Nutty Brownie Cake
Insalata Caprese Mini Meatballs
By :I Love my Instant Pot by Michelle Fagone |

This recipe offers a fun twist on not only the traditional party meatball but on the classic insalata caprese. The caprese salad is named for the beautiful isle of Capri and is now loved around the world. The mozzarella used in both the salad and in this dish is now widely made with cow’s milk, but if you want to be authentic, find some made from buffalo milk. Now that’s Italian!
Course | Kids, Main Course |
Cuisine | Italian |
Difficulty | Easy |
Browse Category | Kid-Friendly, Meat |
Duration | 30-60 min |
Cooking Technique | Pressure Cook, Sauté |
Main Ingredient | Ground Beef, Ground Pork, Italian Seasoning, Mini Mozzarella Balls |
Prep Time | 20 minutes |
Cook Time | 30 minutes |
Servings |
20 meatballs
|
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 20 mini mozzarella balls also called ciliegine
- 3 tbsp avocado oil divided
- 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes drained,
1 can - 2 cups Water
- 20 fresh basil leaves
- 5 pearl tomatoes sliced into
20 slices - 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Ingredients
|
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine beef, pork, eggs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, celery seed, onion powder, smoked paprika, and oats. Form into
20 meatballs . Press 1 mozzarella ball into the middle of each of the meatballs. - Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot®. Heat
2 tbsp avocado oil. Place10 meatballs around the edge of the Instant Pot®. Sear all sides of the meatballs for 3–4 minutes. Remove meatballs from Instant Pot® and set aside. Add the remaining1 tbsp avocado oil and sear remaining meatballs for 3–4 minutes. Remove meatballs from Instant Pot® and set aside. - Discard extra juice and oil. Add seared meatballs to a
7 cup glass dish. Add drained diced tomatoes. - Add
2 cups water to the Instant Pot®. Add trivet. Place the glass dish on top of the trivet. Lock lid. - Press the Manual button and adjust time to 20 minutes.
- When the timer beeps, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Quick-release any additional pressure until float valve drops and then unlock lid.
- Skewer a meatball, a basil leaf, and a tomato slice on a toothpick. Repeat 20 times. Drizzle skewered meatballs with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*Manual and Pressure Cook buttons are interchangeable

I Love my Instant Pot by Michelle Fagone
175 must-have recipes for everyone’s favorite cooking appliance—the Instant Pot—perfect for fast, delicious meals the whole family will love.
Discover how easy cooking can be with the versatile Instant Pot that serves as everything from a pressure cooker to a sauté pan to a yogurt maker. The fast, programmable, and energy-efficient appliance makes it quick and easy to whip up any of these delicious, satisfying recipes in just minutes!
This essential cookbook provides 175 appetizing, flavorful recipes from breakfast through dinner including:
–Bacony Poblano Hashbrowns
–Moroccan Lamb Stew
–Bourbon Barbeque Chicken Thighs
–Double Chocolate Cheesecake
With dishes to suit every dietary need from vegetarian to gluten free, there’s something for everyone in this collection of Instant Pot recipes. Featuring an introduction to the Instant Pot’s features and tips for the best cooking results, soon you’ll be using your Instant Pot for every meal!
Michelle Fagone is a recipe developer and food blogger. On her site, CavegirlCuisine.com she shares recipes and knowledge about the health benefits of cooking with local, fresh, unprocessed foods. Cavegirl Cuisine was named one of the Top 50 Paleo Blogs of 2012 by the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is the author of The “I Love My Instant Pot” Recipe Book, The “I Love My Instant Pot” Paleo Recipe Book, and The “I Love My Instant Pot” Gluten-Free Recipe Book
All recipes by : I Love my Instant Pot by Michelle Fagone
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