It’s absolutely essential, if you are from MN, that you know what a Juicy Lucy is. And not just know what it is…have partaked in its gloriousness at one of the “original” Juicy Lucy locations in Minneapolis or St. Paul. If you aren’t lucky enough to be from MN, a Juicy Lucy is a burger stuffed with cheese.
Yep, a glorious beef patty shoved with cheese. So when you take a bite of the burger, cheese oozes out. It is every bit as wonderful as you might imagine.
This, friend, is a Juicy Lucy meatball. And just like it’s big brother, the burger, it is full of cheese and goodness. But in my opinion, a bit easier to make and easier on the diet.
I make these for appetizers, parties, or to just put into our spaghetti. They can easily be made ahead and frozen which makes them BRILLIANT for busy moms.
Make up a batch for supper tonight, and an extra batch for the freezer.
These little balls of goodness are great for game day, a cocktail party, or simply a family dinner. Serve them on toothpicks with a pickle, or stuff them into a hoagie roll for a meatball sub. Either way, all sorts of cheesy goodness!
The beauty of these meatballs is in the simplicity of the recipe. it’s just an easy meatball mixture of ground beef, onion, garlic powder, egg, and spices all wrapped around a cheese curd. You could totally just use a cube of cheese, instead.
So simple. So yummy. So dangerous. You’ll be making these balls all of the time! For all of the events.
Your friends will think you are a superhero and want the recipe.
Your neighbor will beg you to do that thing with the cheese and meat.
And your family? Well, let’s be honest…we know your family won’t really care. By now they are fairly accustomed to your delicious food. But what they don’t know is that this delicious food was SUPER fast.
So fast, in fact, that you can go make noise in the kitchen and pretend to be cooking. In fact, you are reading a book and drinking wine.
Yeah, okay. I’m stretching.
The point is…this will be a family, neighbor, friend favorite recipe that you will gladly make when asked. Tasty, easy, and swoon worthy!
My favorite kind of cheese in these is cheddar but I’ve made them with PepperJack and Mozzarella, as well. Change up the cheese to accommodate your family and the rest of the meal.
How do you make a perfect Juicy Lucy meatball?
Honestly, here in MN, the best Juicy Lucy’s are made with American cheese. Personally, I don’t like using American cheese but…go with a Velvetta or other processed cheese for the BEST and most authentic to the MN version.
Who made the first Juicy Lucy?
In MN, this is a bone of contention and a much debated topic. Matt’s Bar and The 5-8 Club are for sure in the running for the originators of this yummy burger. By the way, at Matt’s Bar they spell it Jucy Lucy. So you know :). Regardless of which one started it, if you get to MN why not try both and determine for yourself which is better?
To freeze the Juicy Lucy Meatballs:Â
Simply place the cooked meatballs in a freezer bag, squeeze the air from it, and place it into the freezer. Reheat and serve. Because the cheese can be frozen, these are fantastic for making ahead for a party or event!

Juicy Lucy Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 20 cheddar cheese curds, frozen about 3/4 inch in size
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Using your hands, mix the ingredients together just until mixed.
- Form into 1 1/2-2 inch balls.
- Indent the center of the meatball and insert the cheese curd.
- Close the meatball around the cheese being sure it is fully covered.
- Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown (time depends on the size you choose to make your meatballs)
- Serve immediately or freeze.
Notes
Other Ground Beef Recipes to try:
Hooray!! Try processed cheese for really good ooziness, if you don’t think your guests will mind. I have pretty picky eaters and we avoid processed foods. So cheddar is a good one. But, processed cheese does the best for oozy goodness. Good luck!
I’m making your meatballs for a Halloween Party, Can’t wait to make them, not sure what cheese to use so I think I will stick with the cheddar cheese curds. Thanks for the idea.