Italian Ricotta Meatballs (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Herb Ricotta Mix
01 -
15 oz. Ricotta cheese
02 -
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped fine
03 -
1 teaspoon EACH: dried basil, oregano, parsley
→ Meatballs
04 -
1 yellow onion, chopped tiny
05 -
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
06 -
1 Egg, beaten
07 -
½ cup half and half (cream works too)
08 -
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
09 -
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
10 -
1/3 cup roughly chopped parsley (extra for topping)
11 -
1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, mustard powder, salt
12 -
½ teaspoon pepper
13 -
1 lb. ground chuck (80% lean)
14 -
½ lb. ground pork, sausage, or veal
15 -
32 oz. marinara sauce
16 -
½ cup olive oil, divided
# How to Make It:
01 -
Mix together the ricotta cheese, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley. Put aside for later.
02 -
Warm up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Toss in the chopped onion and cook for 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 cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, ¾ cup of your herb ricotta mix, and the cooled onion and garlic. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the meat, then add it to the bowl and mix gently.
04 -
Form the mix into 1 ½-inch balls and stick them in the fridge for 15 minutes.
05 -
Heat the leftover olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs in small groups, making sure they don't touch each other. Brown them for 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 while cooking on medium heat.
07 -
Put the browned meatballs into the marinara sauce. Cover partly and let it all cook for 30 minutes on medium heat.
08 -
During the last 15 minutes of cooking, drop spoonfuls of the remaining herb ricotta mix on top of the meatballs. Let it warm up.
09 -
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy with pasta, in a sandwich, or with a side salad.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
For better taste, shred Parmesan from a block instead of buying pre-shredded bags.
02 -
A small cookie scoop makes it easy to drop equal amounts of ricotta on the meatballs.