Spicy Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce – not just your regular meatballs, these meatballs have a few secret ingredients! Check the recipe to find out.
I made you guys meatballs! Again! What’s that? You’ve had enough meatballs? Can’t be. These meatballs are the bomb! You’re probably saying a meatball is a meatball is a meatball, but I disagree! These meatballs are not the same as any other meatballs. These meatballs will change your life.
That’s right! A life changing meatball. All joking aside these meatballs are pretty darn delicious. I’ve made quite a variety of meatballs in my day and I have to say I love them all. These meatballs though have ingredients I don’t normally use in meatballs, such as ricotta cheese, or spicy sausage meat or cornflakes breadcrumbs.
The thing I love about meatballs is that they’re so versatile. I mean who doesn’t love spaghetti and meatballs, or meatballs with tomato sauce over mashed potatoes, or even on rice. But you know what, I even love these meatballs on their own, just pop one in your mouth, and they are the perfect snack. Growing up, my mother made meatballs often and we’d just love them, so yeah you could say that meatballs hold a special place in my heart!
I heart meatballs!
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Spicy Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb Italian sausage spicy
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup cornflakes breadcrumbs regular breadcrumbs work as well
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
For Tamato Sauce
- 26 oz crushed tomatoes (1 can) about 3 cups
- 1 cup water
- 1 onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix all the meatballs ingredients together in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into meatballs, I ended up with about 50 meatballs. Place all the meatballs onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes or until meatballs are done and browned.
- For the sauce, add the crushed tomatoes, water, onion and garlic to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream and continue to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce, or pour the sauce over the meatballs in a large bowl and serve over spaghetti, or mashed potatoes.
Nutrition Information:
Tamara says
These meatballs are amazing. I think that the cornflake crumbs make them lighter. I did make a change to the sauce the third time I made them. I sautéed the onions and garlic before purée. It makes the taste a little less raw. Also added a little more spice, some Parmesan cheese and less sugar to sauce. Thank you for this recipe!
jo says
Glad you liked it Tamara!
Anneli says
I just made these! My husband and I had them for dinner with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. They were so good. I must say my weakness is meatballs. This recipe was easy to make and also when you say you made 50 meatballs and then I had about the same I was glad. I hate it when I don’t get nearly as much out of a recipe as is stated. I’ll be making these many times I’m sure. Thanks!
jo says
Hi Anneli, I’m happy to hear you and your family enjoyed these. 🙂
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
These look so amazing!
Ann says
I made this last night and it was awesome. That sauce was so good! I actually followed the recipe exactly and will be making this over and over. Thanks!
jo says
That’s wonderful, so happy it turned out!:)
Michele says
Made this tonight and I must say, maybe the BEST, and easiest meatball recipe ever! Thanks Jo! This ones a keeper!
jo says
Hi Michele,
You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear this!! Thank you!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
Wow, BEAUTIFUL photography, Jo! I need to give these a try, because I always have extra cornflakes around and never use them!
jo says
Thanks Lori, it makes me giddy when someone says likes my photography, lol. Probably because it’s the one thing I struggle with the most. You’d love these meatballs, they’re delicious!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
I hear ya on that, Jo. I don’t mind the actual photography part, but I kind of hate the “food styling” part. And the “props” part. I feel like everything I put down just looks super awkward most days 😉
jo says
Same here, I have no creativity whatsoever! 🙂