Get ready to level up your spaghetti and meatballs with this Air Fryer Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs pasta dish! Ready in under 25 minutes with a delicious homemade tomato sauce and perfectly seasoned, flavorful meatballs that are just oozing with creamy mozzarella.
This is going to be your new favorite weeknight staple that the whole family can enjoy. The meatballs are easy and quick to make and are sure to impress!
If you are looking for more tasty pasta recipes, check out my Creamy Garlic Parmesan Steak Pasta recipe.
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Ingredients
Meatballs
Beef mince - The beef mince will bring a rich, hearty flavor to the meatballs, I recommend using beef as the fat content in the beef mince ensures the meat is kept moist and tender, preventing the meatballs from drying out.
Onion - Onions add a subtle sweetness to the meatballs and contribute to the savory taste without overpowering the meat. Onions also contribute moisture helping to keep the meatballs tender. Ensuring the onion is finely chopped or grated will help it blend properly with the meat mixture
Fresh Parsley - Parsley adds fresh flavor to the mixture along with some vibrant color
Dried Oregano - Oregano brings a classic Italian flavor to the meatballs and adds a fragrant aroma
Paprika - Paprika adds a sweet and smoky flavor to the meatballs
Parmesan cheese - Parmesan helps with the binding of the meatballs and gives the meatballs a slightly crispy interior while giving a salty, umami flavor to the meat
Breadcrumbs - Breadcrumbs absorb moisture which helps with binding and helping the meatballs from falling apart
Egg - Egg helps bind the meatballs together to ensure they hold their shape while adding moisture to ensure for tender meatballs
Mozzarella - The mozzarella melts inside the meatballs so that the filled meatballs have a gooey, cheesy interior with a crispy exterior
Sauce for Spaghetti
Onion
Garlic
Chopped tomatoes
Dried oregano
Tomato paste
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine all of the meatball ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. These include the beef mince, egg, parmesan, parsley, breadcrumbs, paprika and oregano
- Grab some of the meat mixture and press it down with your fingers, forming a rough circle, add a cube of mozzarella to the middle and pinch the sides together until the meat is fully enclosed around the mozzarella. Roll the meatball between your palms to make a perfect circle.
- Step 3: Add the meatballs to an airfryer tray (I cooked these in my Wonder Oven from Our Place) or use an oven dish for cooking them in the oven. I recommend adding them to a wired rack to ensure any fat can drip down.
- Step 4: While the Meatballs are baking in the air air fryer, get started on the homemade pomodoro sauce which is made with an onion, a can of chopped tomatoes, garlic, tomato puree, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper
Hint: If you have any leftover meat, add an extra thin layer to the bottom of each meatball to ensure that no mozzarella will seep through. If you are cooking the meatballs on an oven tray you will want to rotate them using tongs.
Substitutions for Air Fryer Mozzarella stuffed meatballs
Beef mince - beef mince can be substituted for other minced meat such as pork mince, turkey mince, chicken mince or lamb mince. Chicken and turkey mince are paler in color and will provide a more neutral flavour, they may also lead to a slightly drier meatball compared to using beef or pork. Lamb mince is rich in fat so will ensure juicier meatballs but has a more distinct gamey flavour.
Vegetarian - the beef mince can be replaced with a plant based mince for example mince made from soy, mushrooms, lentils or chickpeas. Meat free alternatives such as vegetarian 'beef mince' will also work.
Onion - You can replace the onion with shallots which are slightly milder and sweeter but will result in a similar result or you can leave out the onions and add onion powder for a more concentrated flavor without the added moisture
Fresh Parsley - Fresh parsley can be substituted for dried parsley which is less vibrant but gives a similar flavor or it can be sustituted for another herb such as cilantro (coriander), or basil to keep the freshness with a different flavor
Oregano - Oregano can be substituted for a range of other dried herbs including basil or thyme. I would recommend using Italian seasoning in place of oregano as it still includes oregano in the ingredients
Parmesan - If you are don't want to use parmesan, you could use nutritional yeast instead, a vegan option with a cheesy flavor
Breadcrumbs - Breadcrumbs can be replaced with crushed crackers or ground oatmeal which can also work as binding agents
Mozzarella - Mozzarella is great for the stringy gooey centre but it can also be replaced with other cheeses such as cheddar which provides a stronger flavor but will still melt well in the meatball
Spaghetti - Long pasta will work best for this recipe but it can be substituted for any short pasta. Spaghetti can also be swapped for courgette/zucchini noodles or even a lentil or chickpea pasta.
Variations
Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while to the meatballs to give them a subtle kick
Deluxe - add good quality vine cherry tomatoes to the sauce along with the onions and let simmer
Kid friendly - Blend the tomato sauce until smooth and cut the meatballs in to quarters to stir into the pasta
Appetizer - Leave out the pasta and just make the Mozzarella stuffed meatballs, top them with grated parmesan and serve them with a marinara dipping sauce.
Equipment
1 Large bowl
Storage
Meatballs: Once cooked, the mozzarella stuffed meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow the meatballs to cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container or a plate sealed with cling film.
If freezing, freeze separately until solid on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag, this will stop them from sticking together. The cooked meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months
Tomato sauce: Once cooled, the tomato sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Top tip: Freeze the meatballs and sauce in portions to defrost and serve one portion at a time
Top Tips
Try not to overcook the meatballs! You don't want the meatballs to be dry and tough. For the perfect meatballs, check the internal temperature of the beef using a meat thermometer. It should be at least 160°C (71°F) or if using chicken 165°C (74°F)
Make sure the meatballs are the same size to ensure even cooking, shape them with your hands to make sure of this, adding or takeaway a little meat as you go
FAQ
Use a binding agent like eggs and breadcrumbs, avoid overmixing, and chill the meatballs before cooking to help them hold their shape.
Mix the ingredients gently and avoid overworking the meat mixture. Adding some moisture, like milk or grated onions, can also help.
Reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, covered with foil to retain moisture, or use a microwave with a splash of water, covering them to prevent drying out.
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Pairing
Recipe
Air Fryer Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 Medium Saucepan for the Sauce
- 1 Large Pot for the Pasta
- 1 Large bowl for the meatballs
- 1 Sheet pan to cook the meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 250 g beef mince
- ½ onion finely chopped
- Handful of fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 30 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon breadcrumbs
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 125 g mozzarella cut into cubes
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3-4 tablespoon pasta water
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving
Pasta
- 300 g Spaghetti
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs:
- In a large mixing bowl combine the beef mince with the chopped onion, fresh parsley, oregano, paprika, grated parmesan, breadcrumbs and the beaten egg250 g beef mince, Handful of fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, 30 g grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoon breadcrumbs, 1 egg, ½ onion
- Take a small ball of the meatball mixture and flatten it slightly into the palm of your hand, add a cube of the mozzarella to the middle of the ball125 g mozzarella
- Pinch the edges together to encase the mozzarella in the middle of the meatball, roll into a ball in the palm of your hands and repeat with the remaining mixture
- Preheat your airfryer to 200°C (400°F) and place the meatballs on an air fryer basket, cook for 20 minutes or until slightly crispy and cooked through. Alternatively you can bake them in the oven at the same temperature for about 25 minutes, turning over half way
Prepare the Sauce
- While the meatballs are cooking, get started on the sauce by heating a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat
- Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until soft and golden1 onion
- Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for a further minute until fragrant2 cloves garlic
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir together along with the tomato paste, dried oregano, sugar and salt and pepper to taste400 g can chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sugar, Salt & pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, stirring ocasionally
Cook the Pasta
- While the sauce is simmering and meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti or your favorite pasta according to package instructions until it is al dente. Reserve 3-4 tablespoon of the pasta to add to the sauce before draining.300 g Spaghetti
Combine and Serve
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until the sauce has evenly coated the pasta, if the sauce is too thick add in the reserved pasta water3-4 tablespoon pasta water
- Add the spaghetti to plates and place the cooked meatballs on top
- Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkling of parmesan cheeseFresh basil leaves, Grated parmesan cheese
