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Cottage Cheese Lasagna

This Cottage Cheese Lasagna is a game changer! It features layers of tender noodles, a rich meat sauce, and creamy cottage cheese, all baked to perfection for a comforting meal.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meat sauce
  • 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 24 ounces jar marinara sauce
  • 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the cheese mixture
  • 3 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
For assembly
  • 9-12 pieces lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Extra Parmesan for topping (optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a large skillet, sauté minced garlic with ground beef until the meat turns a rich, golden brown. Drain any excess fat.
  2. Add in marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together cottage cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Baking
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Spread a thin base of meat sauce in the dish, top with noodles, half of the cottage cheese mixture, and sprinkle with mozzarella. Repeat layers and finish with noodles topped with meat sauce and a generous amount of mozzarella and Parmesan.
  3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Resting
  1. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to help the layers set.

Notes

Tips: Prep the sauce ahead for quick assembly. For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey. Add ricotta cheese for creaminess. Variations: Incorporate spinach or mushrooms or go vegan with plant-based ingredients.