Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Authentic Italian Ricotta ball soup is one of our favourite go-to recipes when we want something easy and filling for our tummy.

Ricotta Ball Soup Is Part Of A Wonderful Italian Meal

It’s so different that even your friends will think you are trying something wild and beyond your culinary skills.

We’ve been using ricotta quite a bit lately as it seems to fit into our weekly menu planning as we enjoy lighter meals.

One of the best places to buy fresh ricotta is an Italian deli, or if you believe in a container, you’ll find the best price at Costco Canada.

How To Make Homemade Ricotta

We’ve been fortunate as ricotta has also been on sale at the grocery stores for $1.00 for a 300 g tub. However, you will pay more to get the freshest fresh ricotta in big white pails.

Alternatively, you can make homemade ricotta yourself if you know how to, although it is something I’ve never tried myself. 

In the past few weeks, I’ve included ricotta in an Orange Ricotta Pound Cake and tossed ricotta with spinach and fettuccine for an easy weeknight meal.

How To Make Ricotta Ball Soup

The best thing about this ricotta ball soup is the ease of making it and the versatility of the mixture and the fresh ingredients.

It’s also healthy and not heavy on calories, especially mixed with golden chicken broth and vegetables.

We make our ricotta ball mixture the night before and chill it in the refrigerator.

Once chilled, roll the mixture into small balls (approx 20-25 balls) like little ricotta dumplings and chill for one hour to firm them up.

The idea for this soup came about while making manicotti stuffing. 

I tried to make the ricotta ball soup without refrigerating the balls. However, they did not hold up well in the soup.

Once the ricotta balls are firm, roll them lightly in all-purpose flour to dust them ever so softly. 

If you plan on making a keto version of this recipe, lightly dust them in almond flour or coconut flour.

Instead of using breadcrumbs, use crushed panko pork rinds. (see the link below in the recipe)

Matzo Ball Soup

A similar concept comes from an Eastern European Jewish recipe called matzo ball soup, which is very similar, although the recipe uses matzo meal to make the balls.

Homemade Chicken Bone Broth

For this ricotta ball soup recipe, I add homemade chicken bone broth to a large soup pot, then add small soup pasta, carrots, onions, fennel, and sometimes chopped spinach or celery.

If you don’t have time to make homemade Chicken Bone broth, we also buy Organika Chicken Bone Broth from Amazon Canada.

It’s one of the best Keto organic chicken bone broth powders out there, and we use it in a pinch.

Once the hot chicken bone broth comes to a boil and the pasta and vegetables are cooked, I drop the ricotta balls in one by one.

You don’t need to add the small pasta if you don’t like it; you can quickly eliminate it, especially if you are on a keto diet.

The ricotta balls will sink to the bottom and, as they cook, will rise to the top and puff up, almost doubling in size.

Switch It Up! Deep-Fried Ricotta Balls

You could roll the balls in seasoned bread crumbs and deep fry them with a marinara sauce if you wanted to.

See, I’m already creating recipes just typing this up (now I’ll have to test that out). 

If you do, remember I haven’t tested the frying theory yet.

The significant part is that this ricotta ball mixture can be used for many other inspirations for ricotta recipes in the kitchen.

Ways To Use Ricotta Ball Mixture

You can use this ricotta ball mixture in other homemade Italian recipes.

(add spinach to any of these as well)

• Ricotta cheese-filled Ravioli
• Ricotta cheese-filled Perogies
• Ricotta cheese filling for Manicotti
• Ricotta cheese filling to layer in a Lasagna.
• Ricotta cheese filling to stuff Cannelloni
• Ricotta cheese filling to toss with your favourite Pasta
• Ricotta cheese filling to stuff your large shell pasta
• Ricotta cheese filling for tortellini pasta

The ricotta ball filling will be a winner in many dishes you create in your kitchen, and you do want something easy to whip up and use in alternate recipes.

It’s like buying pieces for your wardrobe to switch it up without spending a fortune on a whole new outfit.

I’m sure your family and guests will enjoy any meal made with ricotta ball filling, and you will be amazed at how easy it is. 

I hope I’ve inspired your kitchen and that you can create something special for your loved ones.

Making Italian Ricotta Ball Soup

These are the regular Italian Ricotta Balls in the photo below and the keto version.

Keto Ricotta Balls

• Recipe Type: Soup
• Cuisine: Italian
• Author: Mr.CBB
• Prep time: 1 hour 20 mins
• Cook time: 25 mins
• Total time: 1 hour 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Authentic Ricotta Ball Soup is called Ricotta dumplings in a chicken bone broth.

They melt in your mouth, and this soup is a perfect starter for dinner or part of a lunch.

Ricotta Ball Soup Ingredients

• 500 g of fresh ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped fine (or use three tablespoons dry parsley)
• 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano Grated Fresh
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup breadcrumbs or pork rind panko (keto)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry basil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (dusting) or almond flour keto
• 10-12 cups of homemade chicken bone broth
• 2 carrots sliced thin (I cut lines in my carrot to make it a decorative cut)
• 1 cup sliced thin fennel or celery
• 1 white onion minced
• 1/2 cup small pasta (Orzo, Peperini, Alphabet for kids) (Optional)

Instructions

1. Making Ricotta Balls
2. Add the ricotta, salt, pepper, basil, paprika, minced garlic, egg, Parmigiano cheese, breadcrumbs, and parsley, and mix until combined.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it overnight to chill.
4. Roll the mixture into a ball and set it on a plate ( if you find the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs 1/2 cup)
5. Set in the refrigerator for an hour to set and chill.
6. Add the seasoned chicken or vegetable broth, onion, fennel, carrots (or other vegetables), spinach, and celery to a large pot and boil.
7. After 10 minutes, add the small pasta to cook and test in about 5 minutes to see if they are done.
8. Once the small pasta and vegetables are cooked, prepare the ricotta balls for the soup.
9. Take the ricotta balls from the refrigerator and lightly dust them with flour (do not leave a heavy coat, or it will ruin your soup; very light dusting, shake all excess off)
10. Drop the balls into the soup one by one slowly.
11. When the ricotta balls pop to the surface (about 5-10 minutes), allow a further 5 minutes of cooking.

Serve with grated fresh Parmigiano on top and fresh parsley if you like, and we serve it with freshly baked olive bread.

Discussion:

What other ways can you use the ricotta ball mixture?

Please leave me your ideas in the comment section below.

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