Cheesy Taco Meatballs

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When you’re looking for a meal with flavors your whole family loves but also one that brings something new and fun to the table, cheesy taco meatballs are the answer.

Taco Tuesday is a thing in our house, but I get bored with the same meals all the time. So many times Taco Tuesday becomes “Fajita Tuesday” or “Baked Tacos Tuesday” or “Burrito Tuesday.”

Yes, I know those don’t have the same ring and charm as regular “Taco Tuesday,” but I like variety. That’s why “Cheesy Taco Meatball Tuesday” is a fun way to satisfy those in my house who like Taco Tuesday while keeping me happy with different flavors and textures.

Ingredients for cheesy taco meatballs

• 1 lb ground meat
• Package of taco seasoning
• 1/2 C bread crumbs
• 1/2 C milk
• 1 egg
• Your favorite cheese, cubed

This is where you can get creative. I usually make beef taco meatballs with cheddar cheese for my girls. And I make chicken taco meatballs with pepper jack for my husband and me. Mix and match the flavors to find your favorite combo!

Tools you need

• Medium mixing bowl
• Baking sheet
• Cutting board
• Knife

How to make cheesy taco meatballs

I cube the cheese first. You probably don’t want to use pre-cubed cheese here just because the pieces will be too big for your meatballs. You want your cubes to be about a quarter of an inch if your meatballs are about one inch diameter.

You’ll also need about 12-16 cubes of cheese per pound of meat, depending on how large your meatballs are. Or just eyeball it and do what you like! Just remember that the more cheese in the meatball, the more like it will be to ooze out when you cook them.

Ok, back to the instructions. Set aside the cheese cubes for later.

Now, mix together your meat, taco seasoning, bread crumbs, milk, and egg. Use your hands. It’s messy, but it mixes best with your fingers.

Prep your baking sheet. There will be cheese melting out of these meatballs so you’ll likely want to line the sheet with parchment or a silicone mat to avoid lots of scrubbing later.

Time to make your cheesy taco meatballs! I divide the meat in the bowl in quarters to help me envision what size each one needs to me. With the first quarter, I make three equal size meatballs.

With each meatball, form a ball in the palm of your hand. Then take one of your cheese cubes, and press it into the center of the meatball. Make sure the meat mixture covers the entire cheese cube.

Place the meatballs on your baking sheet, and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. Serve this with Mexican rice or refried beans. And having some sour cream, salsa, or guacamole to dip these in is a favorite of my family. Enjoy (cheesy) Taco (meatball) Tuesday!

Oh, and here are a couple of tips:

• You could freeze the cheese cubes for about 20 minutes before stuffing them in the meatballs. I have never done this because I always forget, but it may help the cheese from melting out of the meatballs while they cook.
• If you want to make cheesy taco meatballs as an appetizer, make them a little smaller. If this is your main course for a meal, make them a little larger.