These Italian Ricotta Meatballs may just be the best meatballs you ever make! They’re perfectly tender and packed with fresh flavors like garlic and basil, served in a simple tomato sauce.

These beef & pork meatballs are seriously rich and delicious! The ricotta gives them the perfect light and tender texture and they practically melt in your mouth. Serve over your favorite pasta or on a bed of whipped ricotta for a simple, but decadent dinner.

The Best Ricotta Meatballs Ever

I love a classic meatball recipe, but these ricotta meatballs just take flavor and texture over the top. This recipe just screams ‘comfort’ and is so perfect for a cozy night in.

Making perfect meatballs is one of the first things I taught myself when learning to cook. This recipe has been adapted and perfected throughout the years, based on a dish I used to serve at one of my previous restaurants.

You’ve probably tried tons of meatball recipes in the past, but I can confidently say that these are some of the best ever. They’re moist and flavorful with a hint of spice in a simple (but delicious) tomato sauce that really lets all the flavors shine.

Enjoy them over a bowl of your favorite pasta, as a holiday appetizer, on a bed of whipped ricotta, or tucked in a meatball sub. They’re so versatile and perfect in so many applications!

If you love meatballs as much as I do, check out some of my other favorite meatball recipes.

What Make these Ricotta Meatballs Perfect?

Typically the best meatballs have a mix of beef and pork, but these go a step further with hot Italian sausage. The sausage adds tons of flavor and a little bit of heat. They also provide the necessary fat content to keep these from drying out.

The ricotta gives these meatballs a perfect meltingly-tender texture that is so, so special. Instead of searing the meatballs, which can make them tough, we give them a quick bake and broil before gently simmering them in a simple tomato sauce.

Say goodbye to dry and tough meatballs!

How to Make Ricotta Meatballs

Tools Needed

• Mixing Bowl
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• Skillet
• Large Cookie Scoop

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ground beef & pork. Since we’re using ground pork in the form of Italian sausage, I like to use a slightly leaner beef. I go for ground sirloin which is 90/10 fat content.
• Ricotta. Ricotta gives these meatballs the best texture and replaces milk in the recipe. Make sure to use whole milk ricotta here!
• Egg. Egg helps to bind the meatballs, but I don’t like my meatballs too eggy so I only use one here. Room temperature egg mixes better.
• Grated onion. Using grated onion instead of diced keep the meatballs moist and evenly mixes the onion throughout.
• Breadcrumbs. You can use plain or Italian here.
• Tomato paste. A bit of tomato paste gives the meatballs a rich depth of flavor.
• Fresh herbs. Basil and parsley give the ricotta meatballs a welcome fresh flavor. You could use dried herbs if necessary, but fresh is definitely best.

The Process

1. Make the meatballs. In a mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the beaten egg, parmesan, and ricotta. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Use a box grater to grate in the half yellow onion. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, basil, parsley, salt and pepper until combined. Finally, use your hands to mix in the ground beef and sausage until just mixed.
2. Bake and broil the meatballs. Preheat an oven to 400 F, with the oven rack in the top ? of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Use a ¼ cup scoop to portion out the meatball mixture and roll them into balls. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil on high for 2-3 minutes until the meatballs are browned. Remove from the oven.
3. Make the tomato sauce. In a large braiser, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the finely diced onion and sliced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the crushed red pepper and oregano and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth or water, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
4. Simmer the meatballs. Add the meatballs to the sauce, leaving any fat behind on the baking sheet. Baste the meatballs with the sauce. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and simmer the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
5. Serve. Serve the meatballs over ricotta, pasta, or with crusty bread on the side. Top with more grated parmesan and fresh basil.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

1. Grate your onion on a box grater. Rather than adding diced onion to the meatballs, I always grate my onion. It mixes in well without having big chunks and the extra water from the onion keeps the meatballs moist.
2. Always mix by hand. Making meatballs is a tactile exercise! It’s more efficient and you can really get in there and make sure that all the ingredients are totally incorporated.
3. Mix well, but don’t over work the meatballs. Over-mixing meatballs can make them tough and chewy. Mix the ground meat gently with the other ingredients and the beaten egg just until everything holds together. 
4. Use a scoop for even cooking. I love using a 1/4 cup cookie scoop so that I can ensure the meatballs are all the same size and that they cook evenly. 
5. Use damp hands to roll the meatballs. Using damp hands keeps the meat from sticking and keeps them nice and smooth. 
6. Bake the meatballs. Baking/broiling your meatballs instead of browning them in the pan makes for way less mess and you’ll never have tough meatballs. You get the nice browning without all the messy work.

What to Serve with Ricotta Meatballs

Ricotta meatballs are the simple, yet decadent dinner you’ve been waiting for! While they’re great on their own, I love serving these meatballs up with some sides, especially if I’m entertaining!

First, you can serve these meatballs up over your favorite pasta or on a bed of whipped ricotta with crusty bread on the side.

Leafy salad – I love starting a meal with a big leafy salad! My recipe for Kale Caesar Salad is one of my favorite salads ever and pairs so well with pasta. You’re going to love the homemade caesar dressing! This Italian Chopped Salad is also a great option.

Warm Bread – I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for warm bread with dinner. I love sopping up any extra sauce with a slice. Try my foolproof No Knead Focaccia!

What’s a good dinner without finishing with a stellar dessert? Try my marbled cheesecake brownies,  brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars, or my skillet chocolate chip cookie for delicious crowd pleasers!

Storage Instructions

Ricotta meatballs store and freeze like a dream, making them perfect for meal prep and freezer stash dinners. Any leftover meatballs and sauce can be cooled to room temperature and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing meatballs: You have two options here. You can either freeze the meatballs in the sauce or freeze the meatballs and sauce separately.

If you want to just freeze the meatballs, follow the instructions through broiling them. Let them cool to room temperature and then transfer them to a fresh sheet tray lined with parchment. Freeze them in a single layer and after about an hour, you can transfer them to a ziplock bag or airtight container. You can drop them into sauce or soup frozen, no defrosting necessary!

To freeze them together, simply let the meatballs and sauce cool to room temperature. Distribute them into a freezer-safe ziplock bag and press all the air out as you seal the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before rewarming in a pan on the stove, covered over low heat.

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These Ricotta Meatballs are the perfect, tender meatball recipe you’ve been looking for. Perfect for meal prep, date nights at home, or freezer stash dinners! If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

More Meatball Recipes to Try

Italian Meatball Soup
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Thai Curry Turkey Meatballs
Sesame-Ginger Meatballs

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