Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Shred zucchini and squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean towel.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, zucchini, cottage cheese, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, garlic and seasonings. Mix until just combined.
1 lb ground beef, 1 cup shredded zucchini, ½ cup full-fat cottage cheese, ½ cup Italian or panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
Roll into 1–2 Tablespoon-sized meatballs (a heaping Tablespoon) and place on a plate or baking sheet.
Arrange meatballs evenly spaced. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through with an internal temperature of 160°F.
While the meatballs cook, add marinara sauce to a large skillet or saucepan and warm over medium-low heat.
1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
Once meatballs are cooked, transfer them to the sauce. Let simmer for 3–5 minutes so they soak up the flavor.
Serve meatballs warm with your favorite pasta, over zucchini noodles, or with crusty bread for dipping. Garnish with fresh basil and extra parmesan, if desired.
