Ingredients:
Ricotta Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground turkey (93/7 ground turkey works great. Ground chicken/beef also works, as does just about any other type of ground meat that you like!) *You can also do 1/2 pound of one meat, and 1/2 pound of another!
- 1/2 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko (I used Italian-seasoned and omitted the 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning in recipe.)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Crispy Topping & Extras
- 1 jar (28-32 ounces, depending on how much sauce you like) marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup panko (Italian-seasoned, if desired)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- chopped parsley
Directions:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients together.
- Meatballs: Roll mixture into 20-24 small meatballs. Lightly drizzle (or spray) some olive oil at the bottom of a shallow Dutch oven or oven-safe pan/skillet to prevent sticking. Place the meatballs in the pan.
- 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.
- Sauce: Add the tomato sauce directly to the pan with the meatballs and stir to get them all coated.
- (See my note below before this step!) 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.
- 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).
My note regarding the panko topping: Personally, I don't like to top the meatballs with the panko mixture until the meatballs are ready to be served because I don't want the crispiness of the panko to get soggy. With that said, I toast the panko + olive oil in a skillet, allow it to cool, then mix the remaining ingredients (parsley and parmesan). Top immediately before serving.
*www.pinchofyum.com