These Ricotta Meatballs are what you make when you want something comforting but still light enough that you don’t feel like you need a nap afterward. The ricotta keeps them soft and tender, the pesto adds depth without extra chopping, and the whole thing bakes in the oven so there’s no pan-splatter situation happening on your stove.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Easy Ricotta Meatballs
🕒 Ready In: ~ 40 minutes
👪 Serves: 6
🍽 Calories: ~ 400 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground Chicken, pesto, Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta, panko breadcrumbs
👌 Difficulty: Easy
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I’ve made a lot of meatballs over the years, and this version is one I come back to because it’s forgiving. No dry hockey pucks. No dense centers. Just soft, juicy meatballs that taste like you did more than you actually did. And that pesto-ricotta dollop on top? Not optional 🙂
If you are digging meatballs at the moment, you have to check out my Creamy Chicken Meatballs or if you want to put meatballs in a sandwich check out these Spiced Lamb Meatballs.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ultra tender. Ricotta keeps them soft and moist.
Oven-baked. No frying, no babysitting.
Flavor-packed. Parmesan and pesto do the heavy lifting.
Weeknight friendly. Mix, bake, finish — done.
Meatballs with Ricotta Video
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Meatballs with Ricotta Ingredient
Ground chicken: Light but flavorful; stays juicy when paired with ricotta.
Ricotta: The secret to tender meatballs that don’t dry out.
Panko breadcrumbs: Keeps the texture light instead of dense.
Pesto: Adds basil, garlic, and olive oil flavor without extra prep.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Brings salty depth and helps bind everything together.
Italian seasoning: Simple herb blend that makes the meatballs taste complete.
Store-bought marinara sauce: Makes this weeknight-friendly and adds classic tomato richness without extra prep.
💡 Pro Tip: Make extra and freeze them!
Instructions
Full recipe and instructions in the recipe card at the end of post
Step 1: Mix the ground chicken with ricotta, pesto, breadcrumbs, and seasoning.
Step 2: Shape the mixture into evenly sized meatballs.
Step 3: Arrange on a oven safe pan or baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Step 4: Bake until golden and cooked through.
Step 5: Pour sauce over the meatballs and return briefly to the oven.
Step 6: Finish with pesto-ricotta dollops and fresh basil.
Substitutions & Variations
Ground turkey: Works just as well.
No ricotta? Use cottage cheese (blended smooth).
Spicier: Add extra red pepper flakes.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
FAQ
Yes — bake and store, then reheat with sauce.
Yes. Freeze baked meatballs before adding sauce.
Nope! It just makes the meatballs suer juicy 🙂
More Chicken Recipes You'll Love
- Viral Doner Kebab30 Minutes
- Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs50 Minutes
- Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs in the Oven40 Minutes
- Moroccan Grilled Chicken Skewers1 Hours
⭐️ Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground chicken
- 1 cup ricotta
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoon pesto
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 oz Marinara Sauce or favorite pasta sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Ricotta Pesto Topping
- ½ cup ricotta
- 1 tablespoon pesto
- Fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use an oven safe pan.
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, ricotta, panko, pesto, parmigiano reggiano, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.1.5 lbs ground chicken, 1 cup ricotta, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoon pesto
- Mix gently with your hands until just combined — overmixing can make the meatballs dense.
Shape and Bake
- Form the mixture into evenly sized meatballs (about 1½ tablespoons each) and place in a pan.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the tops are lightly golden.
Finish with Sauce
- Spoon your favorite tomato sauce over the baked meatballs.24 oz Marinara Sauce
- Return to the oven for 5 additional minutes to heat through.
Top and Serve
- Mix ½ cup ricotta with 1 tablespoon pesto until smooth.½ cup ricotta, 1 tablespoon pesto
- Add dollops of the pesto-ricotta mixture over the meatballs.
- Finish with fresh basil and serve warm.Fresh basil
Notes
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Up to 2 months (before saucing).
- Reheat: Warm gently in sauce on the stovetop or oven.
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