Vodka Sauce Meatballs on Ricotta Toast
These meatballs in vodka sauce are outstanding. Tender, juicy meatballs cooked in vodka sauce and served on toasted sourdough that is spread with ricotta cheese. Dreamy! Cozy and comforting and delicious.
Ingredients
meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 3 tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, like parsley or basil, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 to 5 slices sourdough bread, cut in half
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
vodka sauce
- 1 cup reserved pasta water, or substitution, listed below
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons vodka, (I like Tito’s)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the beef with the egg, tomatoes, garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Mix to combine - but don’t overmix!
- Roll the mixture into meatballs - I like mine to be around 1-inch in size. I find that wetting your hands with cold water helps the meatballs come together smoothly.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown all over. Just cook until they are golden brown, then toss them and cook on the other sides. Remove any excess grease.
- Make the vodka sauce in the same skillet. To make a starchy pasta water without cooking pasta, combine 1 cup of water with ½ teaspoon of cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil in a separate small saucepan, then turn off the heat!
- Heat the butter in the large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the shallots and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften. Add in the tomato paste and stir, cooking for 5 minutes. The color will darken - this is where the flavor is!
- Stream in the vodka and stir, scraping the brown bits and flavor from the bottom. Stir in ½ cup of the reserved (or makeshift) pasta water. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan, stirring until the cheese melts. Taste and season the sauce with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. This is when I toast the bread! Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and spray with some olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes until golden and toasty.
- Once the meatballs are done and bread is toasted, slather the bread with a few spoonfuls of ricotta cheese. Top with a meatball or 2 or 3! Sprinkle with fresh herbs and breadcrumbs if you wish! Serve immediately.
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