Lasagna with Cottage Cheese is a classic Midwestern noodle casserole. Layers of rich meat sauce, pasta, creamy filling and cheese will have the whole family coming back for seconds! 

I’ve mentioned a few times that my mom doesn’t really love cooking. We ate home-cooked dinners most nights when I was growing up, but I think my mom would be the first to tell you that cooking doesn’t spark joy for her the way that other hobbies do.

But what’s funny is that on this blog, I feel like I’m always saying “Check out my mom’s Christmas cookies! And potato salad!.” And what’s more is that her recipes have become some of the most popular recipes on this website. Today, I’m sharing her Lasagna with Cottage Cheese. My mom often made this for Christmas day when I was a kid (and sometimes my birthday, too!). Hey, she has a few things that she enjoys cooking, and she does those things well.

About this cottage cheese lasagna:

First, let’s chat about that cottage cheese. YES, as the name makes crystal clear, this lasagna uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese (which is more traditional in authentic Italian food). Hey, this recipe is from the Midwest, where cottage cheese is readily available, affordable, and delicious, and I am here. for. it. Is it authentically Italian? No. Is it delicious? Absolutely.

Have questions? I’ve got answers:

What is the difference between cottage cheese and ricotta cheese?

Cottage cheese is unripened fresh cheese made from curds, which are created when milk is separated into curds and whey. Cottage cheese has a very mild flavor and a lumpier texture. Ricotta is a traditional Italian cheese made from whey and has a smoother texture.

Can you use cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese? Can you make lasagna with cottage cheese?

Yes! That’s what I’m doing in this recipe for cottage cheese lasagna, and the finished product is amazing. I recommend using small curd cottage cheese (instead of large curd), so that the curds disappear into the cheese mixture more easily and mimic the smoothness of ricotta a little more closely.

Can you use mix ricotta and cottage cheese?

Absolutely. Especially if you’re new to making lasagna with cottage cheese, feel free to use half ricotta and half cottage cheese, if you prefer.

How many layers should lasagna have?

This comes down to preference, but personally, I think it needs to have at least 3 layers to really get that feel of digging in to a tall piece of pasta-y, cheesy goodness. I generally do 4 layers, because that’s how it works out for 1 box of lasagna noodles to layer into my 10×16-inch pan. 

What are the other ingredients in cottage cheese lasagna?:

• Meat. You’ll need 1-1/2 pounds total meat for the sauce. My mom likes a combination of ground beef and mild Italian sausage. I like a combo of ground beef and spicy Italian sausage. You could also do all beef, no sausage, but I believe the sausage adds an essential depth of flavor to this dish.
• Herbs. This recipe has always been made with dried oregano and parsley. If you wanted to use fresh herbs, you could, but the dried herbs are what we’ve always used.
• Mozzarella. You can use shredded mozzarella, but we’ve found that this lasagna is easiest to assemble if you use mozzarella slices. Not the fresh, creamy mozzarella that is usually sold in a ball (even though I love that), but low-moisture, part-skim slices. Think cheese slices that you would put on a sandwich, probably found at or near the deli counter. 
• Noodles. We use traditional (you have to boil them first) lasagna noodles. I know that they make those no-boil noodles now, but we’ve never tried this recipe with those and we don’t have any advice for how to do that. Boiling the noodles really isn’t that hard, as it happens while you’re cooking the meat sauce, anyway.
• Tomatoes. There is A LOT of intense tomato flavor going on in this lasagna, and I love it. You’ll need a combination of canned tomato sauce and tomato paste.

Can you layer lasagna the night before?

Yes! This lasagna can be assembled, covered and refrigerated up to 3 days before baking. Bring to room temperature on the counter 1 hour before baking.

Can you freeze lasagna?

Yes, this lasagna freezes well! What I usually do is prepare and bake the full lasagna as written below, and then refrigerate the whole thing (or the leftovers after I’ve served it for dinner once) in the pan overnight. Trust me, it’s MUCH easier to portion and wrap the pieces when the lasagna is chilled than when it is warm.

The next day, I remove the chilled pieces of lasagna from the pan and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then foil. I freeze the wrapped pieces in freezer bags. To reheat, I unwrap as many pieces as I need and place them in a small casserole dish with a little bit of water in the bottom. I cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F until they are heated through.

Yield: 12 servings

Lasagna with Cottage Cheese

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Lasagna with Cottage Cheese is a classic Midwestern noodle casserole. Layers of rich meat sauce, pasta, creamy filling and cheese will have the whole family coming back for seconds!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound mild or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed if necessary
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1 can (29 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the Cheese Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 3 cups small curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For Assembly:

• 1 box (16 ounces) lasagna noodles (traditional, NOT no-boil)
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese slices

For Garnish (optional):

• Additional grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Make the Meat Sauce: In large high-sided skillet, cook beef, sausage, garlic and onion over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes or until meat is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon and stirring occasionally. Remove and discard any excess fat in pan.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano and salt; heat to simmering over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, make the Cheese Filling: Place eggs in large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper; stir until well combined.
4. Prepare noodles according to package directions; drain.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 10 x 16-inch lasagna pan or large baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange 1/4 of noodles in bottom of dish. Spread noodles with 1/4 of Cheese Filling. Arrange 1/4 of mozzarella cheese slices over Cheese Filling (you can rip the cheese slices into halves or thirds to arrange them easier). Spread 1/4 of Meat Sauce over mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers 3 more times.
6. Transfer to oven and bake 45 to 60 minutes or until edges are bubbly. Let rest 15 minutes before serving topped with additional Parmesan cheese and basil, if desired.

Notes

Home Chef Tips:

• This lasagna can be assembled, covered and refrigerated up to 3 days before baking. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before baking.
• This lasagna freezes well! What I usually do is prepare and bake the full lasagna, and then refrigerate the leftovers in the pan overnight. The next day, I remove the chilled pieces of lasagna from the pan and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then foil. I freeze the pieces in freezer bags. To reheat, I unwrap as many pieces as I need and place them in a small casserole dish with a little bit of water in the bottom. I cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F until they are heated through.

Recommended Products

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  High-Sided Skillet
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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 374 Total Fat: 24g Saturated Fat: 11g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 117mg Sodium: 1049mg Carbohydrates: 10g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 4g Protein: 28g

Other recipes that use cottage cheese:

• Superfood Power Lunch Bowl – prep this and eat it all week!
• Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese – the whole family will love this one.
• Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Power Bowls – a reader favorite!
• Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Lavender & Macarons
• Cottage Cheese Alfredo from 40 Aprons