Ricotta Meatballs - Italian Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 411kcal

The BEST ricotta meatballs! Juicy and soft inside and crispy outside, learn how to make meatballs with ricotta the authentic Italian way!

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, well drained ricotta cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon zest, and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Mix to combine all the ingredients.
Lightly oil your hands, take off a small piece of the mixture and gently roll it between your hands to form 1-inch (2½-cm) meatballs (about 1 full tablespoon each).
Place the flour in a bowl, and roll each meatball into flour, shake the flour in excess and arrange them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fold in the meatballs and leave them undisturbed until they are brown on one side. Shake the pan to loosen the meatballs, then turn each one with kitchen tongs and cook them on the other side for 4-5 minutes.
Remove the meatballs from the pan, and arrange them on a plate covered with paper towels to absorb the oil in excess. Transfer the meatballs to a large serving plate and serve, or mix them with tomato sauce and serve with pasta.

Ingredients substitution:

breadcrumbs & flour: substitute with gluten-free breadcrumbs and flour for gluten-free ricotta meatballs.
ground beef: substitute with ground veal, ground pork or ground chicken.

Storage tips:

Store: Refrigerate leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Reheat leftover meatballs in the oven at 170C/350F for 5-10 minutes, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Freeze uncooked: Place the raw meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. No need to thaw them if you bake them in the oven.

Freeze cooked: Place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen meatballs to an airtight freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.