Chef John's Ricotta Meatballs
Description
These ricotta meatballs use plenty of ricotta cheese to give these Italian-inspired meatballs a tender texture. Serve over spaghetti with sauce.
Ingredients
•
1/2 onion, minced
•
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
•
3 cloves garlic, minced
•
1 pound ground beef
•
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
•
1/4 cup packed chopped Italian parsley
•
1 large egg, beaten
•
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
•
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
•
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
•
1 (28 ounce) jar marinara sauce
•
1 cup water
Directions
1
Sauté onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic into onion and turn off heat. Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl.
2
Stir ground beef, ricotta cheese, parsley, egg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper with onion mixture until almost combined; stir in bread crumbs and continue to mix until thoroughly blended.
3
Roll about 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 1-inch ball for each meatball. Pour remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet used to cook onions. Place skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs on all sides in hot oil, about 5 minutes. Hold a crumpled paper towel in tongs and use it to remove excess grease from skillet.
4
Pour marinara sauce and water over meatballs in skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes.