Description
This Baked Cottage Cheese Lasagna is a cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner that’s creamy, meaty, and irresistibly cheesy—without being too heavy. Swapping ricotta for cottage cheese brings a lighter, protein-rich twist while still delivering the rich layers we all love. It’s the perfect choice for anyone craving comfort food, whether you’re planning easy dinners, searching for healthy lasagna variations, or just need new dinner ideas to spice up the week. Whether you’re making it for the family or meal prepping ahead, this quick-to-assemble, easy recipe deserves a spot in your recipe rotation.
Ingredients
12 lasagna noodles (or oven-ready)
1 pound ground beef
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
24 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cottage cheese
1 large egg
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat.
2. Add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened.
4. If using traditional lasagna noodles, boil them until al dente. Drain and set aside. Skip this step if using oven-ready noodles.
5. In a bowl, mix cottage cheese, egg, and half of the parmesan cheese until combined.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
7. Layer noodles, cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat until ingredients are used up.
8. Finish with remaining sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
9. Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
10. Let lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.
Notes
Let the lasagna rest before slicing to keep the layers intact.
Use oven-ready noodles to save time on prep.
Freshly shredded mozzarella melts better than pre-packaged for that perfect gooey top.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 740mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: baked lasagna, cottage cheese lasagna, healthy lasagna, easy dinner, comfort food