Description
Succulent ricotta meatballs bring Italian comfort to dinner tables with tender, flavorful meat. Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs elevate this classic dish, ensuring you savor each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs (700 g) ground veal, 80% lean
- 6 oz (180 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2–3 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 oz (1 L) marinara sauce or tomato passata
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Ricotta cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
- Pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet for the meatballs.
- Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes to create a moisture-rich binding agent.
- Pulverize garlic, parsley, and onion in a food processor until finely textured.
- Combine processed herbs, ground veal, soaked breadcrumbs, ricotta, egg, Parmesan, seasonings in a large bowl. Mix gently to prevent dense meatball texture.
- Form mixture into 18-20 uniform meatballs, approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. Lightly coat with olive oil to promote golden browning.
- Roast meatballs for 20-25 minutes until golden and thoroughly cooked. Optional: Broil final 5 minutes for enhanced color.
- Create sauce by sautéing onions in vegetable oil over medium-high heat until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook until aromatic, approximately 1 minute.
- Pour marinara sauce into skillet, simmer for 4-5 minutes to develop rich flavor and slightly thicken.
- Transfer meatballs into simmering sauce, cook for additional 5 minutes with partial skillet coverage.
- Finish by dotting warm meatballs with ricotta cheese dollops.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve alongside preferred pasta.
Notes
- Prevent Dense Meatballs by gently mixing ingredients and avoiding over-handling the meat mixture, which can compact the proteins and create tough, dense texture.
- Achieve Perfect Moisture by using ricotta cheese, which adds creaminess and helps keep the meatballs tender and juicy without making them heavy.
- Customize Dietary Needs by substituting ground veal with ground turkey or plant-based alternatives for gluten-free, lighter, or vegetarian versions of the recipe.
- Enhance Flavor Depth by allowing the breadcrumbs to soak in milk, which helps create a more tender meatball and ensures even seasoning distribution throughout the mixture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 336 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg