Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Published Jan. 12, 2021
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ¾cup crumbled firm tofu (about 4 ounces)
- ½cup ricotta (about 4 ounces)
- ½cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1½ ounces)
- ¼cup plain bread crumbs
- 1large egg
- 2tablespoons minced garlic
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1pound ground chicken (or turkey)
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2medium red bell peppers, cored and sliced lengthwise ½-inch-thick
- 3cups marinara sauce (about 24 ounces)
- 6ounces sliced provolone cheese,
- Cooked egg noodles or other pasta, for serving
- Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
709 calories; 41 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 49 grams protein; 1357 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine tofu, ricotta, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and mix until well combined. Add chicken and gently mix to incorporate. Lightly wet hands to prevent meatball mixture from sticking, then roll into 24 (1½-inch) golf ball-size rounds.
- Step 2
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add marinara sauce and meatballs, and stir gently to coat the meatballs in the sauce. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven to bake until meatballs are cooked through, 20 minutes.
- Step 3
Top with provolone slices, slightly overlapping, and bake until cheese melts, about 3 minutes longer.
- Step 4
Serve meatballs, peppers and sauce over egg noodles. Garnish with parsley, if using.
Private Notes
Comments
I would substitute ground mushrooms for those who can't eat soy. I often put them in my meatballs because they're tasty and cut down on the meat content.
Julie, As it happens, I made this recipe last night using whatever I had in the pantry. Tofu is not one of my staples, but I had mushrooms on hand (large, plain white "champignons de Paris"), and so I used those. Uncertain how they'd work out, I used 1/2 cup of freshly ground bread crumbs + 1/2 cup minced mushrooms. The result was perfect! My husband usually compliments my meals, but he RAVED about this one. "It tastes like veal!" he exclaimed. This scores higher than all other meatball recipes!
Made per recipe. *** If you don't like Tofu, make something else and stop asking for substitutes. This was perfect. 5 stars. Used the Bastianich / Moskin Marinara recipe for the Marinara. Had with spaghetti noodles as Egg seemed a bit off.
These meatballs were delicious! This is the best recipe I have tried in a long time. A keeper, for sure. I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta and I didn’t bother with the red bell pepper. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written. Next time, I’ll use more sauce. Served with penne.
Be sure to drain tofu. I didn’t sufficiently, and it made my marinara watery.
Delicious! All the substitution ideas are great, too. Tried the minced mushroom suggestion which was a big hit with my meat eating family members. Re: Stacey from a 3 years ago. (Also why do people feel the need to be snarky to others; there are more important things happening in the world - be kind!!) AMEN to this. Ingredient substitution ideas are a great springboard for other recipes. Please be nice here, there is enough negativity in the world already. No reason to bring more here.