Ricotta Turkey Meatballs are flavorful, easy to make, and delightfully unique! Creamy ricotta cheese is mixed with sun-dried tomatoes and ground turkey to make a meatball so good, you won’t be quick to forget it. Oh, and you have to serve it with my favorite garlic asiago cream sauce!

Meatballs and cream sauce are served over a big helping of pasta.

Ricotta Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs are one of my favorite forms of protein to add to a plate. They’re always easy to make no matter how you mix ’em up and kids always gobble them up without question. As much as I do love traditional beef/pork meatballs with red sauce, though, these Turkey Ricotta Meatballs with garlic asiago cream sauce are a must make for times when you want something different! This recipe doubles as a hearty entree when served over pasta or as a low-carb meal when simply eaten alone with a fork.

One of my favorite things about these easy to make meatballs is the addition of sun-dried tomatoes. I absolutely love sun-dried tomatoes, especially in the summertime! There’s something so bright, yet savory about them that really compliment the other flavors here. As much as I enjoy the tomatoes, though, the ricotta cheese is what makes these meatballs so good. It makes the consistency of the ground turkey more thick and decadent without making them too heavy.

This recipe is gluten free, if that’s your thing! To keep it gluten free, you can either enjoy the meatballs and sauce by itself or serve it over rice or a gluten free pasta of your choice. Also, keep in mind that ground turkey is more heart healthy than beef, so these meatballs are a little more health conscious than others. However, they’re still warm, filling, and deliciously creamy, so it’s still a total comfort meal. Enjoy this dinner on a rainy day or after a long day in the summer sun – it’s delicious no matter what the weather!

The ingredients for turkey meatballs are spread out across a white surface.

How to Make It

Prepare. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the onion and cook until softened, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Mix the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, ricotta, asiago, tomatoes, parsley, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper with the onion mixture using your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Roll the meatballs. Roll portions of the turkey mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Bake the meatballs. Bake the meatballs in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until done.

Start making the sauce. While the meatballs are baking, heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook until translucent and then stir in the garlic.

Thicken it. Cook for 30 seconds and then stir in the cornstarch. Continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the half and half. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the final touches to the sauce. Add the garlic powder and asiago cheese stirring until smooth. Stir in the basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve! Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and serve immediately with the sauce.

A spoon is lifting a meatball with sauce from the pan.

Can I freeze Ricotta Turkey Meatballs?

Yes! Let the meatballs cool to room temperature, then pop them into a freezer proof food storage container. Label and date it, then keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips for the Best Ricotta Turkey Meatballs

  • You can use store bought, but I personally love using Homemade Ricotta Cheese.
  • Your meatballs should be golf ball sized. If they’re too big, they’ll need longer to cook.
  • When you add the asiago to the sauce mixture, stir continuously to make sure it’s smooth and doesn’t clump.
A meatball has been split in half revealing a cooked through inside.

Never buy frozen meatballs again!

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A spoon is lifting a meatball with sauce from the pan.

Get the Recipe: Ricotta Turkey Meatballs with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlic Asiago Cream Sauce

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
The perfect comfort food for dinner! Serve up this ricotta turkey meatballs with garlic asiago sauce for a wow-worthy meal any night of the week.
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Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 vidalia onion, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in hot water, drained and minced
  • 1/4 cup packed chopped parsley
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup half and half
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese
  • kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • bowl
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 baking sheet
  • parchment paper

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and cook until softened, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a large bowl, combine the turkey, ricotta, asiago, tomatoes, parsley, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper with the onion mixture using your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
  • Roll portions of the turkey mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
  • Bake the meatballs in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until done.
  • While the meatballs are baking, heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook until translucent and then stir in the garlic.
  • Cook for 30 seconds and then stir in the cornstarch. Continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Stir in the half and half. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the garlic powder and asiago cheese stirring until smooth. Sitr in the basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and serve immediately with the sauce.

Notes

Meatballs can be cooked and frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Serving: 2g, Calories: 408kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 1006mg, Potassium: 846mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 888IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 314mg, Iron: 3mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American