Ricotta Meatballs

Name: Ricotta Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Italian, European, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 32 oz No Salt Tomato Sauce; 4 tsp oregano; 2 tsp thyme; 2 tsp basil; 2 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp sugar; 1/4tsp pepper; 15 oz ricotta cheese; 1 tsp basil; 1 tsp oregano; 1 tsp parsley; 1 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp onion powder; 1 lb lean ground beef; 1/2lb ground pork; 1 yellow onion diced finely; 3 garlic cloves minced; 1 egg whisked; 1/2 c half and half; 1/2 plain panko breadcrumbs; 1/2 c parmesan cheese; 1/3c roughly chopped parsley; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp pepper

8 steps

Prep:25minCook:45min

These are one of the best meatballs I have ever had. Pair them with your favorite pasta, or on a sub roll, or even with a nice salad. The recipe should yield you at least six servings, and make roughly 40 meatballs depending on your sizing. What I usually do when I'm cooking just for two I will brown all of the meatballs but only throw in enough meatballs for two people into the sauce. I freeze the rest of the meatballs and use them for other meals later on. If you want to do the same I would suggest cutting your sauce in half or just make one jar, which should yield you enough sauce to serve with. Tailor this recipe to fit how many servings you need. Hope this helps and Enjoy!

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:38:00 GMT

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Instructions

Step 1

First start by making the herb ricotta. Grab a bowl and add the ricotta plus the seasonings i have listed above. Once it is mixed thoroughly set aside.

ricotta cheese15 oz

basil1 tsp

oregano1 tsp

parsley1 tsp

garlic powder1 tsp

onion powder2 tsp

Step 2

In a large bowl add the ground meat along with, egg, half and half, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion diced, minced garlic, and 3/4 of the ricotta mixture. Mix it with your hands until its well combined. Don't overwork the meat or it could become tough.

lean ground beef1 lb

ground pork0.5 lb

yellow onion1

egg1

garlic cloves3

half and half½ c

panko breadcrumbs0.5

parmesan cheese½ c

parsley⅓ c

italian seasoning1 tsp

pepper½ tsp

Step 3

Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place them in the fridge for 15 mins

Step 4

While the meatballs chill grab a pot and add in your tomato sauce along with the seasonings that I have listed above. Depending on how much sauce you like, this is the step to adjust that. Bring your sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and taste to make sure the flavor is to your liking. You can add more sugar if the sauce taste too acidic but do that in small measurement's. I like to make the sauce prior to combining with the meatballs just so I can adjust the seasonings if need be.

No Salt Tomato Sauce32 oz

oregano4 tsp

thyme2 tsp

basil2 tsp

garlic powder2 tsp

sugar2 tsp

pepper¼ tsp

Step 5

Next you want to grab a deep pan and heat 1/2c of olive oil. In batches, start browning your meatballs. Make sure to leave room around each of them so that you can easily rotate them. You could also add them to a sheet pan and brown them in the oven. Pre heat the oven to 400 and cook them for about 12 minutes. The idea is to par bake them because you want them to finish cooking in the sauce.

Step 6

Clean out the excess oil from the pan you used to brown the meatballs and add in your tomato sauce. If you meatballs went into the oven then just grab a deep pan and add in your sauce. You might need to add some water to your sauce to thin it out, judge the consistency as you cook.

Step 7

Add in your meatballs, cook for 30 mins over medium heat, and partially covered. During the last 15 minutes dollop the remaining ricotta to the pan. I will usually only add the amount of meatballs I expect to eat. I will freeze the rest and eat them for a later meal. This step is where you might want to add some water because the ricotta will also thicken he sauce a bit. I would check the consistency prior to adding in the ricotta.

Step 8

Garnish dish with the fresh parsley, plate, and serve.