Herby ricotta polpette simmered in tomato sauce until soft and pillowy. A simple, saucy dish that’s perfect with crusty bread or fresh pasta.
Why I Love It
If you’ve never had ricotta polpette, you’re in for a treat. They’re light, fluffy ricotta balls that gently simmer in tomato sauce until tender and delicate.
I like to pack mine with lots of fresh herbs and cook them in my favorite Marcella Hazan butter and tomato sauce. Finished with a shower of pecorino, it’s a simple meatless dinner that feels cozy and satisfying. I love to serve it with thick slices of country Italian bread to drag through the sauce.
Ricotta polpette started as a cheap substitute for meatballs in southern Italy, especially in spring when milk was plentiful and fresh ricotta was everywhere. Instead of buying expensive meat, cooks leaned on what they had. And they created something so delicious out of that resourcefulness!
The ricotta balls are surprisingly elegant. They're soft and pillowy, soaking up just enough tomato sauce as it cooks. It’s exactly the kind of dish I want when I’m craving something cozy but not heavy. Spoon them over a simple bowl of buttery noodles (homemade busiate would be amazing) or
How to Make It
Recipe Tips
Chill the mixture first. A short rest in the fridge helps the ricotta mixture firm up so the polpette hold together in the sauce.
Shake the pot instead of stirring. Once the polpette are in the sauce, avoid stirring. A gentle shake keeps them from sticking without breaking them apart.
Add Calabrian chile for heat. A spoonful of Calabrian chile paste stirred into the sauce gives the dish a delicious kick.
Ricotta, 2 ways! A 2-lb tub of ricotta is perfect here. Use half for the polpette and the rest in this sweet and spicy baked ricotta dip.
Ricotta Polpette in Tomato Sauce
Herby ricotta polpette simmered in tomato sauce until soft and pillowy. A simple, saucy dish that’s perfect with crusty bread or fresh pasta.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 ricotta balls
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1-15 oz container whole-milk ricotta, extra liquid poured off
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino romano, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
- 3 cups your favorite tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
- red chile flakes, for serving
Instructions
- Combine ricotta, eggs, cheese, parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Stir in breadcrumbs until mixed. The mixture will be soft but should hold its shape when formed into a ball. If not, stir in an extra ¼ cup breadcrumbs.
- Shape mixture into 2-tablespoon sized balls, lightly wetting your hands as needed to minimize sticking. Chill, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Heat tomato sauce and water in a large pot over medium-low heat. When sauce begins to simmer, carefully drop in the ricotta polpette. Gently shake the pot to prevent them from sticking to the bottom or each other.
- Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, gently shaking the pot every so often, until the polpette are tender and cooked through, 12- 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve with extra pecorino and a pinch of red chili flakes.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 polpette with sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
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