Roasted Veal Meatballs Recipe

Prep the pan and soak crumbs

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and whole milk; let sit for 5 minutes until the crumbs absorb the milk.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl, add ground veal, soaked breadcrumbs (squeeze lightly if excess milk), egg, grated Parmesan, minced shallot, 2 tsp garlic, chopped parsley, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Use your hands or a fork to gently combine until just combined — avoid overworking to keep the meatballs tender.

Form meatballs

Using a 1.5-inch scoop or your hands, portion the mixture into equally sized meatballs (about 18–20). Roll gently to form smooth spheres. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Drizzle or brush each meatball lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil to promote browning.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–14 minutes, until meatballs are just cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C) and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside while you finish the sauce.

Sauté aromatics

While meatballs bake (or immediately after removing them), heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped shallot and 1 tsp minced garlic; sauté until softened and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes, without browning.

Deglaze and simmer

If using, add 1/4 cup dry white wine to the pan to deglaze, scraping any browned bits; simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the 14 oz tomato purée, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook 6–8 minutes to meld flavors.

Finish with cream

Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and simmer 1–2 more minutes until sauce is a uniform rosy color and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. If sauce seems too thick, add 1–2 tbsp water; if too thin, simmer another minute.

Combine meatballs and sauce

Gently add the baked veal meatballs to the skillet, spooning sauce over them so they're coated. Simmer together on low for 3–4 minutes to marry flavors and finish cooking. Remove from heat.

Whip the ricotta

Place 1 cup whole-milk ricotta, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a food processor or blender. Pulse until very smooth and airy, about 45–60 seconds. Scrape into a small serving bowl and set aside.

Dress the arugula

In a bowl, toss 3 cups baby arugula with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp lemon juice; season lightly with flaky sea salt to taste (about 1/4 tsp) and a few grinds of black pepper.

Assemble and serve

Spread a spoonful of whipped ricotta on each serving plate (or a communal platter). Arrange dressed arugula beside or on top of the ricotta. Spoon roasted veal meatballs and plenty of rose sauce over or next to the ricotta and arugula. Finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or additional chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.