20 Stuffed Proteins to Serve for Dinner This Week
We’re no strangers to making a meal out of yum-filled foods — hello, calzone and ravioli — but when it comes to stuffed meat, turkey gets just about all the attention. Not cool. Especially not when beef, pork, seafood and so much more are all excellent contenders for being jam-packed with an extra layer or so of flavor. Enjoy these 20 loaded entrees for dinner tonight and bring a little stuffin’ action into your year-round meal rotation.
1. Stuffed Pork Chops With Roasted Grapes: A salty herb and spice brine is a sort of invisible stuffing for these mouthwatering, cheese- and sage-filled chops. The former adds a few extra minutes of prep and planning, but the flavor payoff is huge. (via Foodie Crush)
2. Stuffed Meatballs: The pocket of melty mozzarella that awaits you in the middle makes these into some top-notch meatballs. Whether you enjoy them in a sandwich or on top of spaghetti (all covered with cheese), you cannot go wrong. (via Baker by Nature)
3. Cheese and Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken Breasts: Creamy garlic, sun-dried tomato and prosciutto stuffing keeps these breasts far, far away from boring chicken territory. (via Jo Cooks)
4. Stuffed Calamari With Tomato Sauce: If you’re looking for a change of pace from the usual fried calamari with marinara, this recipe is a great way to begin branching out. You’ll enjoy some familiar flavors in a whole new way — one that only takes 20 minutes to cook. (via Blog Her)
5. Chorizo Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops With Poblano Cream Sauce: Talk about hot stuff. Chorizo and poblanos heat up spice-rubbed pork chops to create one sexy entree. (via Drool-Worthy Daily)
6. Stuffed Flank Steak: Rolled up with spinach, tomatoes and cheese, you get a nice side of veggie action with each slice of this grilled flank steak. (via Southern Boy Dishes)
7. Baked Mozzarella Chicken Rolls: When caprese salad meets chicken Parm, this casserole is the delicious result. No doubt it’s a dinner the whole family will enjoy. (via Pinch of Yum)
8. Apple + Fennel Stuffed Salmon with Cider Sauce: The fennel-and-mustard-seed-infused apple cider reduction poured over these produce-stuffed salmon fillets sounds absolutely divine. (via Simple Bites)
9. Stuffed Braised Pork Shoulder: Be warned, the intoxicating fragrance of this roast will tantalize you for hours as it braises in your Dutch oven. (via Simply Recipes)
10. Grilled Stuffed Flank Steak With Mangoes and Basil: Filled with mangoes and coconut sticky rice, your tastebuds will be momentarily transported to the tropics. Just add an extra veggie or salad on the side for an even more complete meal. (via Food Fanatic)
11. Skinny Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Chicken: We might have a slight jalapeño popper addiction. Oh well, at least these lightened-up, stuffed chicken breasts allow us to indulge with less guilt. (via Sassy Girlz)
12. Mozzarella Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf: Upgrade meatloaf from “I’ll pass” to “More, please” with a ribbon of mozzarella running through the center AND a bacon wrap. Mmmmmmm. (via Savory Nothings)
13. Spanish Rice Stuffed Chicken: Rolled in a totally on-point (and naturally gluten-free) tortilla chip crust, it’s almost impossible to describe all of the fab flavors and textures you’ll encounter in every bite of this chicken. (via Sweet C’s Designs)
14. Chard and Leek Stuffed Sole: Sweet leeks and Swiss chard are a wonderful stuffing for mild-flavored sole. The lemon cream sauce poured on top brings the whole thing together. (via Cooking in Sens)
15. Pork Loin di Parma: Are you ready for some pork on pork action? Featuring two famous foods from the Parma region of Italy (Parm and prosciutto), each slice is eye-rollingly good. (via Hourglass and Bloom)
16. Roasted Lamb Breast With Moroccan Stuffing: A sweet, fragrant quinoa stuffing is a terrific accompaniment for succulent, spiced lamb. (via The Krooked Spoon)
17. Bacon-Chipotle Stuffed Cheeseburger: Heck yes. These fat, juicy patties will certainly satisfy all of your meat and cheese cravings. (via Brunch Time Baker)
18. Chicken Sausage, Apple and Onion Stuffed Chicken: A tumble of crunchy chopped walnuts and woody sage both complement and contrast beautifully with the tender chicken, sausage and apples underneath. (via Barbells and Bellinis)
19. Spinach and Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin: Two forms of apricots — dried and preserved — add a welcome layer of sweet tanginess to this tenderloin. (via Oprah)
20. Avocado Stuffed Meatballs (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free): We love adding a few slices of avocado atop our burgers, so it’s only natural that the green stuff works just as well as a creamy-yet-dairy-free filling inside meatballs. (via The Iron You)
What are some of your favorite ways to stuff meat? (Yes, even turkey.) Share your flavor-packed ideas with us in the comments.
