Polpette di ricotta – Italian ricotta meatballs in tomato sauce Recipe
These soft, delicate ricotta meatballs are a vegetarian version of Italian polpette. They’re light as a cloud, but combined with thick tomato sauce and pasta or bread they make a very satisfying dish. In Italy, such meatballs are often served as a second course, and the sauce is also used for pasta.
Polpette di ricotta come from southern Italy, where cheese is often cheaper than meat and frequently replaces it in home-style lunches. These meatballs are usually served in a deep plate, submerged in a generous amount of tomato sauce.
Polpette di ricotta are Italy’s answer to light, meat-free meatballs – soft, fluffy and full of cheese instead of heavy minced meat. Combined with a thick, garlicky tomato sauce, they make a dish that’s as filling as classic meatballs but doesn’t leave you feeling weighed down. It’s a great way to capture the atmosphere of an Italian Sunday, even if you don’t eat meat.
Why this version works
- Thoroughly draining the ricotta and letting the mixture rest briefly gives you meatballs that hold together yet stay very soft.
- A very light coating of breadcrumbs adds a delicate crust and helps with frying without turning the polpette into heavy, dense balls.
- Lightly browning them first builds flavor and helps the meatballs keep their shape while they finish cooking in the sauce.
- A sauce reduced slowly over low heat develops a deeper, sweeter flavor and clings better to the delicate meatballs.
Chef's tips
It’s a good idea to drain the ricotta on a sieve or paper towel for at least several minutes so the meatball mixture isn’t too wet and doesn’t fall apart in the sauce. When shaping the polpette, lightly oil your hands – this will keep the mixture from sticking and the meatballs will be smooth. Simmer the tomato sauce over low heat a few minutes longer than your intuition suggests, until it thickens and darkens slightly – that’s when the flavour is most concentrated.
How to serve
Serve polpette di ricotta with spaghetti or rigatoni, generously topped with sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan, or simply with a slice of good sourdough bread for dipping. A glass of simple table red wine pairs beautifully with this dish, or homemade sour cherry compote if you’re cooking for the whole family. It’s a perfect choice for Sunday lunch when both meat-eaters and vegetarians are at the table.
Watch out for
- Ricotta that’s too wet will make the mixture spread – always drain it in a sieve and, if needed, add a bit more breadcrumbs.
- Don’t turn the meatballs immediately after placing them in the pan – wait until the bottom is browned and starts to release on its own.
- Stirring too vigorously in the sauce can break them – it’s better to shake the pan gently than to stir with a spoon.
Substitutions
- You can replace Parmesan with grana padano or another hard, aged cheese with a pronounced flavor.
- You can swap the tomato passata for good-quality canned tomatoes, thoroughly crushed.
- You can replace the parsley with finely chopped basil or add a pinch of dried oregano.
Ingredients
- ricotta well drained - 400 g
- egg - 1 piece
- grated Parmesan or Grana Padano - 50 g
- breadcrumbs plus a bit more for coating - 50 g
- parsley finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
- garlic finely chopped or pressed - 1 clove
- passata - 700 ml
- olive oil divided between the sauce and frying - 3 tablespoons
- fresh or dried basil if using fresh, use a few leaves - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Transfer the ricotta to a fine sieve set over a bowl and leave for 10–15 minutes so the excess liquid can drain. It should become noticeably drier and slightly grainy rather than runny.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, finely chopped parsley, pressed garlic, salt and pepper. Stir until the mixture is uniform and thick, with no dry lumps of breadcrumbs.
- Set the mixture aside for 5–10 minutes so the breadcrumbs can absorb the moisture. The mixture should be sticky but easy to shape into balls; if it spreads like a paste, add 1–2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and wait again until it thickens.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, wide pan over medium heat. Pour in the passata, add salt, pepper and basil, and cook for 10–15 minutes over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly and darkens around the edges.
- With wet or lightly oiled hands, shape small walnut-sized balls from the ricotta mixture. The formed meatballs should hold their shape and not spread on the plate.
- Coat each ball in a thin layer of breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. The coating should just lightly cover the surface so that after frying it’s pale golden and thin, not thick and hard.
- In a second pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned; when you move the pan they should slide around freely.
- Turn the meatballs carefully with tongs or two spoons only once the bottom is golden and starts to release on its own – trying to pry them up too early will tear them.
- Gently transfer the fried meatballs to the hot tomato sauce. Simmer together for 5–7 minutes over low heat, occasionally shaking the pan gently until the sauce thickens and coats the polpette all over.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve the meatballs generously topped with sauce, with pasta, rice or a slice of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.
Storage
Store leftover meatballs in tomato sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. They also freeze well for up to 2–3 months.
I always make these meatballs when, after a bigger cooking session, I’m left with an open tub of ricotta and a piece of Parmesan – instead of letting them dry out in the fridge, I turn them into a quick “Italian” dinner. When I cook for friends, I usually double the amount of sauce, because everyone asks for seconds just so they can mop it up with bread.
