Skillet Ricotta Meatballs
The beauty of these saucy Ricotta Meatballs is that they come together in one single skillet. Served in a simple tomato-basil sauce and finished with Parmesan and parsley, these tender, juicy meatballs are extra flavorful and weeknight-friendly.
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time55 minutes mins
Course: Main Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 5
Ricotta Meatballs
- 1/2 cup full-fat (whole-milk) ricotta cheese (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- 3/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (I prefer using 93% lean grass-fed beef), or ground turkey
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
Serving Suggestions
- Crusty Italian bread, crostini, or focaccia, pasta, sandwich rolls to make meatball subs, or simply enjoy as is for an entree or hearty appetizer.
Prepare Meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, panko, Parmesan, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper; mix well to combine.Add beef and use your hands to mix until just combined. Gently form the mixture into meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball, rolling just until smooth. (You should have ~20 meatballs.) Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.*Note: Take care to not overmix the meatball mixture or compact it too tightly when rolling into balls. Overmixing will rob the meatballs of their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Cook Meatballs. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, arrange meatballs in pan. Brown well on bottoms before turning, or meatballs will break apart. Continue cooking until evenly browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Prepare Tomato-Basil Sauce. Using the same pan (no need to wipe clean), reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add garlic and chili flakes; sauté 1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic.Add tomatoes, ½ cup water, and basil, and season with ½ tsp. salt. Increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break tomatoes into pieces, and gently simmer sauce for about 15 minutes, until it reduces and thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Using tongs, return meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for about 2 minutes to rewarm.Add dollops of extra ricotta cheese to the pan, if desired, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Make-Ahead. You can prepare the meatball mixture up to 1 day ahead. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
- Store. Transfer leftover meatballs and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. You can rewarm individual portions in the microwave (cover loosely with a paper towel to avoid sauce splatters), or larger portions in the oven. For the oven method, transfer the meatballs and sauce to a small baking dish and rewarm at 300ºF for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot.