Ricotta Meatballs
Soft, juicy, and packed with Italian goodness these ricotta meatballs are like little pillows of savory joy. Once you try them, plain meatballs just won’t cut it anymore.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup half & half
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp mustard powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20 only
- 24 oz marinara sauce homemade or your fave jarred brand
- Optional: ½ cup water
- Optional: more ricotta for topping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix ricotta, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley. Let it sit while the herbs bloom into the cheese.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg and stir in half & half, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and half of the ricotta blend.
- Add ground beef and gently mix with your hands until just combined. Don’t overwork it!
- Form into meatballs (about 2 tbsp each) and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat more olive oil in a skillet and sear meatballs until browned on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked yet.
- Pour in marinara sauce, add water if needed, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- For extra creaminess, dollop more ricotta into the sauce near the end. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Use 80/20 ground beef for juicy results, grate your own Parmesan, and don’t skip chilling—that helps keep their perfect shape!