When you have meatballs with fresh ricotta and basil, who needs spaghetti? Give this meatballs with ricotta recipe a try.
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Why we love this recipe
I call this my minimalist meatball recipe, and by that I mean the meatballs are taking Center Stage…no pasta required with this one.
(Not that I have anything against pasta. Just ask the hundred-plus pasta recipes on this here website!)
You need a couple cups of your favorite tomato sauce. A jarred kind is perfectly okay, or if you are feeling frisky you can whip up this tomato butter sauce that I am completely obsessed with making. Light, creamy, perfect.
Next comes my old standby approach to meatballs which starts them on the stove and finishes them in the sauce. You get a super flavorful meatball that way with a crispy crust on the outside and a tender meaty inside.
And obviously one of the key parts to this recipe is the ricotta.
You can absolutely get your ricotta at the supermarket (go for the freshest kind in the fancy cheese aisle) but I look for any excuse to make fresh ricotta.
It’s fast and fabulous and super-easy, and if you haven’t tried it, you really MUST! It takes all of 15 minutes, and it’s worth every single second.
(Although I promise to still love you if you buy the pre-made kind.)
Okay! Sauce, check. Meatballs, check. Ricotta, check. And if you have any fresh basil on hand, that’s optional but heavenly!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Meat: You can use either meatloaf mix (a mixture of ground beef, veal and pork) or all ground beef…both will work.
- Ricotta: Use the good stuff! You can either make ricotta yourself (it’s super easy!) or look for the freshly made kind in the fancy cheese section of your supermarket.
- Bread crumbs: We use dried bread crumbs for this recipe. Plain or seasoned will both work.
- Tomato Sauce: Your favorite jarred version is just fine. If you want to make your own tomato sauce, this super easy tomato sauce recipe is our favorite.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Make the meatballs! Mix up some ground beef with eggs, dried bread crumbs, chopped garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and a little cream. Clean hands are the best for mixing this all up.
STEP 2: Time to roll them up! I like to use my large cookie scoop and them give them an extra roll between my hands to even them up. By the way, this is a great way to let the kiddos pitch in with making dinner!
STEP 3: Start the meatballs by adding some olive oil to a skillet and letting them browned but not cooked through – about 4 minutes a side. Pro Tip: Loosen underneath them with a small spatula before you turn them – it makes the turning easier!
STEP 4: Add your tomato sauce to a pot, bring it to a simmer and gently add your browned meatballs. Cook them for 15 minutes so they are cooked through.
STEP 5: Put a puddle of sauce into soup bowls, add a few meatballs, add a little more sauce and then a generous dollop of room temperature ricotta. If you have any basil, sprinkle it on top. Dinner is ready!
Recipe FAQs
You can, but giving them that little fry-up first adds a nice flavorful crust to the outside, so we do love including this step.
BUT OF COURSE. 🥰
It can! When you are ready to serve, reheat the meatballs in the sauce gently over medium low heat…and of course add the ricotta at the last minute.
Leave your question (or comment or suggestion) in the Comments box below the recipe and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
We love some homemade, super easy sheet pan focaccia to sop up every drop of sauce (start the bread a day ahead). And both Potato Caesar Salad and Carrot Parmesan Risotto are great veggie-filled side dishes.
And for dessert, how about some banana cream pie cupcakes?
Other meatball recipes we love
We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
PrintMeatballs with Fresh Ricotta
When you have meatballs with fresh ricotta and basil, who needs spaghetti? Give this meatballs with ricotta recipe a try.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 pound meatloaf mix (1/4 lb each ground beef, veal and pork), or you can use all ground beef
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups of tomato sauce (homemade or jarred)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup slivered basil leaves
Instructions
- Make meatballs by combining meat, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and cream in a bowl. Mix together well and form into 12 meatballs. (These can be done ahead and refrigerated.)
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high, and add meatballs. Brown on all sides, turning gently, until they are browned but not cooked through, about 7-10 minutes total.
- Pour sauce into a large saucepan. Carefully add meatballs, and heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until meatballs are cooked through.
- Divide meatballs among plates, top with ricotta and slivered basil. Serve at once with bread on the side if you like!
Notes
-
- Meat: You can use either meatloaf mix (a mixture of ground beef, veal and pork) or all ground beef…both will work.
-
- Ricotta: Use the good stuff! You can either make ricotta yourself (it’s super easy!) or look for the freshly made kind in the fancy cheese section of your supermarket.
-
- Bread crumbs: We use dried bread crumbs for this recipe. Plain or seasoned will both work.
-
- Tomato Sauce: Your favorite jarred version is just fine. If you want to make your own, this super easy tomato sauce recipe is our favorite.
Alicia says
Meatballs cooked in sauce is the best way! Delicious!
Thanks Alicia – sounds like we are on the same wavelength, meatball-wise! :)
Britt4x4 says
I made this yesterday but instead of Ricotta I used rice and it was totally jummy! I was worried that the meatballs would not cook in the amount of sauce I had, but it turned out perfect! They were so soft on the inside while totally cooked. Thanks!
Kate says
My pleasure! Glad you liked it…I do love how meatballs turn out when they are cooked in sauce. Yum!
AC says
I love making homemade ricotta and these meatballs look amazing. But what to do with all that whey that drains out from the cheese? Any clever uses for it? I hate to waste it!
Kate says
I’ve had some readers tell me to use it instead of milk in pancake batter…that it will make them taste AMAZING – I haven’t tried it yet but it’s high on my to-do list!
Karen Nelson says
So… What is your favorite meatball recipe??
This is great btw… We are cutting way down on carbs!
Kate says
Well, if I HAD to choose, it would be this one…but there are so many that I love! https://www.framedcooks.com/one-pot-spaghetti-and-meatballs/
melissa@IWasBornToCook says
Tell me where you’ve gone locally that you like best! (I’m in Bergen County, too) We recently went to Cafe Matisse in Rutherford and it was FABULOUS!
Kate says
Absolute hands down favorite is Esty Street in Park Ridge! We also love Picnic in Fair Lawn and both Velo and Hudson House in Nyack a lot. And of course the classic for sliders, White Manna in Hackensack. :)
Joanne says
I LOVE the idea of your restaurant project! My roommate in college and I did something similar while we were in Boston…I need to get it going again now that I’m back in NYC.
Oh ricotta, you make everything so delicious. Love this.
Kate says
With an NYC Restaurant Project you’ll never run out of places! My sister just went to this place last night and said it was FABULOUS: http://public-nyc.com/