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easy lasagna recipe with cottage cheese

Cottage Cheese Lasagna

This easy lasagna recipe swaps traditional ricotta for cottage cheese, offering a lighter, tangier twist on a classic comfort dish while still delivering delicious gooey satisfaction.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450

Ingredients
  

Noodles and Sauces
  • 1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (9 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 24 ounces jarred marinara sauce (or 3 cups homemade)
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cheese Mixture
  • 24 ounces small-curd cottage cheese, full-fat or 2%
  • 2 large eggs Acts as a binder for the filling.
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided Reserving ¼ cup for topping.
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef and onion, cooking until the meat is browned and the onion is soft, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Assembly
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Mix until well blended.
  2. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of no-boil noodles over the sauce (about 4 noodles). Spread one-third of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 cup of meat sauce over the cheese.
  3. Repeat the layering process two more times: noodles, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, meat sauce. For the final layer, top with the remaining noodles, the last of the meat sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.
Baking
  1. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, making sure it doesn't touch the cheese. Bake for 40 minutes.
  2. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing for clean cuts.

Notes

For a vegetarian option, omit the ground beef and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or a plant-based meat substitute. Consider using ricotta cheese for a more traditional flavor.