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Cottage Cheese Lasagna

This easy Cottage Cheese Lasagna offers layers of creamy, smooth cottage cheese, a rich meat sauce, and tender lasagna noodles, baked to golden perfection. It’s a comforting and effortless meal perfect for any family dinner or gathering, with a lighter texture than traditional ricotta versions.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 290

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground meat, your choice (beef, turkey, or chicken) 1 lb ground meat, your choice (beef, turkey, or chicken)
  • 2 jars (24 oz each) marinara sauce 2 jars (24 oz each) marinara sauce
  • 32 oz cottage cheese 32 oz cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan, divided ¾ cup grated Parmesan, divided
  • 9 lasagna noodles, regular or oven ready 9 lasagna noodles, regular or oven ready

Method
 

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) with the oven rack in the middle position.
  2. 2. Add the cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth. It will be thick. This eliminates the cheese curds from separating in the lasagna.
  3. 3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Add the blended cottage cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese to the bowl. Mix thoroughly with a fork to combine. Set aside.
  4. 4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spatula, until it's fully browned and cooked through, for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Add the marinara sauce to the cooked meat and simmer for a couple of minutes to heat it up.
  5. 5. Spread a thin layer of the sauce at the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles and then distribute half of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles, spreading it out from end to end. Top it with a little meat sauce, then add another layer of lasagna noodles on top.
  6. 6. Repeat this by topping the noodles with the rest of the cheese mixture, some of the sauce (about half of what's left), and then a final top layer of noodles. Spread the remaining meat sauce over the noodles, then top with the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
  7. 7. Cover the lasagna tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for a total of 55 minutes. In the final 10 minutes, remove the foil and finish cooking, uncovered, to brown the cheesy top.
  8. 8. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

1. Blending cottage cheese ensures a super creamy, smooth texture without any curds.
2. Don't overcrowd the pan when browning meat to ensure it caramelizes properly.
3. Let the lasagna rest for at least 5 minutes after baking for cleaner slices and set layers.