Ricotta Meatball Sandwich

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 my Seattle post from December 2011, I had briefly mentioned this amazing meatball sandwich I had at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats.

My husband and I had just arrived to Seattle and we were hungry. After dropping our bags at the hotel, we decided to walk over to the restaurant. 

It’s been three years since I had that sandwich. I can’t really remember the details (and nope, I didn’t take a picture of it before I ate it.)  

It’s probably hard for friends and family to imagine, but once upon a time I didn’t take pictures of everything I’ve ever ate.  

Rather than try to recreate that sandwich (and fail to live up to that perfect memory), Alex and I decided to come with our 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.

How to assemble meatball sandwich:

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.

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