Ricotta Polenta with Drunken Meatballs. Mouthwatering tender meatballs simmered in a hearty brown beer gravy with caramelized onions and served over creamy ricotta polenta. This 30-minute meal will knock your socks off.
Why this recipe works
I hope you love to indulge a few meatballs and some rich flavors to go with it. Here we add caramelized onions and simmer them with a dark beer until the pan sauce thickens.
We serve it over a delicious polenta swirled with ricotta. The ricotta cheese adds a creamy touch without a lot of fat, while the parmesan gives it depth and character. The ingredients are simple, the taste is huge. The whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes and will be a meal to remember.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.
Helpful recipe tips
Make this recipe your own!
- For the meatballs, you can use ground chicken, beef or pork.
- Add mushrooms to the gravy.
- Swap brown beer for beef broth.
- Use a dark beer with dominant malty sweet flavors.
- Serve with a simple salad, roasted broccoli or green beans.
- No polenta? Serve with mashed potatoes.
Storage
- Fridge: Leftovers can be safely stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If the polenta becomes too dry, add a splash of milk.
- Freezer: You can freeze the meatballs with onions for up to 3 months, just be sure to store them in airtight containers to preserve their flavor and texture. However, I don’t recommend freezing the polenta because it can become grainy and lose its smooth, creamy consistency after thawing.
More polenta, please!
- Cheese Polenta with Chorizo and Shrimp
- Polenta with Creamy Miso Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Creamy Parmesan polenta with beer sautéed mushrooms
Cooking Video: How to make polenta with meatballs
Ricotta Polenta with Drunken Meatballs
Mouthwatering tender meatballs simmered in a hearty brown beer gravy with caramelized onions and served over creamy ricotta polenta. This 30-minute meal will knock your socks off.
Ingredients
Ricotta Polenta
- 7 ounces instant polenta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 7 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 3 ounces grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
Meatballs
- 1.1 pounds ground meat - I used 70% pork with 30% beef
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried onion
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Beer Gravy
- 2 yellow onions - thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 cup brown beer - use a dark beer with dominant malty sweet flavors
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp flour
- chopped chives - for serving
Instructions
Meatballs in Beer Gravy
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Mix until just combined, using your hands. Roll the meat into 2 tablespoon-sized balls.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes or until they’re cooked through, turning them 2-3 times. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter. Cook onions for 5 minutes over low heat. Add garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in black pepper, oregano, thyme and flour. Allow the flour to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the brown beer and chicken broth, then stir in the mustard. Bring the sauce to a boil.
- Slide the meatballs and all of the released juices back into the skillet. Add salt and pepper to your own taste. Simmer over low heat while you make the polenta.
Ricotta Polenta
- In a saucepan, bring chicken broth and milk to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring continuously over low, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in ricotta, parmesan, salt and black pepper. Add butter and stir to combine. Cover and let stand for 1 minute. If the polenta thickens too much, thin with some additional milk or chicken broth. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Divide polenta over bowls, top with meatballs and gravy. Serve with chopped chives, a salad or roasted broccoli. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 16gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 1440mgPotassium: 437mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1125IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 395mgIron: 2mg
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