Description
Tender and juicy meatballs filled with creamy ricotta, bright lemon zest, and savory Parmesan cheese. Perfect served with pasta, salad, or crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or pork (or a mix)
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups marinara or tomato sauce (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix ricotta with 1 tbsp Parmesan and a pinch of salt; set aside for stuffing.
- In a large bowl, combine ground meat, remaining Parmesan, egg, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until combined.
- Take a small amount of the meat mixture, flatten it in your palm, add 1/2 tsp of the ricotta mixture in the center, and shape into a meatball. Repeat until all mixture is used.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sear meatballs on all sides for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through. Serve with marinara sauce if desired.
Notes
- Don’t overstuff the meatballs with ricotta to avoid leakage during baking.
- For extra flavor, add red pepper flakes or fresh basil to the meat mixture.
- These meatballs can be frozen before baking for easy meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 570mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: ricotta filled meatballs, lemon zest meatballs, parmesan meatballs, Italian meatball recipe