Several weeks ago my neighbors gave me a tiny, drooping kale plant. It arrived scrawny and wilted, so I planted it right away and tended it carefully. Within a week or two it had multiplied in size and vigor — a clear reminder that a little attention can produce big results.

The plant loved its new pot on the deck but it didn’t handle strong sun. Even a small amount of direct light would cause the leaves to collapse, so I moved it daily to protect it. Instead of forcing it to toughen up, I sheltered and nurtured it. The result was a robust, flat-leaf variety of kale that grew quickly and produced beautiful, large leaves ideal for cooking.

I harvest kale any way I can—sneaking it into mac and cheese, swapping it in for iceberg on burgers, or using it as a wrap. This time I decided to use those lovely leaves as a tender blanket for homemade, mozzarella-stuffed meatballs. The combination of seasoned beef and sausage, melted cheese, and bright kale made for a filling, comforting dish that looked beautiful on the plate.

To prepare the meatballs I mixed lean ground beef with mild Italian sausage, seasoned breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, oregano, fennel seed, dried minced onion, salt, pepper, milk, egg and a touch of Worcestershire sauce. After forming the meat into small patties, I tucked fresh mozzarella pieces into the center of each and sealed them into round, stuffed meatballs. They bake briefly on a sheet to seal and firm up before being wrapped in kale.

I trimmed the tough ends from the kale stems, wrapped each meatball like a little package, and arranged them seam-side down in a pan with a thin layer of marinara. More sauce and a generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella-provolone blend went on top, along with a light dusting of garlic salt, oregano and Italian seasoning. After a final bake the cheese was melted and bubbly and the kale was crisp-tender—not as soft as cooked spinach—so it held its shape and added a fresh green contrast to the rich meat and cheese.

I served the meatballs over pasta tossed in the extra sauce, alongside a simple green salad and toasted garlic bread. They also work well over rice, buttered egg noodles, or a rice pilaf, and can be offered as an appetizer or main course. The leftovers are easy to reheat and the remaining sauce freezes well or can be stirred into pasta for another meal.

Mozzarella-Stuffed Kale-Wrapped Meatballs

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1/2 lb. lean ground beef, broken up well
1/2 lb. mild or sweet ground Italian sausage, broken up well
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onions
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 thick slices fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces)

Rest of Ingredients:

12 large fresh flat-edged kale leaves, stem ends trimmed
One jar of your favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella & provolone blend
Pinch each of Italian seasoning, dried oregano and garlic salt

Instructions

For the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except the fresh mozzarella. Mix thoroughly with your hands until evenly blended. Pat into a mound and divide into fourths. From each quarter form three small, thick patties for a total of 12 portions.
Tear each slice of fresh mozzarella into fourths. Place two torn pieces into the center of a meat patty, then form meat around the cheese to seal it into a ball. Repeat until you have 12 sealed, stuffed meatballs.
Place the meatballs on a lightly sprayed or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from the sheet, scraping away any excess fat or leaked cheese and set the meatballs aside covered. If some cheese leaks, gather it and place it back on the meatballs; it will be contained by the kale wrapping.
Rinse the kale leaves and trim out the thick bottom part of the stem. Spray a 13×9-inch (or similarly sized) baking dish. Spread a thin layer of sauce (about 1/4 cup) over the bottom of the dish.
Wrap each meatball in a kale leaf like a small package and place seam-side down in the pan.
Spoon about 1 cup of sauce evenly over the kale-wrapped meatballs. Sprinkle with shredded cheese to taste and finish with a light dusting of Italian seasoning, oregano and garlic salt.
Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned to your preference.
Serve hot. These meatballs pair nicely with pasta, rice, noodles, or risotto, and can also be served as an appetizer.

Notes

These meatballs are wonderful served over pasta or rice, or alongside risotto. Extra sauce can be tossed with hot cooked pasta, refrigerated for a few days, or frozen for later use. They also make elegant appetizers when served on a platter with toothpicks.