These soft, flavorful chicken ricotta meatballs make a delicious family dinner that's perfect for sharing with your little one! With just a few simple ingredients and no pan-frying, these meatballs are easy to make, freezer-friendly and appropriate for baby led weaning and toddlers. Use your favorite jarred pasta sauce for a shortcut, or make the simple tomato sauce recipe to go alongside them!
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
Meatballs are a great first food for babies just starting their journey with solids, especially those using a baby led weaning approach. These chicken ricotta meatballs are especially great for BLW because of their soft, moist texture thanks to the addition of ricotta cheese (which also happens to be a great cheese for BLW). You'll love them, too, because they are:
- Easy to make with just a few simple ingredients
- Baked - no pan frying required!
- High in protein - perfect for growing little ones
- Make ahead friendly - refrigerate or freeze them ahead of time
- Great for family dinners with your favorite pasta sauce, or my recipe for a simple tomato sauce included here
I also include a super simple weeknight-friendly tomato sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with meatballs and your favorite pasta.
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Ingredients
- Ground chicken - Use ground chicken thighs if you can find them, not the leanest option, since some fat will help the meatballs retain moisture and flavor. You can also use ground turkey or ground beef.
- Ricotta cheese - I like to use whole milk ricotta.
- Breadcrumbs - Use fresh breadcrumbs, plain, seasoned, gluten-free, or panko. Whatever you have works fine!
- Parmesan - Use parmesan freshly grated from the block for the best results.
- Egg - Holds the meatballs together nicely.
- Garlic - Mince, grate, or press it into a fine dice
- Seasoning - Italian seasoning makes things easy and flavorful, but feel free to swap it for a combination of dried basil and oregano, or fresh chopped basil, oregano and/or parsley.
- Salt - Optional if you're making these for little ones under 12 months, but I include it for better flavor. You can read more about my stance on salt for babies here.
- You favorite pasta sauce for serving (or make the simple tomato sauce included in the recipe below!)
Helpful equipment: Large bowl, cookie scoop (I used a 3 tbsp, or #20 scoop), Dutch oven or oven-proof skillet
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to get everything nice and evenly combined.
- Scoop or roll the mixture into balls (or finger shapes for BLW, if you'd like).
- Place meatballs in a cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet large enough to leave a little space between each meatball.
- Bake meatballs at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through. Meatballs are finished when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Save a dish!
If you are using premade sauce, bake the meatballs in a Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot for 10-15 minutes, then pour the sauce directly in and finish simmering on the stove for 10-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is warm.
Tips and Recipe Variations
- Instead of baking completely in the oven, you can bake the meatballs for 10-15 minutes, then add them to simmering sauce on the stove to finish cooking, for about 10-20 more minutes.
- I like to use a cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs. #20 (3 tablespoons) is the perfect size for BLW friendly meatballs.
- If you are making these for younger BLW babies, roll the meatballs into finger shapes, which are easier for little hands to grasp.
- Italian seasoning makes these meatballs super easy to throw together, but use what you have. A combination of dried basil and oregano, or even herbs de Provence will work. You can also use finely chopped fresh basil, oregano, or parsley.
- If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic.
- You can broil meatballs for 1-2 minutes at the end of cooking for a pretty browning. Watch them carefully!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply simmer in sauce, covered, on the stove over low heat until warmed through, or pop in the microwave for 30-60 seconds (again, covered to avoid a mess!) until warmed through. If you're using a microwave, take care to check the temperature before serving to kids or babies, since microwaves can create hot spots.
Make Them Ahead!
You can make mix and shape meatballs up to 2 days in advance and store them in the refrigerator, tightly covered, until you're ready to cook. Meatballs can also be frozen either cooked or uncooked, for up to 3 months. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe storage bag in the freezer until you're ready to use them. Thaw frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight, or on the counter for up to 2 hours before cooking or reheating.
How To Serve Meatballs To Babies 6 Months and Up
For younger baby led weaning babies (about 6-9 months old) who do not yet have a pincer grasp, form meatballs into finger shapes before cooking (about the length and width of 1-2 adult fingers) and offer them whole. This shape is easiest for little hands to scoop up and munch on. If you forget and shape them all into balls, it's ok! Baby can still pick up whole meatballs and munch on them.
For babies who have developed a pincer grasp (using the index finger and thumb to pick up small objects), cut meatballs into small bite sized pieces, about the size of your fingernail.
Serve meatballs with your favorite baby-friendly pasta and sauce (try my super veggie pasta sauce for even more veggie goodness!), or with lightly toasted bread fingers spread with a little sauce. Add a BLW-appropriate green veggie, such as steamed broccoli or sautéd spinach to round out the meal.
Track your baby's journey through starting solids! Get my 100 First Foods Checklist and Allergen Checklist Bundle today!
Baby Friendly Chicken Ricotta Meatballs (with Simple Tomato Sauce) Recipe
These soft, flavorful chicken ricotta meatballs make a delicious family dinner that's perfect for sharing with your little one! With just a few simple ingredients and no pan-frying, these meatballs are easy to make, freezer-friendly and appropriate for baby led weaning and toddlers. Use your favorite jarred pasta sauce for a shortcut, or make the simple tomato sauce recipe to go alongside them!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: about 12 meatballs 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken (see notes)
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs or panko
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
For Simple Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, mix all meatball ingredients together until well combined. I use my hands to make sure everything all squished together nicely.
- Scoop or roll mixture into 3-tbsp balls (I use a #20 cookie scoop). If you're making them for babies, you can roll them into finger shapes.
- Place the meatballs in an oven-proof skillet, Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Meatballs are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the center reaches 165°F.
- Optional: Broil for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking for a nice golden color. Make sure to watch them carefully!
- Serve meatballs with your favorite baby-friendly pasta and sauce. Use my simple sauce recipe provided below, or your favorite pre-made tomato sauce.
For the Simple Tomato Sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking 1-2 minutes, until the tomato paste starts to darken in color.
- Add the remaining ingredients (crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper, plus salt and pepper, if using) and stir to combine. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or more, stirring occasionally.
- For a smoother sauce, carefully use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Or just leave it slightly chunky! Serve with your favorite pasta and meatballs.
Notes
- Chicken: Use ground chicken thighs, or ground chicken with a higher percentage of fat. You need the fat for moisture and flavor. You can also use ground turkey (again, not the leanest) or beef.
- Breadcrumbs: Use what you have! fresh breadcrumbs, plain, seasoned, panko, or gluten-free all work.
- Italian seasoning: Again, use what you have. Italian seasoning makes these meatballs quick and easy, but if you'd rather use a combination of dried oregano and basil, or even Herbs de Provence, go for it. You can also use chopped fresh basil, oregano or parsley (you'll need double the amount if using fresh herbs). Same goes for the sauce.
- Parmesan: Freshly grate parmesan from the block using a microplane zester or other tiny-holed grater, if possible. The flavor is so much better.
- Salt: I don't mind a little salt in scratch-cooked meals for baby (especially is you're making homemade sauce) and the meatballs really benefit from a little bit. But if you'd rather leave it out for baby, skip it! You can read more about salt for babies here.
- Finish cooking meatballs in the sauce: If you prefer to simmer the meatballs in sauce (it will give both more flavor!), bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, then carefully add them to a pot of sauce on the stovetop and gently simmer for 10-20 minutes more.
- Save a dish! If you are using premade sauce, save yourself a dish to clean! Bake the meatballs in a Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot, then pour the sauce directly on top and gently simmer on the stove until the sauce is warmed through (use the directions above for "Finish cooking meatballs in the sauce").
- Make-ahead and storage tips can be found in the post above.
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