Description
This cheesy, saucy lasagna gets its wonderful flavor from a blend of beef, beef Italian sausage, three cheeses, and the secret ingredient, cottage cheese!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. beef Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 32 ounces marinara (or your favorite pasta sauce)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups full fat small curd cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded baby Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook Meat: Combine the ground beef, beef Italian sausage, and onion in a large, deep sauce pan or Dutch oven. Cook over medium high heat, breaking apart the meat with a spatula, until no pink remains.
- Simmer Sauce: Drain any excess fat off the pan, then stir in garlic, pasta sauce, oregano, and salt, and pepper, to taste. Heat through, then reduce heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer.
- Boil Noodles: While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a fat pinch of salt and swirl of oil. Add the noodles to the pot and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the noodles then lay them out on parchment paper.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Layer Lasagna: Spread a very scant layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with 4 noodles laid lengthwise in the pan. Spread half the cheese on top followed by 4 more noodles. Spread half of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Spread all of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the sauce, followed by 4 more noodles. Finish with the remaining sauce and cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until cheese is browned and casserole is bubbling.
- Rest: Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the filling to set up.
Notes
To make ahead: Assemble the lasagna, cover and refrigerate. Bake adding an extra 15-20 minutes. To freeze: Assemble in a foil pan, double wrap in plastic and foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen (covered) for 1 hour 15 minutes, then uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Substitute Swiss cheese with provolone or additional mozzarella, or substitute ricotta for cottage cheese.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 668 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1463 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 138 mg
Keywords: cottage cheese lasagna, cottage cheese lasagna recipe