ULTRA-TENDER BAKED RICOTTA MEATBALLS | the best-ever Italian-style meatball recipe!

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories while maintaining a similar texture.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor without dairy, while grana padano is a more affordable cheese.

bread crumbs

🥗Healthier: oats

💰Cheaper: crushed crackers

Oats are a healthier binder, while crushed crackers can be a cost-effective alternative.

Start by preparing ricotta soaked bread crumbs using panko bread crumbs and whole milk ricotta cheese.

Mix the ricotta cheese into the panko bread crumbs with your hands to ensure all crumbs absorb the moisture.

Set the mixture aside to rest for about 10 minutes to allow the bread crumbs to soak up the ricotta.

Chop fresh parsley and basil finely for the meatball mixture.

Sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt until softened.

In a large bowl, combine the soaked bread crumbs, sautéed onion and garlic, grated parmesan cheese, chopped herbs, two eggs, dried Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Mix the ingredients together until evenly combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.

Add three quarters of a pound each of ground pork and ground beef to the mixture and mix until just combined.

Roll the mixture into meatballs slightly larger than golf balls, yielding about 16 to 18 meatballs.

Drizzle the formed meatballs with olive oil and place them on a rack in the upper third of the oven.

Bake the meatballs at 425°F (218°C) for 10 minutes.

After baking, switch on the broiler to give the meatballs a golden crust.

Simmer the meatballs in San Marzano tomato sauce for a few minutes before serving.

Serve the meatballs over pasta, in a sub, or alongside a salad, garnished with fresh herbs and grated parmesan cheese.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens