Description
These moist and flavorful Cottage Cheese Meatballs with Burst Cherry Tomatoes combine tender, protein-packed meatballs made with cottage cheese, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning, served in a skillet-rich sauce of sautéed garlic, burst cherry tomatoes, and a touch of spice. This one-pan meal is hearty yet light, making it perfect for a wholesome dinner or lunch. Finish with fresh herbs and extra Parmesan for a bright, comforting dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup almond flour, oat flour, or breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsps avocado oil, tallow, ghee, or olive oil (for cooking the meatballs)
For the Sauce
- 2 Tbsps ghee or grass-fed butter
- 4 fresh garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup wine or chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
- Optional: Fresh herbs (such as basil or parsley), for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken (or turkey or beef), cottage cheese, almond flour (or oat flour or breadcrumbs), Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Mix thoroughly until everything is well incorporated.
- Shape Meatballs: Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form the mixture into tablespoon-sized meatballs. This helps ensure even cooking and moist meatballs.
- Cook Meatballs: Heat the avocado oil, tallow, ghee, or olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer. Brown them on all sides, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and keep warm; cover with foil if needed.
- Make Tomato Sauce: In the same skillet over medium heat, add ghee or butter. Once melted, stir in the sliced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Burst Tomatoes: Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet, along with the wine or chicken broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to split and burst, around 5–7 minutes. Sprinkle in the chili flakes, sea salt, and ground pepper to your taste.
- Smash and Finish Sauce: With the back of a wooden spoon, gently press some of the burst tomatoes to create a chunky, flavorful sauce. Stir well.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Return the cooked meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the tomato sauce. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through and flavors meld.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and your choice of fresh herbs. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any ground meat you prefer; chicken, turkey, or beef all work well.
- Swap almond flour for oat flour or breadcrumbs depending on your dietary needs.
- For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free Parmesan and butter alternatives.
- Fresh herbs like basil or parsley add brightness to the finished dish.
- If you prefer a non-alcoholic sauce, use chicken broth in place of wine.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
