COTTAGE CHEESE RECIPES · FAMILY CASSEROLES
This cottage cheese lasagna swaps ricotta for blended cottage cheese, Parmesan and an egg, layered with a lean beef tomato sauce and mozzarella. It bakes in a 9×13 dish, feeds eight, and every square has more protein than a classic ricotta lasagna.
Jump to Recipe
- Serves
- 8
- Total time
- 1 hour 40 minutes
- Pan
- 9×13 inches
- Protein
- About 36 g per serving
- Beef done at
- 160°F / 71°C
Why You’ll Love This Lasagna
- No ricotta to buy. Cottage cheese is cheaper per gram of protein and it is usually already in the fridge.
- Smooth, not lumpy. A quick blend turns the curds into a creamy layer that bakes up like ricotta.
- Made for leftovers. It slices cleanly the next day and freezes well in portions for lunches.
Ingredient Notes
Low-fat (2%) cottage cheese gives the best balance of creaminess and protein. Blend it with the egg and Parmesan for a ricotta-like layer, or stir it as-is if you like a more rustic texture.
Regular lasagna noodles hold their shape best. Boil them 2 minutes short of the package time, because they finish cooking in the sauce. No-boil noodles also work; see the substitutions below.
Lean (93%) ground beef keeps the sauce from turning greasy. Lean ground turkey works the same way.
The recipe card below lists every quantity in one place.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Make the meat sauce and the cheese layer
Brown the beef with the onion and garlic, then simmer it with crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Blend the cottage cheese, egg and Parmesan until smooth while the noodles cook.
Layer, bake and rest
Layer sauce, noodles, the cottage cheese mixture and mozzarella three times. Bake covered, then uncovered until bubbling, and rest it before slicing.
Photos in this article are AI-generated illustrations of the recipe, created for AllRecipeEasy.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Rest before slicing. Fifteen minutes on the counter lets the layers set. Cut it straight from the oven and the cottage cheese layer runs.
- Drain very wet cottage cheese. If your tub has a lot of liquid on top, pour it off before blending so the lasagna does not turn watery.
- Cover for the first half. Foil keeps the noodles moist while the center heats. Uncover for the last 15 minutes to brown the mozzarella.
- Check the center. The center should reach 165°F / 74°C, the safe temperature for a casserole with egg and meat.
Substitutions and Variations
- No-boil noodles: Use the same number of sheets and add ½ cup of water to the sauce, because they absorb more liquid. Bake covered for 35 minutes.
- Ground turkey: Swap in 1 pound of 93% lean ground turkey and cook it to 165°F before simmering the sauce.
- Spinach: Stir 5 ounces of thawed, squeezed frozen spinach into the cottage cheese layer. It is not included in the nutrition estimate.
- Lazy lasagna: Break the noodles into pieces, toss everything together in the dish and bake. You get the same flavor with less layering.
Budget Tips
A 24-ounce tub of cottage cheese usually costs less than the same amount of ricotta, and it brings more protein. Buy ground beef in family packs and freeze it in 1-pound portions. Store-brand crushed tomatoes and mozzarella work just as well as name brands here.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a green salad and garlic bread or roasted broccoli. If you like cottage cheese in pasta, try the cottage cheese mac and cheese or the cottage cheese chicken Alfredo. You can find more bakes in our high-protein casseroles.
Storage, Reheating and Meal Prep
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. To freeze, cool completely, cut into portions, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat individual squares covered in the microwave, or the whole dish at 350°F covered with foil, until the center reaches 165°F.
Food safety: Cook the ground beef to 160°F / 71°C before simmering the sauce, and bake the assembled lasagna until the center reaches 165°F / 74°C.
Recipe Questions
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in lasagna?
Yes. Use the same amount. Blending the cottage cheese with an egg and Parmesan gives a smooth layer that bakes up much like ricotta, with more protein.
Should I blend the cottage cheese for lasagna?
Blending is optional but recommended. It removes the curds so the layer is creamy. If you skip it, stir the cottage cheese with the egg and Parmesan and expect a looser texture.
How do I keep cottage cheese lasagna from being watery?
Pour off the liquid on top of the tub, simmer the meat sauce until thick and let the lasagna rest 15 minutes before cutting.
Can I make cottage cheese lasagna ahead?
Assemble it, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered baking time because it goes in cold.
Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles 2 minutes less than the package time. Drain, rinse with cool water and lay them flat on a lightly oiled sheet.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, breaking up the meat, for 7–8 minutes, until browned and 160°F / 71°C. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened.
- Blend the cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles, one-third of the cottage cheese mixture, one-third of the remaining sauce and ⅔ cup of the mozzarella. Repeat twice more.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more, until bubbling at the edges, the cheese is browned and the center reaches 165°F / 74°C.
- Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes, then slice and serve with basil or parsley.