Ricotta Meatballs
These ricotta meatballs will melt-in-your-mouth with Italian flavor and tender texture! Baked then simmered in marinara sauce, they are perfect on top of pasta or in a sub.
Ingredients
- 32 ounces marinara sauce
Meatballs
- 1 pound 80% lean ground beef (could substitute with half pound ground pork and half pound ground beef)
- 1 large egg , beaten
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley , optional
Ricotta Mixture
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
For Serving: Cooked pasta or a hoagie for a meatball sub
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make ricotta mixture: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- Make meat mixture: In a large bowl, combine the 1 pound ground beef, 1 egg, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup onion, 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 Tablespoons parsley, if using, and 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture.
- Form meatballs: Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to scoop the meat mixture. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs: Bake uncovered 17 to 20 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. Turn halfway through, so the bottoms don't brown.
- Heat sauce: Add sauce to a large skillet and heat for 5 minutes.
- Add to sauce: Add meatballs to the marinara sauce. Use a small cookie scoop and drop the ricotta cheese mixture in dollops to the top of the marinara sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Notes
How to fry meatballs:
Fry meatballs in a pan with 2 Tablespoons oil over medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Flip every few minutes to prevent burning.
Substitutes:
- You can use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and onion powder if you do not have fresh garlic and onions. You may also use 2 teaspoons dried parsley if you do not have fresh.
- If I have pork on hand, I like to use 1/2 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork. It creates juicier meatballs. You can also do half ground beef and half ground turkey to cut back on fat.
Nutrition
Serving: 5g, Calories: 450kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 1482mg, Potassium: 968mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1399IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 293mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
