Pork Meatballs with Apples and Cheddar Cheese

Sweet and savory pork sausage meatballs with apples and cheddar cheese are a cozy, easy dinner in less than 30 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword pork meatball recipe, pork meatballs, sausage meatballs

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings meatballs

Calories 107kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine all of the meatball ingredients, being careful not to over-mix. If time allows, cover the bowl and chill for about 1 hour (this is optional, but will make the meatballs easier to shape).
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a scoop to shape the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls. Tip: rub your hands with a little bit of oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown on the outside and no longer pink in the center.

Combine the meatball mixture with your hands — not with a wooden spoon. The more gentle you can be, the more light, moist, and tender your meatballs will stay. Don’t overmix, or you’ll end up with tough, dense, and dry meatballs.

If you have some extra time, chill the meatball mixture for at least 1 hour before shaping. I don’t always do this (it’s not necessary), but it does make the shaping easier if the mixture is more firm.

A cookie scoop helps form even meatballs that cook in about the same amount of time. Scoop, roll gently in your hands, and then bake!

Coat your hands with a little bit of olive oil periodically as you’re shaping the meatballs. The oil prevents the meat from sticking to your hands, and also helps the outside of the meatballs brown when they’re in the oven.