The spinach and ricotta meatballs with tomato sauce are a simple and tasty dish, perfect for those looking for a light but flavorful alternative to traditional meatballs. The creaminess of the ricotta blends with the freshness of the spinach, creating a mix of delicate yet bold flavors that will delight both adults and children.
Ideal as an appetizer, main course, or even as finger food, these meatballs are easy to prepare and offer a great solution for those looking for an excellent alternative to meat.
Soft and tasty, to ensure they didn’t fall apart during cooking, I passed them for a few minutes in an air fryer, but if you don’t yet own this handy and small appliance that can excellently replace the oven in some cases, you can also bake them as we will see later.
Finally, to make them more appetizing, I dipped them for a few minutes in a simple tomato and basil sauce, and I must confess, we really enjoyed them.
Want to try them? I’m sure my spinach and ricotta meatballs with tomato sauce will win you over as well.
(recipe extracted here and personalized)
OTHER INTERESTING RECIPES:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 18Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air Frying, Stove
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 1 cup ricotta
- 10 oz spinach, frozen
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- fine salt
- 1.5 lbs cherry tomato sauce
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- basil (fresh)
- coarse salt
- breadcrumbs (for breading the meatballs)
Tools
- Chopper
- Air Fryer Papers
Steps
I prepared the tomato sauce by sautéing some onion in the oil; added two 12 oz cans of cherry tomatoes and flavored with fresh basil. Seasoned with a pinch of coarse salt and cooked for about 15 minutes.
Boil the frozen spinach in a pan with just a little water to prevent sticking, covered on a medium/low heat until cooked (about 10 minutes). Then squeeze well and chop with a chopper.
Pour the ricotta into the chopper glass and chop/blend for a few seconds to mix it with the spinach.
Add the egg and mix for a few more seconds.
Pour the spinach and ricotta mixture into a bowl and add breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix the ingredients first with a fork and then with your hands to check if the consistency is right; it should remain a soft mixture.
Pour the breadcrumbs onto a plate and roll the meatballs in it. If you wish (I recommend it), refrigerate them for a couple of hours.
Cook the meatballs in an air fryer without adding oil for about 6 minutes at 338°F. If you don’t have an air fryer, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 356°F for about 10 minutes.
Dip the meatballs into the boiling tomato sauce and let them season for about 5 minutes. Turn off and serve.
Extra idea:
Use the leftover tomato sauce to dress pasta; it’s delicious.
