Simple Lasagna Recipe With Ricotta and Cottage Cheese
This classic Italian Lasagna made with Cottage Cheese is as delicious as it is easy to make! Featuring three different kinds of cheese and a savory red meat sauce, this lasagna recipe is scrumptious.
Every cook needs a good lasagna recipe.
And this one is as authentic as it comes!
My half-Italian mother has been making this lasagna for as long as I can remember. She got the recipe from her mom who got it from my Italian great-grandma.
One of the best parts is that it uses so few ingredients. No long grocery list is needed to prepare this lasagna made with cottage cheese!
Step-by-Step Instructions
BROWN 1 pound ground beef and 2 cloves of minced garlic .
Next, add 6 ounces of canned tomato paste, 28 ounces of canned tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon oregano.
COVER and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, COOK 9 lasagna noodles as directed on package and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
ASSEMBLE the lasagna by alternating layers of meat sauce, noodles, and cheeses ( 1½ cups mozzarella cheese and 12 ounces cottage cheese) in a baking dish, beginning and ending with meat sauce.
BAKE 20 to 30 minutes until bubbling and finish with grated parmesan cheese on top.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
If you'd like to save some calories and fat, you can substitute ground turkey for ground beef (that's how I always make it!).
If you don't like grated parmesan cheese, you can top the lasagna with more grated mozzarella.
The recipe says to simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. If I'm short on time, I'll cook it long enough for the ingredients to combine and then call it good!
If you're out of some ingredients you can use these tomato paste substitutes , oregano substitutes, or cottage cheese substitutes.
More Like This
Want more pasta dishes? You'll love these!
- Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Easy Spaghetti with Chili Sauce (aka Cincinnati Chili)
- Simple and Delicious Creamy Pasta Bake
- The Perfect Lemon Basil Pasta
- Cheesy Chicken and Linguine Recipe
FAQs
Is lasagna better with ricotta or cottage cheese?
That depends on what you mean by better. Both Ricotta and cottage cheese have a similar flavor profile, but they differ in texture and fat content.
For a lighter lasagna, cottage cheese is the clear winner. Ricotta is creamier than cottage cheese, but also has a lot more calories.
If you want to use cottage cheese, but prefer the consistency of ricotta, try straining or blending it to transform the texture.
Does cottage cheese make lasagna watery?
Cottage cheese can make your lasagna watery, so here are a few extra steps you can take to prevent that.
Try draining the cheese in your sink for several minutes before making this dish or squeeze out any moisture in a towel.
You can also opt for full fat cottage cheese. Low-fat cheese tends to lose more whey as it cooks which can make the dish more watery.
What order do you layer a lasagna?
I always start and end my lasagna with the meat sauce.
Add cheese on top of the noodles so they bind together and always end with sauce on top so every layer has each component.
Plus, the dish would look a bit funny with nothing on top!
Why is my lasagna runny?
The sauce can be a little runny if you serve this lasagna right out of the oven. Cool before slicing for best results.
You can also drain off a little of the tomato juice before you add them to the sauce if you like a thicker sauce. If you'd like even more sauce, add another can of tomatoes for 42 oz. total.
Be sure to choose lean meat which produces less grease and drain well before adding it to your pasta.
I hope your family loves this delicious lasagna made with cottage cheese! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
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Best Ever Lasagna Made With Cottage Cheese
This delicious Italian lasagna made with cottage cheese features three different kinds of cheese and a savory red meat sauce.
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 servings
Calories 268 kcal
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 12 ounces cottage cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
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Add ground beef and garlic to a large skillet or pan. Brown ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat.
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Once the ground beef is cooked, drain off any excess oil and add tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and oregano to the pan. Stir to combine.
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Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
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While the meat mixture is simmering, cook noodles as directed on package. Drain and set aside.
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Once the noodles and meat mixture are done, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Add a small spoonful of meat sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place 3 lasagna noodles on the meat sauce and then top the noodles with some mozzarella and cottage cheese. Repeat this order until all of the noodles are used (meat sauce, noodles, mozzarella, cottage cheese). Reserve some meat sauce to put on top of the lasagna.
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Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until bubbly and finish with grated parmesan cheese, or additional mozzarella.
Serving: 1 g Calories: 268 kcal Carbohydrates: 23 g Protein: 17 g Fat: 12 g Saturated Fat: 5 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 43 mg Sodium: 530 mg Potassium: 462 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 5 g Vitamin A: 430 IU Vitamin C: 9 mg Calcium: 134 mg Iron: 2 mg
Keyword lasagna made with cottage cheese, lasagna using cottage cheese, lasagna with cottage cheese, lasagna with cottage cheese recipe
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Simple Lasagna Recipe With Ricotta and Cottage Cheese
Source: https://www.ashcroftfamilytable.com/lasagna-made-with-cottage-cheese/