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Cottage Cheese Turkey Meatballs in serving dish
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5 from 2 votes

Cottage Cheese Turkey Meatballs

These healthy cottage cheese turkey meatballs are juicy, easy to make, and made without breadcrumbs for a gluten-free, high-protein meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: cottage cheese meatballs, cottage cheese meatballs turkey, cottage cheese turkey meatballs
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Shawna Clark

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey or ground turkey breast
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese drained
  • 1 egg whisked
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the Sauce & Cheese:

  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • fresh basil optional for garnish

Instructions

  • Drain the cottage cheese in a strainer to remove excess moisture.
  • Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 9x9 baking dish with olive oil.
  • Add the ground turkey, cottage cheese, whisked egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
  • Use your hands to combine the meatball mixture.
  • Use a small, 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to form about 25 meatballs, placing them evenly in your baking dish.
  • Bake the meatballs uncovered for 18-20 minutes, or until fully cooked, when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  • Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and everything is heated through. Then, top with fresh basil if desired and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Mix Gently: Overmixing the meat mixture can make the meatballs dense.
  • Ground Turkey Swap: You can swap the ground turkey with lean ground chicken or ground chicken breast for a similar flavor.
  • Cottage Cheese Options: You can use fat-free, low-fat, or full-fat cottage cheese.
  • Parmesan Cheese Swap: Substitute the Parmesan with Pecorino Romano for a sharper, saltier bite.
  • Sauce Options: Top with your favorite marinara sauce. Or, try our healthy homemade marinara sauce, roasted tomato sauce, or slow cooker tomato sauce.
  • Extra Cheesy Option: Add 1/2 cup of shredded light mozzarella cheese on top before the final bake for extra melty cheesy goodness.
 
WW Points: 2 points per serving; each serving is about 6 meatballs
To see your WW Points in the WW app for this recipe click here! Or, please manually add the ingredients to the recipe builder.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 540mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g