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Easy Cottage Cheese Lasagna Recipe | Healthy Family Dinner

A cozy, lighter lasagna that swaps ricotta for creamy cottage cheese, delivering classic comfort with extra protein. Simple steps and pantry staples make it weeknight-friendly yet crowd-pleasing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups small-curd cottage cheese (2% or whole milk)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella (for mixing)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 9–12 lasagna noodles (no-boil or regular, cooked according to package if needed)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella (for topping)
  • 2–3 tablespoons grated Parmesan (for topping)
  • Olive oil spray for the pan

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add ground meat, and cook until browned with no pink remaining.
  • Stir in chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes.
  • Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Pour in marinara sauce and water, season with salt and black pepper, and simmer 5–7 minutes to slightly thicken; remove from heat.
  • In a bowl, whisk the egg, then add cottage cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, parsley or basil, kosher salt, and black pepper; stir until creamy and well combined.
  • If using regular noodles, boil in salted water until very al dente, then drain and lay flat on a lightly oiled sheet; if using no-boil noodles, use them straight from the box and ensure the sauce isn’t too thick.
  • Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom.
  • Layer noodles over the sauce, spread one-third of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, and spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups sauce on top.
  • Repeat the noodle, cottage cheese, and sauce layers two more times.
  • Finish with a final layer of noodles, a thin swipe of sauce, the remaining shredded mozzarella, and grated Parmesan.
  • Cover the dish tightly with foil, tenting so it doesn’t touch the cheese, and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and bake 15–20 minutes more until the cheese is bubbling and golden in spots.
  • Let the lasagna rest 10–15 minutes before slicing to allow the layers to set.

Notes

If the sauce looks thick, add a splash of water, especially when using no-boil noodles. Season each component for best flavor and let the lasagna rest before slicing. Assemble up to 24 hours ahead; when baking from cold, add 10–15 minutes to the covered bake time. For a spinach variation, fold 1–2 cups squeezed-dry spinach into the cottage cheese mixture.