Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
sandravalvassori.com
These Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce are the best of the best! They're soft, juicy, and so cloud-like on the inside that you won’t even need a knife to cut them. Aside from the ricotta cheese, they're made with simple ingredients but we amp up the flavor with sautéed onions and garlic and plenty of parm. Braised in a rich, quick-to-make tomato sauce, they’re nothing short of extraordinary.
Servings: 17 to 18 meatballs
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little more for brushing baking sheet
- 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes (I use whole tomatoes and crush with my hands)
- 3 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (see notes)
- 1 cup (250g) ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet that has a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer about half of the sautéed onions and garlic to a large mixing bowl and set aside for the meatballs.
- Pour the canned tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 cup of chicken broth over the remaining onion mixture in the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and partially cover the pan. Let simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally while you prepare and bake the meatballs.
- Adjust an oven rack to the top third of oven; preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. (Foil makes for easy clean-up but you can also omit it and brush a non-stick baking sheet with olive oil. You don't want to use parchment paper because the meatballs will be broiled for a few minutes and the paper could burn.)
- To the bowl with reserved onions and garlic, add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, ricotta, parmesan, beaten eggs, and remaining 2 teaspoons dried oregano. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Use your hands to gently combine. Don't over-mix.
- Rub your hands with a bit of water or olive oil and shape meat mixture into equally-sized balls that are approximately 2 inches in diameter (for 1 1/2 pounds of meat, you should have 17-18 meatballs). Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs for 5 minutes, then switch on the broiler and broil until the tops start browning, about 5 to 6 minutes (if your broiler is very hot, the meatballs might brown much quicker so keep an eye on them). The meatballs will be undercooked because they will continue cooking in the sauce. (See notes if you prefer not to braise the meatballs in sauce.)
- Place the meatballs in the tomato sauce, add remaining 1/2 cup broth and cover the pan. Simmer very gently until the sauce is thickened and the meat is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt, if needed. Serve with salad, pasta, polenta, or with crusty bread and parmesan cheese on the side.
Notes
- Breadcrumbs: I highly recommend you use fresh breadcrumbs for this recipe. I have tested these meatballs with both dried and fresh breadcrumbs, and fresh yields a much softer, juicier meatball. For fresh breadcrumbs all you need is a few slices of crustless white bread (I used bread from an Italian loaf). Then, you can tear the bread slices into large pieces and pulse in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. TIP: If you can't use fresh breadcrumbs, go ahead and use 3/4 cup of panko but let them soak with the ricotta cheese plus 2 tablespoons milk or water for 10 minutes before adding to the meat mixture. I would avoid using dried, Italian-style breadcrumbs which are too "sandy" for meatballs.
- If the mixture feels too soft while rolling the meatballs, add a bit more breadcrumbs, or chill for 30 minutes.
- To fully cook meatballs in the oven: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 30–35 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- To store: The meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.