Lasagna with Cottage Cheese

You'll love Lasagna with Cottage Cheese, a twist on the Italian classic. Cottage Cheese makes it super creamy with a slight tang, balancing out the Meat Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese. With many variations, adapt and make it your own.

I grew up eating Lasagna with Cottage Cheese, a popular dinner recipe that's eaten in Canada and the USA. Instead of making Béchamel Sauce (Lasagna al Forno) and using Ricotta, substituting with Mozzarella Cheese and Cottage Cheese is such a timesaver. And tastes amazing!

Ingredients

• Lasagna Noodles - Oven Ready or Fresh Pasta - but I used the older uncooked Lasagna Noodles
• Lasagna Meat Sauce - Ground Beef, Onions, Garlic, Celery, Carrot, Tomato Paste, Pasatta or Tomato Puree, Basil, Oregano, Bay Leaf
• Cottage Cheese Mixture - Cottage Cheese, Eggs, Parsley, Black Pepper
• Grated Mozzarella Cheese
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

How to Make Lasagna with Cottage Cheese

Lasagna Preparation

1. Prepare Pasta - if using uncooked Lasagna Noodles, cook according to instructions ensuring they are cooked al dente. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. Cook the Meat - heat oil in pan and sauté onions, celery and carrot and garlic until softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Ground Beef and cook until browned and all the liquid has evaporated.
3. Add Sauce - stir in Passata or Tomato Puree, Basil, Oregano and a Bay Leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.
4. Prepare Cottage Cheese Mixture - mix together Cottage Cheese, Eggs, chopped Parsley and Black Pepper.

Lasagna Assembly

1. Prepare Assembly- use a 9”x13” baking dish. Preheat oven 350F° (180C°).
2. Assemble 1st Layer - Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan (about 1 cup). Lay Lasagna Noodles over the meat sauce - it’s ok if they overlap or if there is a small gap. Spread about ⅓ of the Meat Sauce over the Noodles. Sprinkle ⅓ of the grated Mozzarella Cheese.
3. Assemble 2nd Layer -lay Lasagna Noodles over the Grated Cheese. Spread the Cottage Cheese Mixture over the Noodles.
4. Assemble 3rd Layer - lay Lasagna Noodles over the Cottage Cheese. Spread about ⅓ of the Meat Sauce over the Noodles. Sprinkle ⅓ of the grated Mozzarella Cheese.
5. Assemble Final Layer - lay Lasagna Noodles over the Meat Sauce. Spread remaining Meat Sauce over Noodles. Sprinkle remaining Mozzarella Cheese, add a generous sprinkle of Grated Parmesan.
6. Bake - cover with Aluminum Foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to allow cheese to bubble and brown.
7. Set and Serve - Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the Lasagna to set for easier cutting. Serve with Garlic Bread.

Best Lasagna Noodles

It's become standard to use Oven Ready Lasagna Sheets, that don't require pre-boiling. This wasn't always the case. There are a few different types of lasagna pasta sheets that you can use.

• Oven Ready Instant Lasagna Noodles - commonly found in supermarkets and the easiest way - no boil so it's easy.
• Fresh Lasagna Sheets - fresh pasta sheets elevate your Lasagna. Whether store bought or homemade.
• Dry Lasagna Sheets (uncooked) - the way it was done when I was a child. Requires boiling to al dente before using. Found in Italian delis and stores, but is getting harder to find.
• Oven Ready Lasagne Sheets - more of an Italian style, usually cut into rectangle sheets, not like the long strips. Commonly sold in Europe and Australia.

Lasagna Variations

• Italian Sausage Lasagna - substitute Ground Beef with Italian Sausage, or do a 50/50 mix
• Vegetarian - skip the meat and add hearty vegetables like Zucchini, Mushrooms, Eggplant, Spinach, or Bell Peppers
• Four Cheese Lasagna - add your favorite cheeses to the mix, like Provolone, Sharp Cheddar, Gouda, Fontina, Swiss, Colby, Marble Cheddar, or Monterey Jack
• Spinach and Cottage Cheese Lasagna - add a layer of fresh Spinach or frozen Spinach (defrosted and squeezed out) to boost the vitamins - my suggestion is to add fresh spinach to your Meat Sauce

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Change the Meat - if Ground Beef isn't your thing, substitute with Ground Turkey, Ground Chicken, Ground Pork (or Pork Beef mix), or even plant based proteins
• Crushed Tomatoes - for more texture and flavor in your Meat Sauce, add a can of Crushed Tomatoes - you might need to simmer for an extra 15 minutes as you don't want the sauce to be watery
• Seasonings - customize the flavors by adding your own flavors to the sauce - I love adding a teaspoon of Fennel Seeds, Red Chili Flakes or Thyme. Remember, fresh herbs are always best
• Add More Meat - for a meatier Lasagna, add an extra 1lb (500g) of Ground Beef
• 3 Layers of Noodles - You can use 3 layers of pasta instead of 4, just make the 3rd layer meatier and cheesier. I don't like leftover pasta sheets, so I will work all the lasagna sheets into the recipe

Passata vs Tomato Puree

Passata is an uncooked tomato puree that is strained from seeds and skin. You can find Passata at all Continental Delis. In North America, it's often called Tomato Sauce or Tomato Puree, so it's the same thing. It's the quintessential Italian sauce, don't use Pasta Sauce, buy this instead!

Can I Substitute Ricotta with Cottage Cheese?

Of course! Ricotta is the more authentic way to make Lasagna. Ricotta has a finer texture and Cottage has a chunkier texture. I find that Cottage Cheese more creamier and a little runnier than Ricotta. Cottage Cheese is lower in calories than Ricotta, almost 50% lower. Use them interchangeably.

Storage

• Fridge - place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Best enjoyed within 3 days.
• Freezer - can be frozen cooked or uncooked! Tightly wrap in cling wrap and carefully place in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for 2-3 months.Thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheating - preheat oven 350F° (180C°). Cover with aluminum foil and heat for 20-30 minutes until warmed through.

Italian Recipes You'll Love!

• Lasagna with Chorizo
• Beef Osso Bucco
• Lasagna Pasta Shells
• Easy Sheet Pan Gnocchi
• Creamy Seafood Lasagna
• Conchiglioni Stuffed Pasta Shells
• Linguine Vongole (with Clams)
• Crawfish Fettuccine (or use Shrimp)
• Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• Italian Tomato Soup with Fennel

Lasagna with Cottage Cheese is an Italian American favorite, full of flavor, cheese with a side of calories. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or for a special occasion, everyone will fight for the leftovers! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

©PetersFoodAdventures *originally posted October 2017, updated September 2024