The ultimate juicy meatball sandwich. This ricotta meatball sandwich has tender ricotta meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with melted provolone cheese served on a lightly toasted bread roll.
The best meatball sandwich I’ve ever eaten was in Seattle. Back in December 2011, I had briefly mentioned this amazing meatball sandwich I had at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats.
Rather than try to recreate that sandwich (and fail to live up to that perfect memory), I decided to come up with my own recipe.
There are a million different ways to make meatballs (all beef, all pork, mixture of beef and pork, turkey, a little ground chicken, etc). But one type of meatball that stands out for me, is ricotta meatballs.
How to make Ricotta Meatballs
Meatballs are quite easy to make. For me, the most difficult part is touching the cold meat. That’s where disposable gloves come in very handy.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. While you can use a spoon or spatula to mix it all together, it’s best with your hands.
Put on those gloves and mash all the ingredients together. Use a size 24 cookie/ice cream scooper to evenly divide and portion out the meatballs. I ended up with 23 meatballs.
Roll and pack the meatballs in the palm of your hands. Because of the ricotta, these meatballs are a little fragile, so be sure to roll them tight.
Brown the meatballs in batches over medium heat in an oiled skillet. No need to completely cook the meatballs, you just want the outside to be browned and set.
The meatballs will continue to cook in the tomato sauce. Place all the browned meatballs in a large pot.
Pour in your marinara/tomato sauce and let the mixture come to a boil. Then reduce heat and let it simmer until the meatballs are warmed up and cooked throughout.
Ricotta makes these meatballs so tender, juicy, and flavorful. And because they are so tender, be careful when cooking them in the sauce. Gently move the meatballs in the cooking marinara so they don’t break up and fall apart.
Sandwich Assembly
To make the sandwiches, take your bread and slice it about 90% open. Prop the bread roll open and lightly toast it in the oven.
Tuck provolone cheese slices in the toasted bread. Then spoon in the cooked meatballs.
If desired, place it under the broiler for about 15-20 seconds until the cheese melts. I like to serve this sandwich with a heavy sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and a side of marinara dipping sauce.
Just remember, if you’ve had a bad day- an amazing ricotta meatball sandwich is all you really need.
More Sandwich Recipes
- Salumi Mozzarella Sandwich
- Parmesan Tomato Focaccia
- Asian Sliders with Gochujang Mayo
- Sooo Cali Hot Dogs Dog Haus Copycat
Ricotta Meatball Sandwich
Ingredients
Ricotta Meatballs:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion,, diced
- 4 garlic cloves,, minced
- 2 slices white bread,, torn
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs, , lightly whisked
- 2 Tbsp Italian parsley,, minced
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage,, removed from casing
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,, season to taste
Other Components:
- 2 pound jar marinara sauce, (homemade or store-bought)
- 6 Bolillo rolls,, or bread rolls of choice
- 6 sliced provolone cheese
- grated parmesan cheese,, to garnish
- minced Italian parsley,, to garnish
Instructions
Meatballs:
- In a medium skillet, warm up 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once skillet is hot, add diced onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. During the last 30 seconds of cooking, add minced garlic. Toss to combine. Once garlic fragrant and onions are cooked, remove from heat and place in a small bowl. Let cool and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine torn sandwich bread, milk, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and lightly whisked eggs. Then add minced parsley, ground beef and sausage. Add cooked onions and garlic mixture. Season with salt and black pepper. Using your hands, mash all the ingredients together.
- Using a size 24 cookie/ice cream scoop, divide and portion out meatballs. Roll and pack the meatballs in the palm of your hands.
- Brown the meatballs in batches over medium heat in an oiled skillet. No need to completely cook the meatballs, you just want to brown the outside. The meatballs will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Place all the browned meatballs in a large pot. Pour in marinara sauce and let mixture come to a boil. Then reduce heat and let mixture simmer until the meatballs are warmed up and cooked throughout.
Sandwich Assembly:
- To make the sandwiches, take our bread rolls and slice it about 90% open. Prop the roll oven and lightly toast in the oven. Place provolone cheese slices in the toasted bread. Spoon in cooked meatballs. If desired, place sandwich under the broiler for about 15-20 seconds until the cheese melts. Serve sandwich with a sprinkling grated parmesan cheese and minced Italian parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
These look delicious! I never saw a recipe with ricotta in the meatball mixture. I think my family will love these!
These are absolutely the best meatballs I have ever made! My family loves them and they have become my go-to recipe. Do you know if the meatballs freeze and reheat well?
That’s wonderful to hear Liz! I haven’t tried freezing these meatballs, so I’m not sure if they freeze/reheat well. Whenever I make these meatballs, everyone gobbles them up so quickly that I don’t have leftovers :)
Wow! This looks so so good, Maryanne! I’ve never been to Seattle but will be visiting in September. And I know what you mean. I don’t know what it feels like to not snap a photo before taking a bite of the food in front of me haha. I love sandwiches and this is def comfort food at its best!
Thanks Min! There are so many wonderful and delicious places in Seattle! I hope you have a great trip. It has come to the point that when I eat with other people they already know to wait until I’ve taken a photo before they start eating. haha
Funny timing. I also posted a ricotta meatball sandwich today. Though my story differs from yours, these look delicious!
Thanks Bri! What are the odds?!