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Ground Beef Cottage Cheese Lasagna - Cozy, Cheesy, and Weeknight-Friendly

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Ground beef: 1 to 1.25 pounds, 85–90% lean
  • Olive oil: 1 tablespoon, if your beef is very lean
  • Yellow onion: 1 small, finely diced
  • Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
  • Marinara sauce: 4 cups (about 32 ounces), jarred or homemade
  • Italian seasoning: 1.5 teaspoons
  • Crushed red pepper flakes: 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
  • Salt and pepper: To taste
  • Cottage cheese: 2 cups (small curd preferred)
  • Egg: 1 large (for binding the cottage cheese layer)
  • Grated Parmesan: 1/2 cup, plus extra for topping
  • Shredded mozzarella: 3 cups, divided
  • Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • Lasagna noodles: 12 sheets (no-boil or classic)
  • Water or beef broth: 1/2 cup if using no-boil noodles
  • Nonstick spray or butter: For the baking dish

Method
 

  1. Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
  2. Brown the beef: Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned with crispy edges, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
  3. Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook until soft, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Build the sauce: Stir in marinara, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer 5–10 minutes to marry the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Mix the cottage cheese layer: In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan, parsley, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
  6. Parboil noodles (if not using no-boil): Cook lasagna noodles in salted boiling water until very al dente, 1–2 minutes shy of package time. Drain and lay flat on a lightly oiled sheet to prevent sticking.
  7. Layer 1: Spread 1 cup meat sauce across the bottom of the baking dish. Add a single layer of noodles.
  8. Layer 2: Dollop and spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with about 1 cup meat sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 to 3/4 cup mozzarella.
  9. Layer 3: Add another layer of noodles, then the remaining cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup meat sauce, and another 1/2 to 3/4 cup mozzarella.
  10. Top layer: Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining meat sauce, and the rest of the mozzarella. Dust with extra Parmesan.
  11. Add liquid for no-boil noodles: If using no-boil noodles, gently pour 1/2 cup water or broth around the edges of the pan to help them hydrate.
  12. Cover and bake: Tent with foil, leaving a slight dome so cheese doesn’t stick. Bake 25 minutes covered.
  13. Uncover and finish: Remove foil and bake 15–20 minutes more, until bubbling and lightly golden on top. For more color, broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
  14. Rest before slicing: Let the lasagna rest 10–15 minutes. This helps the layers set for clean slices.
  15. Garnish and serve: Scatter fresh parsley over the top. Slice and serve with a simple green salad or garlic bread.