Description
Mouthwatering garlic bread meatball bombs combine Italian-American comfort classics into one irresistible appetizer. Melted cheese, savory meatballs, and herbed garlic bread create a perfect bite you’ll crave at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 dinner rolls
- 12 cooked meatballs (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 cups (473 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups (473 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup (113 grams) salted butter
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup (118 ml) sun-dried tomato pesto
- 2 cups (473 ml) marinara sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried parsley
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper
- Cooking spray
- Chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Meatball Preparation: Cook meatballs thoroughly, ensuring complete heating, and set aside for assembly.
- Garlic Butter Creation: Melt butter and infuse with minced garlic, developing a golden essence before removing from heat. Blend in parmesan, dried parsley, oregano, and black pepper for enhanced flavor complexity.
- Sauce Development: Whisk sun-dried tomato pesto, marinara, and olive oil to craft a robust and harmonious sauce.
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly spray baking pan with non-stick coating.
- Roll Modification: Carefully carve a pocket in each dinner roll using a sharp knife, maintaining bread’s structural integrity.
- Roll Layering: Brush roll interiors with prepared garlic butter mixture, then spread a spoonful of sauce inside each cavity.
- Meatball Placement: Nestle a single meatball into each roll’s pocket, topping with additional sauce and covering generously with shredded mozzarella.
- Final Seasoning: Sprinkle Italian seasoning over assembled rolls to enhance overall flavor profile.
- Baking Process: Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden brown.
- Serving Presentation: Remove from oven, slice between rolls, and optionally garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Meatball Mastery: Ensure meatballs are thoroughly heated and at room temperature before assembly to prevent soggy bread and uneven cooking.
- Butter Brilliance: Infuse garlic butter slowly to develop deep, rich flavors that will penetrate every bite of the bread.
- Sauce Selection: Balance sauce ingredients carefully to create a robust, complementary flavor that enhances the meatball and bread combination.
- Baking Precision: Watch closely during the final 10-12 minutes to achieve perfect golden-brown tops without burning the delicate rolls.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg