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Baby Friendly Chicken Ricotta Meatballs (with Simple Tomato Sauce) Recipe

baby chicken meatball and halved meatball in tomato sauce on a baby plate.
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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!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground chicken (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs or panko
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

For Simple Tomato Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the Meatballs

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix all meatball ingredients together until well combined. I use my hands to make sure everything all squished together nicely.
  3. 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.
  4. Place the meatballs in an oven-proof skillet, Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Meatballs are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the center reaches 165°F. 
  6. Optional: Broil for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking for a nice golden color. Make sure to watch them carefully!
  7. 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

  1. 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. 
  2. Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking 1-2 minutes, until the tomato paste starts to darken in color.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Equipment

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. 

Find it online: https://babyledbliss.com/chicken-ricotta-meatballs-baby/