These giant cheese-stuffed meatballs have yet to meet someone who didn’t love them!  Everybody loves a good comfort food, and I’ve got just the thing for you! Made with a cheddar cheese filling and simmered in a rich red sauce, these Mountain Meatballs are the perfect, easy-to-make meal to fill rumbling stomachs. Pair them with a side of mashed potatoes and a veggie for a well-rounded meal.

This dish makes eight meatballs and takes a little over an hour to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

MEATBALLS:

• 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
• 2 red onions (finely chopped)
• 3lbs lean ground beef
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds crushed
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 3 large eggs
• Salt (to taste)
• Black Pepper (to taste)
• 2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

SAUCE:

• 1 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 red onion (finely chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 yellow bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated garlic
• 2 Red Chili Peppers (de-seeded and finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/3 cup Tomato Sauce
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/3 cup Cider Vinegar
• 1/3 cup Molasses
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 5 cups Coffee hot, strong
• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
• 1 tablespoons parsley (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEATBALLS

First, pre-heat the oven to 460 Fahrenheit and spray a large roasting dish with cooking oil.

For the meatballs, heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the red onion until soft (about 3-5 minutes), then remove from skillet and leave to cool completely. Place the ground beef, dijon mustard, oregano, cumin, coriander seeds, breadcrumbs, and the eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the cooled red onion you cooked previously, and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then, divide the mixture in eight equal portions, roll into balls (slightly larger than tennis balls).

Divide cheese into eight equal portions and add into each meatball. Press meatballs to close securely. Arrange the meatballs in the prepared dish and bake 40-45 minutes or until golden, then remove from oven.

Meanwhile, in the same skillet, heat the oil for the sauce and saute the onion, both bell peppers, garlic, chili, and paprika until soft. Stir in tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, molasses, mustard, coffee, and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Spoon out most of the fat in the meatball pan and pour the prepared sauce over the meatballs. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes or until sauce is heated thoroughly. Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

If you have any leftover, place into a tupperware container with a sealed lid and keep up to a week (if they last that long!). These taste even better heated up the next day for lunch – especially with a side of mashed potatoes!

Even better – you can meal prep this easily! Prepare meatballs how you would, but instead of putting them in the oven, put them in a container and pop in the freezer for later (you can do the same with the sauce!)

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