Italian Ricotta Meatballs (Print-Friendly Version)
Soft Italian meatballs blending ricotta, tomato sauce, and fresh herbs. Multiple cooking options available.
# Ingredients List:
→ Herby Cheese Mix
01 -
15 oz. Ricotta cheese
02 -
1 teaspoon minced garlic
03 -
1 teaspoon EACH: dried parsley, basil, oregano
→ Meatballs
04 -
1 yellow onion, chopped finely
05 -
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
06 -
1 Egg, beaten
07 -
½ cup half and half (cream works too)
08 -
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
09 -
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 -
1/3 cup parsley, roughly chopped (extra for topping)
11 -
1 teaspoon EACH: salt, mustard powder, Italian seasoning
12 -
½ teaspoon pepper
13 -
1 lb. ground chuck (80% lean)
14 -
½ lb. ground veal, sausage, or pork
15 -
32 oz. marinara sauce
16 -
½ cup olive oil, split up
# Detailed Cooking Steps:
01 -
Stir together the ricotta, garlic, and dried herbs. Put it aside for later.
02 -
Warm up 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Toss in the chopped onion and cook about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one more minute. Set aside to cool down.
03 -
In a big bowl, combine the beaten egg, half and half, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, ¾ cup of your herby cheese mix, and the cooled onion and garlic. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the meat, then add it to the bowl and mix everything gently.
04 -
Make 1 ½-inch balls from the mixture and chill them in the fridge for 15 minutes.
05 -
Warm the rest of your olive oil in a big pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in small batches, leaving room between them for even cooking. Cook about 1.5 minutes on each side. Take them out and set aside.
06 -
Pour out extra oil from the pan. Pour in marinara sauce and ¼ cup water if the sauce seems thick. Stir and warm over medium heat.
07 -
Put the golden meatballs into the sauce. Cover partly and let simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat.
08 -
During the last 15 minutes of cooking, drop spoonfuls of the leftover herby cheese mix on top of the meatballs. Let it warm up thoroughly.
09 -
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy with pasta, in a sandwich, or with a side salad.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
For better taste, grab a wedge of Parmesan and grate it fresh instead of buying pre-grated stuff.
02 -
A small cookie scoop makes it easy to drop even bits of the cheese mix onto your meatballs.