Cottage Cheese Lasagna
This cottage cheese lasagna is a high-protein twist on the classic, made with lean ground beef or turkey and blended cottage cheese instead of ricotta. Each serving has 38g of protein and reheats beautifully, making it a healthy make-ahead dinner.
Ingredients
The Meat Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2–3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef, or 94% lean turkey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (28-ounce) whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 can (14-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
The Lasagna:
- 12 lasagna noodles, regular, gluten-free, or whole wheat
- 2½ - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
The Cottage Cheese Layer:
- 2 cups cottage cheese (0%, 2% or full-fat), blended for smooth texture
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cook the lasagna noodles to al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add the onion and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Brown the beef: Add the ground beef and tomato paste. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until mostly browned. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Finish the sauce: Add the whole peeled tomatoes, crushing them with your hands or a spoon, along with the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Adjust salt to taste.
- Blend the cottage cheese: Blend the cottage cheese until smooth. In a bowl, combine it with the Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, egg, and salt. Stir until fully combined.
- Assemble: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer 3 noodles, about ¾ cup of the cottage cheese mixture, and about 1½ cups of meat sauce. Repeat two more times. Top with the final 3 noodles and remaining sauce, then sprinkle evenly with the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake: Cover loosely with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Broil (optional): Broil 1 to 2 minutes, until golden with crispy edges.
- Rest: Let the lasagna rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing so the layers set. Garnish with Parmesan and chopped parsley or basil.
Notes
Blend the cottage cheese. I tested it blended and unblended, and blended gives you a smooth, ricotta-like layer and slices that hold. Unblended leaves visible curds that break apart.
Which cottage cheese: 2% and full-fat both work. Skip fat-free, which releases too much water.
Don't skip the rest. Ten to 15 minutes lets the layers set. I sliced after 5 once and it fell apart.
Sauce thickness matters. A thin sauce is the most common cause of watery lasagna.
Make-ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time if it's going in cold.
Freezer-friendly: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 square | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 964mg | Potassium: 795mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 450mg | Iron: 4mg
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