Vegetable and Ricotta Meatballs

Vegetable and ricotta meatballs are a tasty and versatile dish, excellent for those looking for a vegetarian alternative without sacrificing flavor. Here’s how to prepare them.

Ingredients

• 250 g of fresh ricotta
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium carrot
• 100 g of fresh spinach (or other green leafy vegetable of your choice)
• 1 egg
• 70 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 70 g of breadcrumbs, plus more for breading
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Aromatic herbs (for example basil, parsley, or thyme), finely chopped, to taste
• Olive oil or frying oil

Preparation

1. Start by washing the vegetables. Grate the zucchini and carrot with a large-hole grater and squeeze well to eliminate excess water.
2. Blanch the spinach in salted water for 1-2 minutes, drain, and also squeeze these well.
3. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta with the egg, adding the Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
4. Add the grated vegetables and finely chopped spinach to the ricotta mixture, mixing carefully.
5. Incorporate the chopped aromatic herbs and breadcrumbs, enough to obtain a firm mixture that can be shaped into meatballs. If the mixture is too moist, add more breadcrumbs.
6. Form meatballs of the desired size and roll them in breadcrumbs.
7. Heat the oil in a pan and, when it is hot, fry the meatballs until they become golden and crispy on all sides.
8. If you prefer a lighter version, you can bake the meatballs in the oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes until golden, making sure to turn them halfway through cooking.

For a more Italian twist, you can add some chopped basil leaves or a pinch of oregano to enrich the aroma to the meatballs. Serve these meatballs hot, accompanied by a fresh tomato sauce or a yogurt sauce with aromatic herbs.

Curiosity

The vegetable and ricotta meatballs can be customized based on the seasonal vegetables you prefer or what you have available in your fridge. This makes them an exceptional dish for experimenting and not wasting food. Moreover, if you’re looking for an egg-free variant, you can replace them with chickpea flour or a “flax egg” (ground flaxseeds left to soak in water) to achieve the same binding effect.