Turkey Ricotta Meatballs
Servings: 32 Meatballs
Ingredients
Turkey Ricotta Meatballs
- 1 pounds ground turkey
- 1 pound turkey or chicken sausage
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced or pressed
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
Easy Marinara Sauce
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves pressed or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1-2 bay leaves
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with foil, spray with cooking spray or brush with oil, set aside. Adjust both racks in the oven to be in the upper center and lower center. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add all ingredients for the meatballs - ground turkey, ground sausage, ricotta, parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano and salt - to a medium bowl. Mix with your hands until fully combined.
- Shape meatballs into golf ball sized balls - I use a medium cookie scoop for easy portioning. Arrange on the baking sheets, leaving about an inch of space between them. You will need to use two baking sheets to avoid over crowding.
- Bake at 425 degrees until browned and cooked through - 20-25 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to check if they are done - they should reach 165F internally.
- While meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Heat a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until garlic starts to sizzle, then cook for an additional 30 seconds but be careful not to let garlic burn. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, oregano, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for at least 20 minutes, or until ready to use.
- When meatballs are done, remove them from the baking sheet and drop into the sauce, simmering for a few minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Serve with bread, pasta, or roasted vegetables.
Notes
If you would like to freeze some of the meatballs for later, do not add them to the sauce. Instead, allow to cool, then transfer to a sealed container and freeze.
Leftovers: Leftovers can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Meatball with Sauce | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg