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 (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 (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 (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 (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 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

I use 93% lean ground turkey.

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