Marinara Ricotta Ball Hotdogs
Marinara Ricotta Ball Hotdogs- A delicious vegetarian recipe to try for anyone who loves any Italian flavors! A hotdog bun layered with a delicious garlic spicy tomato sauce, filed with corn and spinach cheesy ricotta balls that are cooked in the sauce and with a drizzle of pesto to finish it off. This is my take on the famous Italian dish- ricotta balls cooked in tomato sauce! This will work great as a meal or a snack! Make mini ones for appetisers which would be perfect for game day and super bowl. Kids will love this recipe so much as well as adults.
Happy Cooking!
Servings: 5-6 hotdogs
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4-1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 cup chopped spinach in small pieces
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2-2/3 cup shredded mozzarella Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp washed and drained corn starch
1 tsp Salt as per taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
1 cup pizza sauce
5-6 hotdog buns
2-3 tbsp pesto
Directions:
Prepare pizza sauce and pesto as per recipes or use store bought. I ground up the pesto further to make it smooth.
In a mixing bowl add ricotta and smoothen it with a spatula.
Add chopped spinach, corn, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, cheese, corn starch, salt, pepper and nutmeg powder. Mix together. It should form a mixture that can hold its shape. If need be add more breadcrumbs and cheese as needed.
Gently form the mixture into ricotta balls. Decide the side based on the hotdog bun size. I made it into 10-12 balls. Keep aside.
In a pan add the pizza sauce and heat it up. Add 1/4 cup water if needed. It should be not too thick or liquid.
Lightly toast the buns and keep aside.
When the pizza sauce starts simmering, place the balls over the sauce. Using a spoon, top with pizza sauce from the pan and move it around to coat the balls with sauce. Don’t move it around too much and be gentle while cooking it. Let it cook for 4-6 mins so that the balls are well coated.
Spread some of pizza sauce on the inside of the hotdog buns.
Place 2-3 balls in each hotdog, based on the size of each ball. I filled 2 in each bun.
Drizzle pesto over it!
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
Add more breadcrumbs and cheese so that the ricotta balls will hold its shape.
You can make the balls and keep from a day before. Take it out and thaw before cooking.
You do not want to overcook it in the sauce otherwise it can melt in the sauce.
You can top with some mozzarella cheese and broil to melt if you want it cheesier.
You can make pizza sauce and pesto and keep from before.
Make sure the ricotta balls are well coated in the sauce to ensure flavor in the dish!
