Home

Tuna and Ricotta Meatballs with Bell Peppers

17/11/2023

Tuna and ricotta meatballs are a delicious and light dish, ideal for a summer meal or as a tasty appetizer. Here is how to prepare them with the addition of bell peppers for a touch of color and flavor.

Ingredients

  • 250 g of drained oil-packed tuna
  • 250 g of fresh ricotta
  • 1 egg
  • Breadcrumbs as needed
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Chopped fresh parsley as needed
  • Salt as needed
  • Pepper as needed
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Preparation

  1. Start with the preparation of the bell peppers. Wash them, remove the core with the seeds and the white inner parts, and cut them into small pieces. You can decide to cook them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic for about 10-15 minutes until they soften, or roast them in the oven at 200 °C until the skin turns black, then peel them and cut them into small pieces. Set the bell peppers aside.

  2. In a large bowl, combine the previously drained and flaked tuna with a fork, the ricotta, one egg, the chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Mix well until you get a homogeneous mixture.

  3. Now add the cooked bell peppers to the tuna and ricotta mixture and gently mix to incorporate them.

  4. Add the breadcrumbs to the mixture, little by little, until the mixture becomes firm enough to form meatballs.

  5. Form meatballs the size of a walnut and roll them in the remaining breadcrumbs to evenly coat them.

  6. Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and, when it’s hot, fry the meatballs until they have acquired a golden and crispy color on all sides.

  7. Once ready, drain them on paper towels to remove the excess oil.

Serve the tuna and ricotta meatballs with bell peppers hot or at room temperature, accompanied by a dipping sauce of your choice, such as yogurt sauce or a fresh tomato salsa.

Trivia

Tuna and ricotta meatballs are a variation of the more classic meatloaf and demonstrate how you can experiment in the kitchen even recycling leftover fish or cheeses. Ricotta provides softness and lightness to the mixture, making the meatballs particularly tender and tasty.

Tuna and Ricotta Meatballs with Bell Peppers