Ricotta Meatballs with Tomato Butter Sauce | Natalie Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes*
• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, (quartered (leave root in tact), divided)
• Kosher salt, (to taste)
• 8-12 oz orzo**
• ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• ⅓ cup rolled oats, (coarsely ground***)
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, (plus more for topping)
• ½-1 cup parsley, (finely chopped, plus more for topping)
• 1 large egg
• 2 garlic cloves, (grated or finely chopped)
• ¼ yellow onion, finely chopped (leftover from sauce above)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, (divided)
• 1 lb grass-fed ground beef ((or use a mix of beef and pork))
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes ((optional, for spice))
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• *Get high quality san Marzano if you can, these are the BEST. I save these tomatoes for recipes like this one where the tomatoes really shine.
• **Use any pasta shape or serve this over polenta, gnocchi, or even simply roasted potatoes! The meatballs and sauce are filling, so I find that I don’t need as much pasta (hence the 8-12 oz range)
• ***To grind your oats, add them to a high-speed blender and blend until a coarse flour forms.
• Note: ~ this recipe has three components, so it’s best to do it with a partner or prep some items ahead (like making the sauce or forming the meatballs).