Delicious Meatballs with Ricotta

This meatballs with ricotta cheese recipe is a must-try! Light, tender, and packed with flavor, these ricotta-infused meatballs are the ultimate comfort food for weeknight dinners or special occasions. This easy-to-follow recipe will quickly become a favorite. Keep reading to discover how to make the best meatballs that pair beautifully with pasta, crusty bread, a simple side salad, or even as a mouthwatering meatball sub.

Is there anything better than a good spaghetti sauce and meatballs recipe? It's the meatballs that make it! This delicious scratch-meatball recipe was taught to us in a cooking class by an Italian restaurant owner. Over the years, this recipe has been modified to become my favorite meal. I always make extra!

This is the recipe that I make our family's homemade garlic bread for. This homemade garlic bread is all about the butter and the fresh crushed garlic. Know that this recipe makes lots and I often use mason jars to store extra.

Why are these my favorite meatballs?

Versatile Serving Options: Whether you serve them over pasta, on a sub sandwich, or with a side of roasted veggies, these meatballs are a hit in any meal.

Crowd-Pleasing Appeal: Everyone loves these meatballs, from kids to adults, making them perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or even meal prep.

Beginner-Friendly: This recipe is easy to make, even for those new to cooking, and it always delivers delicious results!

Moist and Tender: Grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, and ricotta cheese add moisture and prevent dryness, leading to melt-in-your-mouth meatballs.

Balanced Meat Blend: Combining ground beef and pork creates a richer, more flavorful profile than using just one meat.

Simmering Method: Simmering in tomato sauce infuses flavor and keeps the meatballs juicy without the mess of frying.

Nostalgia Factor: My kids LOVE these meatballs. This recipe is my go-to recipe when entertaining. These meatballs simmering on the stove always put me in a good mood!

Ingredients

The Italian flavors come out from the ricotta, parmesan, and the Italian flavored bread crumbs. And then the sauce! I'll show you a quick and easy sauce to make that enhances these morsels of meat.

Ground beef - I usually buy 20/80 or 15/85 fat to lean ratio.

Ground pork - Don't be afraid of the extra fat in the ground pork. That's what helps make these meatballs flavorful and tender.

Ricotta cheese adds to both the flavor and texture of the meatball.

The eggs help bind the ingredients together.

Rao's Marinara sauce. I used to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. I've discovered this sauce and it's fabulous! If you look at the ingredients, everything is pure and natural. It does cost a little more but both the Costco and Aldi near me sell this brand.

Instructions

Step 1
In a large saute pan, or a Dutch oven, add tomato sauce and heat to a low simmer while making the meatballs. A stockpot or large sautee pan also work.

Step 2
In a large bowl, add all meatball ingredients. Mix all ingredients by hand and shape meatballs into a golf ball size. Using a muffin batter scoop makes the perfect size.

I like using thin food grade gloves to do this.

Step 2
When all your meatballs are formed, gently let them fall into your sauce. Once you have them in, make sure they are fully covered by the sauce. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. Because of the size of the pot, I often make the meatballs in two batches.

Use a silicone spoon to stir the bottom of the pot. You want to gently move the meatballs so you don't break them.

Meatball making tip

Make sure your meatballs are a consistent size so that they are all are cooked through in the same amount of time. I make them just little bigger than a golf ball. The easiest way to make them a consistent size, is to use a scoop.  It truly makes the meatballs more consistent in size and speeds up making them!

Step 3
Often you know the meatballs are done when they all float to the top of the sauce. Otherwise check them after they have been simmering for about 20 minutes ( I cut into one to see that there is very little pink).

How to serve

I often place on a tray and let people help themselves. Make sure to also offer extra tomato sauce!

If it's just family and close friends, it's sometimes easier to place pasta on plates and add sauce and meatballs.

Another option is to serve as meatball subs with melted mozzarella or provolone on top. It brings back memories of my favorite meatball subs in Toronto!

How to store

I have a TON of mason jars! I use them to freeze extra spaghetti sauce and meatballs. Different-sized jars are perfect for various numbers of portions.

Important Freezing Tip

If freezing in mason jars, make sure to use straight sided jars and leave room for expansion.

Of course you can also store them in plastic containers or freezer bags.  I'm  on a mason jar kick right now.  I also love the plastic lids that you can buy now.  If you do buy plastic lids for your mason jars, make sure you buy the right size!  Check for the brand and the number of ounces the jar holds.

Here is the printable recipe!

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