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Cheesy Mexican Meatballs

Cheesy Mexican meatballs with a hidden molten cheddar center, baked until juicy and finished in a smoky enchilada sauce. Tender taco-seasoned ground beef meatballs are topped with melted Mexican cheese for a golden, bubbling finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheesy Mexican meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
  • 16 cheddar cheese small cubes (for stuffing)
  • 19 oz red enchilada sauce 1 can
  • 1 cup mexican cheese blend shredded
  • 1 cilantro for serving
  • 1 sour cream for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 baking dish

Method
 

Preheat and mix the meatballs
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F so it’s ready for baking the meatballs.
  2. In a bowl, mix ground beef with breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, taco seasoning, cilantro, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
Stuff and bake
  1. Flatten a tablespoon of meat mixture in your palm, place a cheddar cheese cube in the center, and wrap the meat around it to form a ball; repeat with all meat.
  2. Place the meatballs in a greased baking dish and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until just cooked.
Finish in enchilada sauce
  1. Pour red enchilada sauce over the meatballs and top with the shredded Mexican cheese blend.
  2. Bake at 400°F for 8–10 minutes more until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden.
  3. Garnish with cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Notes

For the juiciest cheesy centers, keep the cheddar cubes small and fully wrapped so they don’t leak during baking. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently in the oven or microwave until warmed through. Freezing is yes—freeze cooked meatballs (without serving toppings) up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating. For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef and swap the Mexican cheese blend for part-skim shredded cheese.