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
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
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.
Jump to:
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.
You can also check out 15 Easy Mediterranean Chicken Recipes for some other ideas!
Meatballs with Ricotta Video
If you enjoyed this video for Meatballs with Ricotta, please subscribe to my Youtube Channel and click the BELL icon so you can be the first to know when I post a new video.
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
⭐️ Recipe
Ricotta Meatballs
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
Video
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.
Hary J. says
My kids like it when I make my meatball dish but honestly, I am bored of making the same thing over and over again. I was feeling adventurous so I had to try this version with ricotta. I liked it and the kids didn't complain (win). I had to skip the pesto for the kids though.