These Cottage Cheese Meatballs are juicy, high in protein, and very easy to make. The cottage cheese melts right into the mixture as they cook, giving the meatballs extra moisture and a softer texture without making them heavy. Combined with lean beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning, they come out tender, savoury, and full of flavour. We are sharing all our favourite ways to use them too.
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We are always looking for ways to add more protein to our family favourite meals and these cottage cheese meatballs have to be the best one yet. A classic meatball recipe (which is always a win with my family), with cottage cheese mixed in for a protein boost.
It's a great meal prep protein option for the week, or something freezer-friendly to pull out on busy days. They pair well with pasta, rice, salad, roasted vegetables or tucked into a sub roll with sauce and cheese. Have you seen our Homemade Meatball Sub recipe?
Lean beef mince can sometimes turn dry in meatballs, especially if you are using a lower-fat pack. Cottage cheese fixes that problem (as well as adding protein). It adds moisture and protein while helping the meatballs stay soft and tender.
Looking for more healthy cottage cheese recipes to try? Check out our high protein Cottage Cheese Hummus, easy Cottage Cheese Grilled Cheese or our delicious Marry Me Chicken with Cottage Cheese?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Beef mince - We used lean beef (5% fat). A higher fat percentage will have more flavour, but will change the nutritional info.
- Cottage cheese - Use a good quality cottage cheese (we like Longley Farm) as it will be thick, and not watery. We used fat free, but you could use a higher fat percentage if you prefer. If yours looks loose, give it a quick drain in a sieve for a few minutes. Small curd works especially well, but large curd is fine too.
- Breadcrumbs - Panko breadcrumbs will have the best texture, but you can use any.
- Seasoning - An Italian seasoning blend.
- Parmesan cheese - Makes the cottage cheese meatballs extra cheesy and helps to bind them too. Make sure you finely grate it as it will mix better.
Variations
Meat - For a richer flavour, swap half of the lean beef mince for pork mince. This gives a more traditional Italian-style meatball texture. You could also use chicken mince for something lighter.
Vegetables - For extra veg, finely grate a small courgette (zucchini) and squeeze out the excess moisture before adding it to the mixture. Finely grated carrot also works well.
Mini meatballs - For mini meatballs, shape them smaller and reduce the baking time to around 12 to 15 minutes. These are great for lunchboxes, soups, or party food.
For a chicken or turkey version, use ground chicken or ground turkey mince instead of beef. Because those meats are leaner and softer, chilling the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes before shaping can help.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Meatballs
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 1: Put all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Mix everything together until well combined.
- Step 3: Using damp hands, roll the mixture into 15 meatballs.
- Step 4: Cook for 20-25 minutes.
Pan Cooking and Air Fryer
If you prefer, you can pan-cook them instead of baking. Heat a little olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Add the meatballs in batches and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until browned all over and cooked through. Lower the heat if they are colouring too quickly. Once browned, you can add sauce to the pan and simmer for a few extra minutes.
You can also air fry them at 190°C375°F for about 10 to 12 minutes, shaking or turning halfway through, until cooked through. Exact timing will depend on size and your air fryer model, and how big your cottage cheese meatballs are too.
Serving Suggestions
For an even more saucy finish, simmer the cooked meatballs in warm marinara sauce for 5 minutes before serving. This helps them soak up more flavour and keeps them especially tender. Try our Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce or Marinara recipe.
Serve them over spaghetti or penne with marinara and extra Parmesan for a classic option. You can also pile them onto creamy mashed potatoes with green beans or broccoli for a comforting family dinner.
Serve them with rice, roasted peppers, and a spoonful of tomato sauce for an easy high-protein bowl. Add them to a grain bowl with couscous, cucumber, tomatoes, and a yogurt or pesto drizzle for a lighter meal.
For kids, they work well with buttered pasta, rice, soft bread, or even plain with ketchup if needed. Have you tried our Homemade Healthy Tomato Ketchup?
Dannii's Top Tips
- If you want a smoother meatball mixture, blend the cottage cheese for a few seconds until mostly smooth. This step is optional, but it does hide it more if that's an issue for you.
- Try not to overwork the cottage cheese meatball mixture because that can make the meatballs firm. The mixture should feel soft and slightly moist but still easy to shape. If it seems too wet, add another tablespoon or two of panko.
- Use lightly damp hands when shaping the meatballs. It makes the mixture less sticky and helps create smoother balls.
- Try to keep the meatballs a similar size so they cook evenly.
- Do not overbake. Lean beef dries out faster than higher-fat mince, so check them a few minutes before the finished cooking time.
Meal Prep and Storage
Store: Once cooked, let them cool fully before storing. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze - Arrange the cooked and cooled meatballs on a tray and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat: To reheat, warm them in the microwave in short bursts, or heat them gently in a pan with a splash of water or tomato sauce until hot all the way through. You can air fry them to reheat too.
You can reheat them straight from frozen in sauce on the hob over low heat, or thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Prep - If you want to prep ahead before cooking, mix and shape the meatballs, then cover and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not strongly, no. It mostly melts into the mixture and makes the meatballs tender and moist. The overall flavour is still savoury, beefy, herby, and lightly cheesy from the Parmesan.
This usually happens if the mixture is too wet or if the meatballs were not packed together firmly enough when shaped. Add a little more panko if needed, and make sure the mixture is fully combined before rolling.
More Meatball Recipes
If you've tried this cottage cheese meatball recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Cottage Cheese Meatballs
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) Lean beef mince
- 130 g (0.66 cup) Fat free cottage cheese
- 40 g (0.5 cup) Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 15 g (0.5 oz) Parmesan - finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- Mix everything together until well combined.
- Using damp hands, roll the mixture into 15 meatballs.
Recipe Tips
- If you want a smoother meatball mixture, blend the cottage cheese for a few seconds until mostly smooth. This step is optional, but it does hide it more if that's an issue for you.
- Try not to overwork the cottage cheese meatball mixture because that can make the meatballs firm. The mixture should feel soft and slightly moist but still easy to shape. If it seems too wet, add another tablespoon or two of panko.
- Use lightly damp hands when shaping the meatballs. It makes the mixture less sticky and helps create smoother balls.
- Try to keep the meatballs a similar size so they cook evenly.
- Do not overbake. Lean beef dries out faster than higher-fat mince, so check them a few minutes before the finished cooking time.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Jenn V says
These meatballs are fabulous and so easy! It was good advice to watch the timing; in my oven they were done a bit sooner than 20 mins. They were moist and delicious! Definite keeper.