Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)

• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• ⅓ cup dry breadcrumbs or panko

• 1 large egg, beaten

• ½ onion, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing

For the Marinara Sauce:

• 1 (28 oz) jar marinara sauce

• 1 cup water

Instructions

Preparing the Meatball Mixture:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté minced onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic to the onions and cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add ground beef, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, parsley, beaten egg, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the onion mixture.

5. Gently mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix which creates dense meatballs.

6. Stir in breadcrumbs and continue mixing until thoroughly blended.

Forming and Cooking the Meatballs:

1. With slightly wet hands, roll about 2 tablespoons of mixture into 1-inch balls, making approximately 14-20 meatballs.

2. Heat remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat.

3. Brown meatballs on all sides in the hot oil, about 5 minutes total.

4. Remove excess grease from the skillet with a paper towel.

Simmering in Sauce:

1. Pour marinara sauce and water over the meatballs in the skillet.

2. Stir gently to combine and bring to a simmer.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink in the center.