Forget The Pasta Shells. You Should Be Stuffing Meatballs With Cheese Instead

There are numerous ingredients to consider adding to your meatballs. Not only can you add more flavor to them by mixing in umami and salty sauces or switching up the type of binder you use, but you can also switch up their texture by filling them. One decadent option worth trying? Gorgonzola cheese. Michelle McGlinn's recipe for Gorgonzola-stuffed meatballs in arrabbiata tomato sauce calls for adding a small amount of spinach and this funky blue cheese to the center. 

Once the fillings have been secured by gently pinching and rolling the meatballs closed, they can be baked briefly in the oven before being pan-fried and coated in the spicy-sweet sauce. The Gorgonzola adds richness to each meatball and will give you a perfectly melty center. Although Gorgonzola does have a bit of a sharp bite — blue cheeses are known for that, after all — the flavor is otherwise mild, and the texture is creamy, meaning it can balance any of the tanginess in the sauce.

If you have beef with Gorgonzola (pun intended), the good news is that it's not the only type of cheese that you can stuff your meatballs with. The most important thing you'll need to consider with your cheese selection is the moisture content. Fresh mozzarella, while delicious, is too wet for your meatballs. If you want something a little milder that still gives you that gooey and tasty cheese pull, go for a cubed cheddar, fontina, or a pepper Jack. 

You can also upgrade this recipe by swapping out the sauce for something more unique. There are endless meatball variations out there from all corners of the world, so you can look to them for inspiration. Serve your meatballs with a beef or pork gravy instead of a tomato sauce to amplify those umami notes and highlight the richness of your cheese, or toss the meatballs in Buffalo sauce instead of arrabbiata to complement the creamy Gorgonzola filling.