Description
Tender ricotta meatballs baked in rich tomato sauce and finished with a crispy parmesan breadcrumb topping. They are soft, juicy, comforting, and perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Mix gently until just combined.
- Spread the tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Shape the meat mixture into evenly sized meatballs and arrange them in the baking dish over the sauce.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Sprinkle the mixture over the meatballs.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the topping is golden and crispy.
- Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with sauce spooned over the meatballs.
Notes
- Chill the meatball mixture for 10 minutes before shaping if it feels too soft.
- Use damp hands when rolling the meatballs to prevent sticking.
- Do not overcrowd the baking dish so the topping can crisp properly.
- Serve with pasta, crusty bread, or roasted vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: ricotta meatballs, baked meatballs, crispy topping meatballs, tomato sauce meatballs, easy dinner recipe, comfort food recipe