How can I make this dairy-free?

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.

How can I make this gluten-free?

You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs!

What type of tomato sauce do you prefer?

I like both Rao's and DeLallo tomato sauces!

What do you serve these meatballs with?

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 .

Ricotta Meatballs with the Crispy Topping Recipe

Name: Ricotta Meatballs with The Crispy Topping
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 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; 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

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

Units Scale

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

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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