By This cottage cheese meatball recipe is a taste of Italy at home that's ready in 30 minutes and packed with 33g of protein per serving! This recipe also makes around 16-20 meatballs, and they're perfect for meal prep or family dinner!
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This cottage cheese meatball recipe combines juicy meatballs with a cheesy twist and tops them with a crispy, savory crust. The Italian flavors and bold marinara sauce kick it up a notch, making it the ultimate comfort food but with a healthy twist!
ricotta vs. cottage cheese
Ricotta meatballs are a staple Italian dish. We all know ricotta is delicious, and thankfully cottage cheese is very similar! Ricotta is a bit drier but the two can generally be subbed for one another. And the best part is cottage cheese has 25% more protein!
So when a recipe calls for ricotta you can try cottage cheese instead to get higher protein. For more use cases, check out our full list of cottage cheese dinner recipes, which includes our more popular recipe: high-protein Tuscan chicken recipe.
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Beef or bison: I prefer lean bison, but use what you can find at your local grocery store!
- Cottage cheese: This recipe uses 2% or 4% low-fat cottage cheese, but use whatever kind you prefer. I know there are vegan choices out there and that some people have even used tofu as a substitute, but I haven't tried these out! For more ways to use this ingredient, check out our full list of cottage cheese recipes.
- Parmesan: You can sub with any cheese you like, but I think the parmesan adds the most crips to this recipe and tastes the best.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Or whatever bread crumbs you have on hand!
- Seasonings: You'll need garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning.
- Breadcrumb topping: Mix parmesan, olive oil (or oil of your choosing), and panko to make the topping.
- Marinara sauce and basil: Once finished, these meatballs are topped with marinara and basil leaves (or no basil)! Opt for a no sugar added marinara sauce.
high protein ingredient spotlight: cottage cheese
Cottage cheese has been a total game-changer in my recipes. It's loaded with protein and adds a yummy creamy texture to recipes. Its mild taste means it goes with pretty much anything - sweet or savory. Toss it in your pancakes for a fluffy twist, try our smores cookie dough, or use it in our bacon cottage cheese egg bake. Whether you're whipping up breakfast, dinner, or a midnight snack, cottage cheese can probably make it better. Give it a shot - your taste buds (and muscles) will thank you!
here's how to make cottage cheese meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients together.
- Shape 16-20 small meatballs and place them in a large, oven-safe skillet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. While they bake, mix the panko, olive oil, and parmesan.
- Add the sauce directly to the meatballs when they're done baking and stir to combine.
- Top with breadcrumb mixture and broil 5-7 minutes.
helpful tips
- Swap meats: You can try swapping beef with ground turkey! If you do this, you might need to loosen the meatballs from the bottom of the pan before adding the sauce.
- Shaping: I use a cookie scoop to shape my meatballs! You can also wet your hands slightly to prevent the mixture from sticking while shaping.
quick recipe video
common questions
These will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. If you have leftovers, use them on the pizza or in a sub.
I use 2% low-fat cottage cheese as it's high in protein but lower in calories and fat than regular cottage cheese.
Totally! These make great freezer prep. They're best frozen without the sauce. Just cook the meatballs and once cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Store for up to 3 months and either transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight or reheat in the microwave or oven. Add the sauce and breadcrumb mixture when you reheat them.
serving ideas
I enjoy these meatballs and sauce on its own, but here are a few more complete meal ideas to serve them with. You can also check out our full list of what to serve with meatballs.
- In a meatball sub
- Over pasta (I love chickpea protein pasta!) like in this cottage cheese lasagna pasta or one-pot protein pasta
- With toasted sourdough and a side salad or roasted asparagus
- On a pizza
- With this Italian butter bean salad or protein green goddess salad
If you tried these cottage cheese meatballs or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Recipe
30-minute cottage cheese meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean beef (or bison)
- ½ cup 4% low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 3 teaspoon olive oil
- 5-6 basil leaves (thinly sliced)
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients together.
- Shape 16-20 small meatballs. I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to do this. Place them in a large, oven safe skillet. It's ok if they are tight together.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Gently loosen from the bottom of the pan. While they bake mix the panko, olive oil, and parmesan together.
- Add the sauce directly to the meatballs when they're done baking and stir to combine.
- Top with breadcrumb mixture and bake 5-7 minutes, turning the broiler on the last 2-3. Watch carefully as it burns quick!
Video
Notes
How do I store these cottage cheese meatballs? These will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheating: Try heating them up in an air fryer, in the oven, or on the stove. The microwave may cause them to become soggy. For freezing: These make great freezer prep. Don't add the sauce, and once the meatballs are cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Store for up to 3 months and either leave to thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat in the microwave or oven. Then add the sauce and breadcrumb mixture. Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum's Ricotta Meatballs
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Used ground turkey for the protein and everyone loved the recipe. This will now be a weekly meal for us .
How many meatballs is a serving?
4-5 depending on how many total meatballs you make!
Serving size on recipe needs updating…currently says 34 for a serving!
Funny, since recipe yield says 16-20 meatballs…..
Thank you…..Will be making this for the start of the plan.
I’ve corrected it! Thanks for letting me know!
For the serving size you have 34, shouldn’t that say 3-4?
Yes, I’ve corrected it! Thanks!
Great gluten free meatballs. We had them on spaghetti squash instead of noodles and the whole family loved it.
I LOVE this recipe! Texture and taste is so satisfying and great leftover too! A staple in my house now
These were very tasty and easy to make. Hubby liked them too! I followed all the meatball directions and made my own sauce. I will be adding this recipe to our regular meal line up! Thank you!
That's awesome to hear!
As someone raised by old school Italians the lack of fresh herbs in this recipe didn’t give me high hopes at all but oh my goodness was I mistaken. The only thing I added was fresh garlic and this was a hit! Thanks for a great recipe!
Very moist meatballs!! I added 2 eggs for the 2lbs of meat I used. Delish.
Love this recipe! I use it frequently for meal prep. I just do the meatballs, not the sauce part. I also switched out the meat to ground turkey instead.
Thats awesome!
Yum Yum Yum. First time making these and wanted to use cottage cheese. I added in some chopped spinach and used ground oats instead of panko.
Amazing!! So happy to hear that!
I have made these twice. I did however add an egg as I felt they were too dry. A new favorite!
Thanks for letting me know! Glad you enjoyed.
One of our favorite weekly prep meal. Healthy and delicious!
So happy to hear that!