Meal Prep Meatballs with Ricotta (Freezer-Friendly!)
These meal prep meatballs are tender, flavorful and made for stocking your fridge or freezer. Ricotta keeps the centers soft and juicy, while garlic, Italian seasoning and panko breadcrumbs add plenty of flavor without limiting you to one type of cuisine. Bake one big batch, eat some tonight and save the rest for meatball subs later in the week, an easy stir-fry when you need dinner fast, on top of classic spaghetti arrabiata or as a delicious protein for meal prep power bowls.
Is there anything better than having a big batch of protein prepped?
Very little, folks, very little.
Pre-kids, I was definitely very anti-meal prep, anti-freezer prep, anti-protein prep. I had time to cook a lovely dinner every single evening, and I was happy to do so.
But since having kids, dinnertime looks different. Do I still make dinner every night? Yes. Is it because I spend a million hours meal prepping? No. BUT, I have come to really embrace strategic planning of meals and ‘protein batching’. AKA – making a large batch of protein and repurposing it into multiple meals. For example, shredded Korean beef into loaded rice bowls with kimchi and avocado one night and fusion-style burritos the next, sheet pan meal prep chicken in mason jar salads one night and a broccoli pasta bake the next, sheet pan cod one night and leftovers transformed into cod burgers with herb aioli the next. Ya feel me?
SO. In the spirit of the impending madness of back-to-school, I present to you, my big batch meal prep meatballs! This is the recipe I go-to again and again for a classic, yummy, moist, versatile meatball. You can make them with ground chicken, turkey, pork or beef and they work in any cuisine. Oh, and I’d be remiss not to mention that this is one of my favorite recipes to prep for a post-partum family, busy back-to-college young adult, grieving family or anyone who just needs a little extra help getting dinner on the table. You can freeze them raw or fully cooked (I usually cook them first), seal in an airtight bag, and go stock your friends’ freezers. They’ll love you forever and ever.
Alright, go get your meatball on!
What Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Meal Prep Meatballs:
- I love grabbing the organic ground beef from Costco, which is typically around 85/15. The little bit of extra fat helps keep the meatballs juicy, but 90/10 or 93/7 ground beef will also work if you prefer something leaner. You could also use ground chicken, ground turkey or ground pork.
- Ricotta cheese is a soft, mild Italian cheese that adds moisture and richness to the meatballs. It helps create a tender texture and also acts as a binder to hold everything together. If the ricotta looks especially watery, stir it before measuring and avoid adding excess liquid from the container.
- Panko are Japanese-style breadcrumbs with a lighter, flakier texture than traditional breadcrumbs. You can usually find them in the baking aisle of any grocery store.
- Garlic adds depth and savory flavor to the meatballs. I like to grate the cloves with a microplane so the garlic distributes evenly throughout the mixture without leaving large pieces behind.
- Eggs help bind all of the ingredients so the meatballs hold their shape while baking.
How to Make Meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Whisk together the ricotta, eggs, grated garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a large mixing bowl.
Add the ground beef and panko breadcrumbs, then gently mix until everything is well combined. Try not to overwork the meat.
Roll the mixture into 60-75 small meatballs and place them about a half-inch or so apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until fully cooked and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Use the baked meatballs in garlic bread meatball subs, sweet chili meatball stir-fry, or any of your favorite sauces and bowls.
Expert Tips & Variation Ideas:
- Use a cookie scoop: Evenly sized meatballs cook at the same rate and make portioning easier. A small scoop also speeds up the rolling process when you are making a big batch.
- Don’t crowd the pans: Leaving space between the meatballs allows hot air to circulate and helps the edges brown.
- Check the temperature instead of cutting one open: An instant-read meat thermometer is the easiest way to know when the meatballs are fully cooked without losing their juices.
- Add fresh herbs: Mix in chopped parsley, basil or oregano for more prominent Italian flavor.
- Add Parmesan cheese: Finely grated Parmesan will give the meatballs a saltier, cheesier finish. Reduce the salt slightly if you plan to add a generous amount.
- Make them spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat mixture before shaping.
No dry meatballs here!
FAQs:
In addition to the garlic bread meatball subs and sweet chili meatball stir-fry (pictured above), you can serve them with noodles, like my spaghetti arrabbiata, or use them in my Thai-Inspired soup. They’re also great with white rice, roasted potatoes, a simple salad or power bowls with veggies.
Since the seasoning is flavorful but versatile, the meatballs work with marinara, pesto, chipotle lime sauce, sweet chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, cilantro chimichurri, and more. For an easy appetizer, serve them with toothpicks and your favorite dipping sauce.
Store: Let the meatballs cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze fully cooked: Arrange the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a lined sheet pan. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Air fry, simmer in sauce, or proceed with any recipe straight from the freezer until the meatballs are warmed through.
Freeze raw: Arrange raw meatballs in a single layer on a lined sheet pan. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, air fry at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, shaking halfway through or bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until fully cooked and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Yep! Ground chicken, turkey or pork all work, or you can use a combination of beef and pork for extra richness. Keep in mind that chicken or turkey may produce slightly less juicy meatballs and cook more quickly, so take them out of the oven once they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Replace the panko with a gluten-free panko-style breadcrumb.
If you try and like this recipe, please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! For more lifestyle, behind-the-scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content, come find me over on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, or Youtube – I love connecting with you all there!
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Meal Prep Meatballs (Freezer-Friendly!)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 40-45 minutes
- Yield: 60–75 meatballs 1x
- Category: Meal Prep
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Italian
- Diet: High-Protein
Description
A big batch of tender baked homemade meatballs that freeze beautifully and are perfect for meal prep! Add them to pasta, subs, soups or rice bowls for easy dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 15oz container ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease two large rimmed baking sheets or line them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a bowl, whisk together the 15oz ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, 3 cloves grated garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning until evenly combined.
- Add the ground beef and panko breadcrumbs. Gently mix until everything is incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Roll and shape the mixture into 60-75 small meatballs (see note). Arrange them about a half-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Ground beef meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Serve immediately or cool completely before transferring to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
So tender, so juicy. Ready for literally anything.
Notes
Meatballs: I like my meatballs pretty small so I get about 75 meatballs total! But no need to be too precious here, roll into whatever size/shape you prefer.
Freeze fully cooked: Arrange the cooked meatballs in a single layer on a lined sheet pan. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Air fry, simmer in sauce, or proceed with any recipe straight from the freezer until the meatballs are warmed through.
Freeze raw: Arrange raw meatballs in a single layer on a lined sheet pan. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, air fry at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, shaking halfway through or bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until fully cooked and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Refer to above blog post for step-by-step photos, ingredient information, expert tips, variation ideas, and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8-9 meatballs (nutrition facts calculated using 90/10 beef)
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 347.7 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.8 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 28.5 g
- Cholesterol: 130.7 mg
If you like these meal prep meatballs, you’ll love these other meal prep recipes:
Meal Prep Power Bowls with Garlic Ginger Chicken
Big Batch Mexican Shredded Chicken
