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Made them last night and they were so good! We all loved them- my 17 year old super picky eater liked them too! That is a huge win for me. So tender and perfect!
Heather
I Have A New Favorite Meatball.
Not to be drama, but there might be drama.
For years, these classic baked chicken meatballs have been my favorite of all time. And I still love them!
But there’s a new meatball in town. RICOTTA meatballs, to be specific! They are a force in my life. They are just super tender, juicy, versatile, and so easy.
Imagine this: you step in the door from school / work / life and get hit with the smell of warm garlic bread. You see someone (maybe it’s your own self – just play along) pulling a skillet of crispy-topped meatballs in bubbling sauce out of the oven. A bowl of dressed greens get set on the table. People start to gather, forks are flying, dipping and crunching and shushed eating begins.
It doesn’t get any better than feeling loved in this way. ♡
I’ve done this with both ground chicken and ground turkey – I prefer turkey, maybe because it has a bit more fat? Ground beef also works, as does Italian sausage – and maybe you want to mix and match because this recipe is begging to be doubled.
As far as serving goes, it is physically impossible for us to NOT have these with garlic bread. I adore this garlic bread so much. But good old buttered noodles would work, too! And for veggies, a simple green salad, bagged Caesar salad, or steam-in-the-bag green beans on the side – all great options.
I love these meatballs because – thanks to that ricotta! – they’re juicy, luscious, and flavorful. Bjork loves these meatballs because protein. Our girls LOVE these meatballs for who knows what reason kids ever choose to like anything, but the obsession is real. Our 3 year old prayed before our meal the other night, and she closed her little eyes and folded her hands and solemnly said, in her tiny voice, “God, thank you that Mom made these meatballs.”
I hope you love them as much as we do!
Welcome To My Home! Let’s Make Ricotta Meatballs!
1
Combine the meatball mixture.
Everything all in one bowl! No cutting board required.
2
Roll into Meatballs.
Place them in an oiled pan to prevent sticking – I love this one from Lodge, but any oven-safe pan will work! (affiliate link)
3
Bake the Meatballs.
400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, to golden, juicy perfection.
4
Add Sauce.
I just add a jar of sauce directly to the pan.
5
Add the crispy topping.
Optional but fun! Gives the whole thing a little texture and bling. Broil for a few minutes to get it crispy!
6
You’re done! Yum!
Get into that skillet of goodness.
Watch Me Make This Recipe
Ricotta Meatballs with The Crispy Topping
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 servings 1x
Description
These Ricotta Meatballs are an easy and delicious family favorite! Tender, juicy homemade meatballs with a jar of good marinara and a crispy topping to finish it all off. YUM!
Ingredients
Ricotta Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground turkey (I used 93/7 ground turkey – ground chicken also works, as does just about any other type of ground meat that you like!)
- 1/2 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Crispy Topping & Extras
- 1 jar tomato sauce (like a marinara or pasta sauce – I like a lot of sauce so I typically use a 28–32 ounce jar)
- 1/4 cup panko
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients together.
- Meatballs: Roll mixture into 20-24 small meatballs. Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a shallow Dutch oven or oven-safe pan to prevent sticking. Put the meatballs in the pan.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes on a middle oven rack. Gently loosen them from the bottom of the pan with a spatula; they should have some nice browning.
- Sauce: Add the tomato sauce directly to the pan with the meatballs and stir to get them all coated.
- Optional Topping: Mix the 1/4 cup panko, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and parsley in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of the meatballs and sauce.
- Final Bake: Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes to warm the sauce. Turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes to get the crispies nice and golden (just watch it so it doesn’t burn).
- You’re Done! Get into this! SO good served with a green salad and garlic bread for dunking into the sauce!
Notes
The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be fully cooked. If you’re baking in a deeper pot than what is shown here, like a full-size Dutch oven with higher sides, you may need to increase the baking time or put the lid on to make sure the meatballs get cooked (that is according to commenters here who used a different type of pan – thank you for sharing)!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: meatballs, baked meatballs, italian meatballs, easy dinner recipe, meatball recipe
Frequently Asked Questions For Ricotta Meatballs
These meatballs rely on the ricotta for both tenderness and binding, so for a dairy-free option, I would try these baked chicken meatballs instead! They are one of our most popular recipes, and they can be easily made dairy-free by omitting the Parmesan.
You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs!
I like both Rao’s and DeLallo tomato sauces!
Yes!
This garlic bread is a must for me, even if it’s store-bought—it’s just so good to have something to dunk into that skillet. Another option would be simple buttered noodles. For vegetables, I usually throw together a bagged Caesar salad, a quick Italian salad using romaine, spinach, cucumber, and some store-bought Italian dressing, or this simple green salad.
These were amazing, the whole family ate them up even my two toddlers! I used ground chicken since it was cheaper than turkey, and it turned out great. I also used Italian panko, skipped the Italian seasoning and did 1/2 tsp of the other spices. It was perfect. Used a cast iron skillet and 25 minutes was spot on! Definitely making this again soon!
These meatballs are top tier! Previously I have loved your other meatball recipe, but these meatballs have surpassed those in that they remain moist and tender after freezing and cooking later. My whole family loves them. Thank you for the recipe.
I feel the same way! New favorites! 🙂 So glad you liked them Mindy!
Best meatballs! Easy to make and everyone always loves them! Great for big family dinners, or when you need to bring someone a meal– comfort food, filling and delicious!
I’ve been making traditional meatballs for years, they’re always very good. After making these just once, followed recipe to the T, my family won’t let me make them any other way. This recipe is OUTSTANDING. I used 85/15 ground beef, whole milk ricotta. Can’t say it enough, OUTSTANDING MEATBALLS!!!!!
Hello! I’m excited to try these! I’m wondering how I can add more veggies to the dish. Would this recipe be ok if I added shredded zucchini to the meatballs? If so, would I need to adjust any other ingredient ratios? Likely cook for a bit longer as well? Thank you!
We haven’t tested it with veggies added!
I make this regularly, it’s so good! The crunchy topping is a must! Thanks for sharing this with us!
I’ve commented here and there over the years but am mostly a silent follower. But I frequently use your recipes for my family. I just wanted to say I really really appreciate these down to earth, simple recipes especially when money is tight. It is so nice to have at least a couple meals I don’t have to stress about during the busy week when I have to stress about so much. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
That being said, this is one of our favorites. So easy and full of flavor!
Delicious! Followed your garlic bread and salad pairing suggestion- yum! Adding to my list of recipes to make again :)!
pickiest 17-year-old approved these tender ricotta meatballs – that’s a genuine seal of family dinner success.
Love love. So yummy !
Delicious, will definitely make again.
Delicious- 10/10 and so easy!!! Thank you and keep the family friendly meals coming.
These were delicious! My picky boyfriend loved them! How can I re-heat them and still keep the crispiness? Put them over the hearts of palm no carb noodles. Perfect healthy dinner 🙂 Thank you!
You could throw them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes to reheat!
These were delicious and SO easy. No problem with it “sticking” together. I made them the night ahead of time and they were great. Will be doubling next time to freeze some.
If I’m more carb conscious could I sub almond flour for the panko in both the meatball and topping portion? And if so, should I add or increase anything else to help bind the meatballs?
We haven’t tested that, sorry!
Hi! I made a double batch of this and had leftovers. What’s the best way to reheat?
It was delicious!
What do we think about potentially airfrying those meatballs?
These were absolutely a hit for a Monday night! Super easy to make and great with fettuccini. Easy side salad. We scraped the bottom! Never would ah e thought to combine ricotta in the meat. Yum!
Great! Easy enough for great flavor return. I found it kinds of salty, but I used flavored panko so that could have upped the salt. Served with spaghetti and green beans. Yum!
This was delicious. I don’t normally like meatballs but love ricotta. Amazing! Hubby was so happy to have leftovers this is a winner that will go in rotation.
Absolutely delicious and so simple to make… on rotation!
Thank you for another amazing recipe
My kids are very picky eaters and they loved this recipe. The turkey and the ricotta made for a very moist and delicious meatball. Thank you!
Fast, easy and good! Made them twice already, thank you !
This came together quickly and ALL of my kids loved it. Served over spaghetti and used Rao’s, absolutely delicious!!