a pot on our back patio.

These were such a hit from the start that I kept experimenting with them for multiple gluten-free options, from breadcrumbs to almond flour. And today, I finally get to share these!

They’ve been a favorite from last fall all the way through winter, and we’re still going strong, making them every single week.

A large baked meatball topped with cheese on a plate with spaghetti. - 3

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ground pork, tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, smoked gouda, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, Italian seasoning. and an egg in bowls on a wood cutting board. - 4
  • Ground pork – is my favorite and top recommendation for these meatballs. I have also used ground beef and ground turkey, which are both good, but ground pork has the edge for both flavor and texture.
  • Breadcrumbs – gluten-free breadcrumbs soaked in a touch of milk will give you the lightest and most moist texture. I’ve also made these many times with almond flour, which is listed in the recipe notes and works great as well. Regular breadcrumbs and panko also work in this recipe.
  • Egg – provides binding in these meatballs and a bit of moisture to keep them from drying out.
  • Seasonings – I like to keep it pretty simple with just a little bit of Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper to bring out the flavors.
  • Cheese – I stuff the meatballs with cubes of smoked Gouda, but you can also use regular Gouda, Fontina, or even Mozzarella. I use fresh mozzarella on top of the meatballs, but grated firm mozzarella works too.
  • Tomato basil sauce – for jarred tomato basil sauce, I like Lucini or Rao’s. The higher the quality of your jarred sauce, the better the finished dish! You can also use my homemade Marinara Sauce .

How to make this recipe step by step

Four photos in a collage showing mixing the meatballs mixture together and dividing it into 6 equal portions. - 5

Step 1: Start by mixing the ingredients for the meatballs until completely combined.

Four photos in a collage showing forming the meatballs into a patty, adding the cheese cubes, then forming the meatballs around the cube of cheese. - 6

Step 2: Divide the meat mixture into 6 portions, then form each portion into a patty. Place a cube of cheese in the center, then fold the meat around it, pressing to completely cover it.

Place the meatballs into a cast-iron skillet, evenly spaced as you finish stuffing them with cheese.

Four photos in a collage showing the raw meatballs, then half cooked meatballs adding the tomato sauce and cheese, then the bubbling melted cheese on the meatballs. - 7

Step 3 : Place the skillet into the preheated oven to partially bake the meatballs for 15 minutes.

When the meatballs are partially cooked, remove them from the oven and add the tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Six baked meatballs in a white cast iron skillet topped with parmesan cheese and basil with a spoon scooping one out. - 8

Step 4: Bake again until the cheese is melted and the meatballs are fully cooked. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan, basil, and your choice of sides.

A white plate with one large baked meatballs and spaghetti topped with parmesan cheese and basil leaves. - 9

Ways to serve this

  • This recipe uses 1/2 a jar of tomato-basil sauce, and you can toss 12 oz of freshly cooked spaghetti with the remaining sauce to serve with these meatballs.
  • For entertaining, add a salad side dish like my Caesar Salad (made w/o the chicken), Strawberry Spinach Salad , Apple Spinach Salad , or Easy Green Salad .
  • I love serving these meatballs with my Roasted Potatoes and Carrots for a veggie-focused meal with produce we can easily find locally.

I like to bake meatballs at 450ºF because the high heat makes for great browning since meatballs cook relatively quickly. Lower temperatures mean less browning.

No, definitely not! If adding smoky flavor to your meatballs doesn’t appeal to you, try regular Gouda or Fontina for a more subtle, cheesy stuffed meatball.

Storing leftovers

  • To store – place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.
  • Make ahead – you can make the meat mixture in the morning and finish the recipe that evening.
  • Reheating – place any leftovers in a skillet with a touch of water, cover, and simmer until heated through and the water has evaporated. If you’re reheating the meatballs with pasta, it’s easier to cut them into smaller pieces to heat up faster.
Six baked meatballs in tomato sauce topped with parmesan cheese and basil leaves. - 10

Tips & Tricks

  • We love this recipe best with ground pork, but both mild and spicy Italian sausage are close 2nd favorite for flavor.
  • If it’s basil season, load it up! We plant 2 pots on our patio every summer, and it definitely feels like there’s never too much basil. If you have pesto on hand, a dollop of that is tasty too. I’ve also made these all winter without any fresh herbs on hand, and they’re still incredibly good comfort food.
  • If you’re not a fan of smoky flavors, try these meatballs stuffed with your favorite cheese. Regular Gouda or Fontina are my top recommendations.
A plate of spaghetti with the meatball cut in half to show the cheese in the center topped with parmesan cheese and basil leaves. - 11

More Italian-Inspired Recipes

  • Baked Spaghetti
  • Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
  • Sausage & Peppers Pasta
  • Gluten Free Lasagna
  • Tuscan Sausage Pasta
Six baked meatballs topped with parmesan cheese and basil leaves with tomato sauce around them. - 12

INGREDIENTS1x2x3x

Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground pork - Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs - regular or gluten-free, see notes
  • 3 tbsp milk - or heavy cream for extra moistness
  • 1 clove garlic - minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 3 oz Smoked Gouda - 6 – 1"x1" cubes, or regular Gouda/Fontina

Topping

  • 1.25 cups Tomato Basil Sauce - 1/2 of a 25.5 oz jar
  • 6 slices fresh mozzarella - 5 ounces

Serve With:

  • Pasta or Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
  • Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese & fresh basil

EQUIPMENT

  • Le Creuset Cast Iron Skillet
  • Kitchen Aid Cheese Grater
  • Garlic Press

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 450ºF
  • Start by mixing the meatball ingredients, except the Gouda, until completely combined.
  • Divide the meat mixture into 6 portions, then form each portion into a patty. Place a cube of cheese in the center, then fold the meat around it, pressing to completely cover the cheese.
  • Place the meatballs into a 10" cast-iron skillet, evenly spaced as you finish stuffing them with cheese.
  • Place the skillet in the preheated oven to partially bake for 15 minutes.
  • When the meatballs are partially cooked, remove them from the oven and add the tomato sauce around them, and top them with mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the meatballs are fully cooked, for a total of 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan, basil, and your choice of sides.

NOTES

nutrition facts

An Italian pottery bowl filled with baked meatballs, roasted potatoes, and honey glazed carrots with a basil plant in the background. - 13

1st round of Baked Meatballs served with roasted potatoes and carrots with fresh basil last fall on our patio!

Six baked meatballs topped with parmesan cheese and basil leaves with tomato sauce around them. - 14

Baked Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground pork Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs regular or gluten-free, see notes
  • 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream for extra moistness
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 3 oz Smoked Gouda 6 - 1"x1" cubes, or regular Gouda/Fontina

Topping

  • 1.25 cups Tomato Basil Sauce 1/2 of a 25.5 oz jar
  • 6 slices fresh mozzarella 5 ounces

Serve With:

  • Pasta or Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
  • Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese & fresh basil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450ºF
  • Start by mixing the meatball ingredients, except the Gouda, until completely combined.
  • Divide the meat mixture into 6 portions, then form each portion into a patty. Place a cube of cheese in the center, then fold the meat around it, pressing to completely cover the cheese.
  • Place the meatballs into a 10" cast-iron skillet, evenly spaced as you finish stuffing them with cheese.
  • Place the skillet in the preheated oven to partially bake for 15 minutes.
  • When the meatballs are partially cooked, remove them from the oven and add the tomato sauce around them, and top them with mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the meatballs are fully cooked, for a total of 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan, basil, and your choice of sides.

Notes

Nutrition

The recipe Baked Meatballs appeared first on Get Inspired Everyday! on February 10, 2026

https://getinspiredeveryday.com/food/baked-meatballs/