The Cheesy Snack That Gives Meatballs A Perfectly Crunchy Coating

Meatballs are delicious as is, but do you ever wish that they were just a little bit cheesier? If you like this idea, then you may have the key to this in your pantry already — especially if you're a chip lover. To give meatballs a cheesy, crunchy coating, all you need is a bag of Cheetos.

First, grab your favorite meatball recipe, whether it's classic Italian meatballs or easy turkey meatballs. Next, take a bag of classic Cheetos and finely blend them in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor — or want the chips to be in bigger pieces — you can crush them yourself, which will give you more control over the size. While you're making the meatballs, add in about two cups of pre-ground Cheetos for every pound of ground meat. The flavor of the Cheetos is baked directly into the meatballs, infusing that crave-worthy cheesiness into the dish.

You can add more pulverized Cheetos to the exterior coating, but when you do this depends on the method of cooking the meatballs. If you're deep frying them, roll the uncooked meatballs in the Cheeto coating before popping them in the fryer. If you're baking the meatballs, roll them in the Cheetos after they come out of the oven, cooked.

To customize these meatballs, all you have to do is swap out the type of Cheetos that you use. While the classic crunchy Cheetos are perfect, you may want to use Flamin' Hot Cheetos for some spice. Or, you can even use a mix of the two if you want a bit of spice but don't want to heat to overwhelm the meatballs.

When it comes to serving, you can use these Cheeto meatballs — made with either chip flavor — for a unique take on classic spaghetti and meatballs. Or, you could stick the meatballs on wood picks to serve as appetizers — along with the right choice of sauces, of course. The Cheeto meatballs would pair well with marinara sauce or sweet and sour sauce. Another great option is to use the meatballs for a cheesier, crunchier meatball sub with extra melted cheese and fresh herbs.