Turkey-Ricotta Meatballs

By Ali Slagle

Updated Nov. 20, 2022

Turkey-Ricotta Meatballs
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(2,146)
Comments
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Julia Turshen, the author of the cookbook “Small Victories” (Chronicle Books, 2016), cracked the code on turkey meatballs: Ricotta adds milky creaminess and acts as a binder. Taking her lead, the first two steps of this recipe produce all-purpose turkey meatballs that are light in texture and rich in flavor, and the final step of basting the meatballs with an herb-and-garlic-infused butter turns them into a weekday luxury. Eat with mashed or roasted potatoes or other root vegetables, polenta, whole grains, or a mustardy salad. (For oven instructions, see Tip.)

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Meatballs

    • 1pound ground turkey
    • ½cup whole-milk ricotta
    • ⅓cup finely grated Parmesan
    • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes or black pepper
    • 1garlic clove, finely grated
    • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 1½tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed), plus more for your hands

    For the Herb-butter Sauce

    • 3tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
    • 2sage sprigs, 1 rosemary sprig or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 2garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

392 calories; 29 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 409 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

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, ricotta, Parmesan, red-pepper flakes, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt. Using oiled hands, roll into 12 meatballs, a heaping 2 tablespoons each.

  2. Step 2

    In a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, heat the oil over medium. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on two sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side, lowering the heat as necessary if the meatballs are getting too dark.

  3. Step 3

    Add the butter, sage and garlic. As the butter melts, tilt the skillet and baste the meatballs by spooning the butter over them. Flip the meatballs every so often and continue to baste until the butter is browned and nutty and the meatballs are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Eat the meatballs with the butter spooned over top.

Tip
  • You can also broil the meatballs in a greased, oven-safe skillet for 8 to 12 minutes, or roast at 425 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned on one side and nearly cooked through. Continue with step 3 on the stovetop.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,146 user ratings
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Comments

Betsy H

There is a similar version of Julie Tirschen's turkey ricotta meatballs where you bake them--much easier to make sure they are fully cooked through. I think it's about 25 min in a 425 oven.

Andi

Easy and delicious meatballs. The leftovers made for a hearty chicken broth based soup. I sauteed an onion with sliced carrots and celery, added garlic then deglazed the pan with chicken stock. Add the meatballs and simmer until cooked through (or warmed up). Add spinach and parm at the end. You can add pasta or orzo to it as well. It's very hearty and yummy.

Lee Norris

Ricotta is an expensive ingredient to put in something where you will never taste it. Agree on the creaminess it provides but this can just as easily be achieved with ordinary cottage cheese, which you can smooth into a more ricotta-like consistency with a potato masher.

EC

Loved the simplicity of this recipe. I mixed all the other meatball ingredients before adding the meat to avoid overworking the meat. Then, I used a #24 scoop to portion them out. I used chicken because that's what I had. Baked the meatballs at 400 in a convection oven for 20 min and then a couple more under the broiler for color. (I think they probably would have been done sooner, had I checked.) Meatballs came out light and tender. I didn't make the sauce, but think it would have been nice.

Stefan TJ

These did a great job subbing in for the sausage in Melissa Clark's Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta. I bound them with one egg and a scant 1/4 cup panko (so they won't break in the fairly vigorous step where you add the pasta to the meatballs and sauce and stir), and only used 2/3 of the Parm, it seemed like a bit much. They were super moist and tasty. Will almost certainly make again, and try the baked version from the comments next time.

MJ

First time in my life that I've made a turkey meatball recipe that was a TOTAL FAIL. No one in the family liked them and we threw away the extra. Extremely turkey-forward flavor, not in a good way. Almost gamey taste, very unpleasant. Followed the recipe and checked with a meat thermometer to ensure safe cooking.

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