Ricotta Meatballs with the Crispy Topping
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(69)
Ingredients
4-5 servings
- 1 lb. ground turkey (93/7 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 (28–32 ounce jar)
- 1/4 cup panko
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- chopped parsley
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Preparation
Step 1
Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients together.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes on a middle oven rack. Gently loosen them from the bottom of the pan with a spatula; they should have some nice browning.
Step 4
Sauce: Add the tomato sauce directly to the pan with the meatballs and stir to get them all coated.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
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).
Step 7
You’re Done! Get into this! SO good served with a green salad and garlic bread for dunking into the sauce!
Step 8
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Chef's notes
The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be fully cooked.
If you’re baking in a deeper pot than what is shown here, like a full-size Dutch oven with higher sides, you may need to increase the baking time or put the lid on to make sure the meatballs get cooked.
