Ricotta Vegetarian Meatballs

Ricotta Vegetarian “Meatballs” seem to have originated in the Southern region of Calabria, where it is very easy to find excellent ricotta from both cows and sheep. This dish is part of traditional peasant cuisine; it is made with very simple ingredients but with lots of flavor. For excellent results, use the best, freshest ricotta cheese you can find. After you make these meatballs and their matching homemade tomato sauce, throw in your favorite pasta and then congratulate yourself on a thoughtful dinner.

What Replaces the Meat in These Vegetarian Meatballs?

We know what you’re thinking. How on Earth can you make a meatball without the main ingredient? Believe it or not our Vegetarian Meatballs use the ingredient of ricotta to make these delectable bites. The combination of ricotta cheese along with stale bread, eggs, and parmesan cheese makes a dough that you can form into balls. After formation, you can cook this dough in a pan along with the homemade tomato sauce. The end product actually ends up looking a lot like regular meatballs. The taste complements any dish it’s served alongside. Perhaps you’ll take an adventure with Stanley Tucci and prepare a sauce inspired by his Maria Rosa Tomato Sauce.

Ricotta Vegetarian Meatballs

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• Author: Sara Ghedina

Print Recipe

Description

Vegetarian meatballs are just as good as the real thing.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the “meatballs”: 

• 1 and 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 cups stale bread, crust removed, cut in chunks
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp minced parsley
• 2–3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the tomato sauce: 

• 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2–3 garlic cloves
• 3–4 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Strain ricotta overnight to remove excess liquid.
2. The next day, place it in a large bowl along with bread, minced garlic, parsley and Parmesan cheese.
3. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork and add them to the mixture.
4. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well until everything is incorporated and you get a smooth and lightly sticky dough. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit of breadcrumbs or flour.
5. Take some of the dough and, using your hands, form 2-inch balls, a little larger than the size of a golf ball. Lightly roll them in your palm to smooth them out a little. You should get around 14-16 of them.
6. Place the “meatballs” on a tray dusted with flour while you make the sauce.
7. In a large pan, heat the olive oil with the peeled garlic cloves and gently crush them with a spoon to release the flavor.
8. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then, using a food mill, purée the canned tomatoes and pour them into the pan.
9. Season with salt and pepper, remove the garlic cloves and add the basil leaves.
10. Bring the sauce to simmer and cook it on low heat for few minutes, then gently add the ricotta balls, distributing them evenly in the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes.
11. Serve the ricotta balls while hot, with plenty of sauce on top. Make sure to have lots of bread available to scoop up the sauce!

Recipe, Story, Styling, and Photography by Sara Ghedina

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