Savory Turkey Ricotta Meatballs Recipes

THE BEST TURKEY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle the olive oil and canola oil in an even layer over the paper.
• Pour the breadcrumbs into a large mixing bowl, pour the milk over top and stir to fully moisten the breadcrumbs. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix with your hands just until combined.
• Scoop 1/4-cupfuls of meatball mixture and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet; you should have 12 meatballs. Gently roll them into balls. Bake until bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes more until the meatballs are cooked through.

RICOTTA MEATLESS MEATBALLS WITH SAUCE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet or large plate with waxed paper.
• Combine ricotta cheese and eggs in a large bowl; mix well. Add bread crumbs, Pecorino Romano cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper; mix until thoroughly blended.
• Take a scoop of the mixture with a small cookie scoop and put it in the palm of your hands. Roll it into a ball and place on the waxed paper. Repeat until all of the mixture has been shaped into balls. Place in the refrigerator while you make the sauce.
• Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, wine, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer.
• Add ricotta balls to the sauce. Simmer, shaking the pan occasionally to cover the balls with sauce, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

SAVORY TURKEY-RICOTTA MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine ground turkey breast with the other ingredients in a bowl and then shape mixture into about 18 meatballs.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Coat pan with cooking spray.
• Add meatballs, and brown on all sides.
• Remove from skillet; transfer to a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and bake for 15 minutes or until done.
• To freeze: Follow cooking directions, then allow meatballs to cool to room temperature.
• Place on a baking sheet, making sure they don't touch one another, and place in the freezer for an hour.
• Next, transfer hardened meatballs to an airtight container, and store in the freezer.
• Thaw meatballs in the refrigerator, then bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or untinl heated.

GROUND TURKEY-RICOTTA MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix turkey, ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, basil, egg, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until just combined.
• Scoop mixture using a 1-ounce measure onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Flip meatballs and bake until browned and no longer pink in the centers, about 5 minutes more.

TURKEY & RICOTTA MEATBALLS FROM SMALL VICTORIES

Steps:

• Pour the contents of the tomato cans into a large bowl (set the cans aside) and crush the tomatoes with your hands (this is a messy but fun job, and a very good one for children). Rinse one of the cans with about 1/4 cup [60 ml] water, pour it into the second can and swish it around to get all the excess tomato out of the cans, and then pour the water into the tomato bowl.
• In a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbsp of the olive oil, add the sliced garlic, and cook, stirring, until it begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and a very large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer, stirring every so often, until it is slightly reduced and has lost any tin-can taste, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F [220°C]. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil on the baking sheet and use your hands to rub it over the entire surface of the sheet. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the minced garlic, basil, parsley, ricotta, Parmesan, turkey, and 1 Tbsp salt. Blend everything together gently but authoritatively with your hands (they're the best tool for the job) until well mixed. Then, use your hands to form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs; the mixture will be sticky, so wet your hands with a bit of water to help prevent the meat from sticking to them. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet as you form them (it's okay if they are touching a little). Drizzle the meatballs with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and roast until they're browned and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to the simmering sauce (discard whatever juice and fat is left on the baking sheet). Cook the meatballs for 10 minutes in the sauce (they can be left in the gently simmering sauce for up to 1 hour) and serve.
• SPIN-OFFS.
• FOR SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA MEATBALLS, instead of ground turkey, use 2 lb [910 g] of your favorite sausage meat. Just take it out of its casings and proceed as directed. I like using half sweet and half spicy Italian sausage.
• FOR A SLIGHTLY MOROCCAN RIFF, use ground lamb instead of turkey and finely crumbled feta instead of Parmesan. Leave out the ricotta. Add a handful each of toasted pine nuts and raisins to the mixture, and use mint instead of basil. Add a cinnamon stick to the tomato sauce (remove it before serving the meatballs).
• Recipe courtesy of Small Victories by Julia Turshen, buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Victories-Recipes-Hundreds-Triumphs/dp/1452143099.