Description
Hearty Italian-style ricotta meatballs combine creamy cheese with ground meat for a luxurious dinner solution. Savory herbs and delicate ricotta create a melt-in-your-mouth experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) ground chuck (80% lean)
- 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) ground pork
- 15 oz (425 g) ricotta cheese
- 32 oz (907 g) marinara sauce
- 1 egg, whisked
- 0.5 cup half and half
- 0.5 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 cup italian breadcrumbs
- 0.5 cup roughly chopped parsley, plus more to garnish
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Herb Preparation: Finely chop herbs and blend thoroughly with ricotta cheese to create a fragrant, creamy mixture.
- Aromatic Base: Sauté diced onions and minced garlic in olive oil until translucent, releasing their sweet essence and developing deep flavor profiles.
- Mixture Composition: Combine breadcrumbs, sautéed aromatics, and herbed ricotta in a large mixing bowl, ensuring even ingredient distribution and balanced texture.
- Meat Integration: Gently fold ground meat into the mixture, maintaining a delicate touch to preserve tenderness and prevent protein compaction.
- Meatball Formation: Craft uniform meatballs using moistened hands, creating smooth, round shapes that will cook evenly and hold their structural integrity.
- Cooking Preparation: Preheat a heavy skillet with a thin olive oil layer, then carefully brown meatballs on all sides to develop a rich, caramelized exterior that seals in moisture.
- Sauce Infusion: Introduce marinara sauce to the skillet, gently nestling browned meatballs into the vibrant liquid and allowing them to simmer, absorbing complex flavor nuances and cooking thoroughly.
- Final Presentation: Garnish with delicate ricotta dollops just before serving, adding a luxurious, creamy finish that elevates the entire dish’s visual and gustatory appeal.
Notes
- Herb-Blending Technique: Mix ricotta with finely chopped herbs thoroughly to ensure maximum flavor infusion and aromatic depth.
- Sautéing Secrets: Cook onions and garlic gently in olive oil until translucent to develop a sweet, mellow base for the meatball mixture.
- Meat Mixing Magic: Handle ground meat with a delicate touch to prevent tough, dense meatballs and maintain a tender, light texture.
- Chilling for Perfection: Refrigerate shaped meatballs for 15-20 minutes before cooking to help them hold their shape and develop a better sear.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 474
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 682 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg