Cottage Cheese Meatball Marinara

The quest to make a healthier meatball has been a challenge. Often using leaner ground meats leads to tough and dry meatballs. Cottage cheese is the 'secret' ingredient that keeps these better-for-you meatballs moist and delicious. Share the fun and host a weekend meatball party. Invite your friends over to make big batches of these tasty, oven-baked meatballs to fill everyone's freezer with a quick weeknight meal solution.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 310 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup grated onion
• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup Nordica 2% Cottage Cheese
• ½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup grated Ivanhoe Parmesan Cheese, or as needed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1 mild Italian pork sausage, casing removed
• 3 cups passata or pureed, strained tomatoes
• Pinch hot pepper flakes

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Stir the cottage cheese with the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 clove garlic, eggs and half each of the salt and pepper until well combined. Crumble in the ground beef and sausage meat; gently mix until well combined.

Step 2

Shape the mixture into 24 equal-sized meatballs; arrange, in a single layer, in a 9 x 13-inch (3 L) baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and set.

Step 3

Meanwhile, stir the passata with the grated onion, hot pepper flakes, remaining garlic, salt and pepper. Pour the tomato mixture evenly over the meatballs and cook for 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened; gently stir in basil. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese to taste. Serve meatballs over hot cooked pasta or rice.