MOZZARELLA-STUFFED PESTO TURKEY MEATBALLS

Mozzarella-Stuffed Pesto Turkey Meatballs image

I came up with this recipe for a recipe contest, and it's been a family favorite ever since. For a lighter version, omit stuffing the meatballs with mozzarella cheese. Serve with your choice of pasta.

Provided by foodie77

Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian

Time 1h10m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

3 pounds ground turkey
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup prepared pesto
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 (24 ounce) jars marinara sauce

Steps:

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place the ground turkey, onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, pesto, milk, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 3/4-inch meatballs. Make a hole in the meatball with your finger and place a cheese cube in the hole. Seal the meatball around the cheese and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the meatballs.
Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes. Heat the marinara sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, and place the baked meatballs in the marinara sauce for about 2 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 485.8 calories, Carbohydrate 26 g, Cholesterol 130.3 mg, Fat 25.3 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 38.3 g, SaturatedFat 8.8 g, Sodium 1621.1 mg, Sugar 11.8 g