Alright, so I’ve gotta start this with a confession: the first time I ever made these Cheesy Pesto Baked Meatballs with Burrata, I was, uh, a bit overambitious. Picture this—small kitchen, big plans, my cat watching me like I’m on the Great British Bake Off, but with more cheese jokes. Anyway, these Meatballs are now a go-to, especially when I want dinner to feel like a hug. There’s just something about gooey burrata sinking into pesto-laced, cheesy meatballs that makes me do a weird happy dance. Whatever, don’t judge.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This

I make this when I want proper comfort food but not something that’s going to take all night because, honestly, who has the time? My family goes absolutely wild for them (even my cousin who says he hates green food, but when there’s cheese, he’s suspiciously quiet). For some reason, messy dishes are part of the process. I’ve 100% had pesto splatter on my shirt more times than I care to admit—just seems inevitable. But really, these meatballs are perfect for when you want something fancy-ish but without, you know, all the faff that comes with actual fancy cooking.

What You’ll Need (But Don’t Panic If You’re Missing Stuff)

500g ground beef (although turkey mince is actually lovely for this; I swap if I’ve got it)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I’ve used crushed crackers when out of proper crumbs, comes out fine)
1 egg
2 big handfuls grated mozzarella (I’m not measuring cheese, are you?)
1/4 cup grated parmigiano (my grandmother always swore by Parmigiano Reggiano—honestly, I just use whatever’s not rock hard in the fridge)
2 tbsp jarred pesto (but see notes below—I sometimes prefer homemade, sometimes just can’t be bothered)
2 garlic cloves, minced (the pre-chopped jar stuff is ok in a pinch, I won’t rat you out)
1 tsp salt (plus a bit to taste—my measuring spoon always vanishes just before this step, without fail)
Black pepper, a decent crack
1 jar (about 500ml) marinara or passata (homemade is lovely but, look, store bought is fine… Sandra Lee was right)
1 large ball (about 100g) burrata
Fresh basil, for serving—if you remember

How I Actually Make These (and Where I Usually Sneak Tastes)

First things first, preheat your oven to 200°C (about 400°F if your oven’s set up for Fahrenheit—why is it so confusing, though?).
Get a big bowl. Add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, mozzarella, parm, pesto, garlic, salt, and pepper. Roll up your sleeves and get your hands in there—yes, it’s cold, and yes, it’s a bit gross, but honestly, this is where the magic happens.
Form the mixture into balls, about golf ball size, not too fussy. Lay them out in a baking dish—I’ve used a roasting tin, a Pyrex, or, one time, just a random ovenproof pot because it’s all I had clean. Works every time.
Pour the marinara or passata over the top. Try to coat the meatballs, but honestly, if there’s a bald spot, nobody minds. At this point I usually sneak a little taste of the sauce—some habits don’t die.
Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes. If you peek and the cheese is bubbling but the meatballs aren’t quite browned, pop the broiler on for 2 or 3 minutes (I learned that trick form a friend in Manchester—cheers Kelly!).
Once they’re happy looking, pull it out and tear (or, ok, you can slice if you must) the burrata over everything. The gooier, the better. Pop it back in the oven for another 5 min or so, just until the burrata starts to melt and pool. It will look a bit of a mess; that’s exactly right.
Finish with a scatter of basil—unless, and I say this with love, you forgot it like I usually do.

Bits I’ve Learned (Sometimes The Hard Way)

Pesto: Actually, I find it works better if you use less oily pesto. I once used a super-oily homemade version and it made the whole lot a bit greasy. Tasty, but not photogenic.
Breadcrumbs: Ciabatta crumbs are the dream, but heck, store bought panko works fine, and even cornflake crumbs were okay that one time I got desperate.
The amount of cheese is not fixed. You can definitely add more (or less?) but let’s be honest, more cheese rarely ruins anything.

Variations I’ve Dabbled With (and One That Flopped)

Chicken mince instead of beef makes these lighter—my mum, who’s not wild about red meat, prefers it this way.
Swapping pesto for red sundried tomato pesto is excellent, albeit a bit rogue.
Mozzarella pearls instead of burrata… works in a pinch, but, eh, the creaminess is just not the same. That experiment? Didn’t wow anyone.

What You’ll Need to Make This (and What To Use If You Don’t Have It)

Baking dish (I think a cast iron skillet is oddly perfect for this, but a roasting tin or Pyrex is fine, and one time I used a metal tray with some tinfoil bunched at the edges—it worked, more or less)
Mixing bowl
Spoon or just your hands. Honestly, sometimes I just use my (clean) hands for everything. Easier cleanup? Maybe.

How To Store (Though Good Luck Having Leftovers!)

Technically, you can store these covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. They microwave back great, or if you want to be fancy, put them back in the oven at 180°C for about 15 min. But honestly? These vanish in my house almost immediately—I’ve never seen them last longer than a day except that one time when I doubled the batch out of pure optimism.

How I Like To Serve (And A Quirky Family Rule)

These are heaven over thick slices of toasted sourdough, or just straight with a fork. My uncle always insists on a green salad with it (“for balance!” he says), while I sneak a dollop of extra pesto on top if I’m feeling wild. And yes, garlic bread is very much encouraged—double carbs, no regrets. Sometimes we eat them standing up around the kitchen, claiming it’s ‘tapas night’ (though, let’s be fair, it’s just impatience).

Pro Tips (AKA, What I Messed Up So You Don’t Have To)

Don’t rush the seasoning of the meat. I once mixed everything so fast that the salt didn’t distribute, and, well, half the batch tasted like plain beef and the other half was properly salty. Oops.
If your burrata is super cold, let it sit out for a bit before adding. Cold cheese right onto hot meatballs leads to a weird temperature thing—not ideal.
Bake uncovered for that golden colour. Covering it makes things a bit soggy, at least in my experience (unless that’s your thing!).

FAQ (For Real, These Are Things People Asked)

Do I have to use beef?
Absolutely not. You can use turkey, chicken, pork—or some odd combination of the above if your freezer is a bit of a graveyard like mine.

Can I make these ahead?
Yep! Actually, I think this tastes better the next day (but my husband disagrees and eats half the pan straight away). The flavors get a bit friendlier overnight.

Is regular mozzarella ok instead of burrata?
It works, sure, but if you can get burrata, oh man, go for it. The creaminess is unbeatable. If not—shredded block mozzarella will get you there in spirit.

Is homemade pesto compulsory?
Not at all! I’ve done both. Fresh pesto is delicious, but at 6PM on a weekday? I’m reaching for the jar, let’s be honest.

Can I freeze these?
Yes, but freeze without the burrata and add that fresh when reheating. Otherwise, you get gloopy weirdness, and not the good kind.

Anyway, if you make these Cheesy Pesto Baked Meatballs with Burrata and you don’t end up with at least a little cheese somewhere it shouldn’t be—congrats, you’re neater than me. Enjoy! Oh—and now I need to go clean my kitchen… again.