Cottage Cheese Lasagna with Beef and Marinara

Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Cottage cheese gives this beef-and-marinara lasagna a soft, lightly curdy filling beneath layers of noodles and melted mozzarella. Regular lasagna noodles are boiled just shy of tender, so they finish cooking in the sauce without needing extra water. The casserole bakes covered to heat the layers through, then uncovered until the cheese has golden-brown spots. Let it rest before cutting so the hot filling has time to settle.

Prep time: 35 minutes | Cook time: 55–60 minutes | Rest time: 15–20 minutes | Total time: About 1 hour 50 minutes | Serves: 8–10

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Lasagna

• 12 regular lasagna noodles, about 12 oz (340g)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, as needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup (150g)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef (450g)
• Two 24-oz jars marinara sauce, 48 oz total (about 1,350g)
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• About 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 24 oz small-curd cottage cheese (680g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, divided (90g)
• 4 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided (450g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

How to Make Cottage Cheese Lasagna

1. Preheat and boil the noodles: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Boil the noodles in a large pot of salted water until just shy of tender, following the package timing. They should bend without breaking but still feel slightly firm. Drain and lay them flat on parchment or a lightly oiled tray so they do not stick together.
2. Make the meat sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion until softened, then add the garlic and ground beef. Cook, breaking up the beef, until no raw-looking pieces remain. Drain excess fat. Stir in the marinara, Italian seasoning, about half the salt, and half the pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer briefly, stirring, until the sauce is combined and spoonable.
3. Mix the filling: If the cottage cheese has noticeable excess liquid, strain it first. Stir it together with the egg, half the Parmesan, and the remaining salt and pepper. Leave the curds intact for the main version; for a smoother filling, briefly blend the cottage cheese before mixing it with the other ingredients.
4. Layer the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add four noodles, a third of the cottage-cheese filling, meat sauce, and some mozzarella. Repeat twice with the remaining noodles and filling, saving enough sauce and mozzarella to cover the top. Finish with sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and the remaining Parmesan. Leave room below the dish’s rim; if it is close to full, set it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling sauce.
5. Bake covered: Tent the dish loosely with foil so it does not touch the cheese, or lightly grease the underside of the foil. Bake for about 40 minutes, then check for sauce beginning to bubble around the edges.
6. Brown the top: Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, beginning to check after 15 minutes. The sauce should bubble at the edges, the center should be hot, and the mozzarella should be melted with scattered golden-brown spots. A deep dish or a casserole baked straight from the refrigerator may take longer.
7. Rest and serve: Let the lasagna stand for 15–20 minutes, until vigorous bubbling subsides and the layers begin to settle. Scatter the parsley over the top, then cut and serve from the baking dish.

Cottage Cheese: Curdy or Smooth?

Unblended cottage cheese makes a softly curdy filling. Blending it briefly produces a smoother texture, but it is not needed to make the layers hold together. Strain the cheese only if you can see excess liquid; otherwise, use it as it is.

Why This Lasagna Uses Boiled Noodles

Regular noodles are boiled just shy of tender so they can finish cooking in the casserole. The measured marinara provides the moisture they need; do not add water. Oven-ready noodles absorb sauce differently and need their own moisture and baking directions, so they are not a direct swap for this method.

How to Avoid Watery Layers

Drain excess fat after browning the beef, and strain cottage cheese only when it is noticeably wet. Use the measured marinara without adding water. Resting the baked lasagna also gives the hot sauce and filling time to settle before slicing.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

To make it ahead, assemble the lasagna, cover it, and refrigerate it until ready to bake. A chilled casserole may need longer than the listed bake time; look for bubbling edges and a hot center.

Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat portions covered in the oven until hot throughout, or microwave in short intervals. Loosen the cover near the end of oven reheating if you want a less-steamed top.

Freeze baked portions or an assembled, unbaked casserole tightly wrapped in a freezer-safe dish. For best quality, use within about 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when practical. If baking from frozen, keep it covered until heated through and allow substantially more time; the timing will depend on the dish and casserole depth.

Serve with a green salad, Caesar salad, or garlic bread. For a different beef-and-pasta dinner, try Bowtie Pasta Lasagna. High-Protein Taco Pasta is another beef-and-cottage-cheese pasta dish with a different flavor profile.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1 of 9 servings: 580 calories, 39g protein, 22g fat, and 48g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 140 calories, 9g protein, 5g fat, and 11g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands of marinara, cottage cheese, and other cheeses used.