Cottage Cheese Lasagna

a white dish with lasagna topped with melted cheese.

5 from 3 votes

For a twist on the classic comfort food, try this Cottage Cheese Lasagna. In this recipe, cottage cheese is blended with spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan, then layered with marinara and noodles. Simply delicious!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Halal

Skill Level: Intermediate

Servings: servings

Author: Rena

Ingredients

12 lasagna noodle sheets gluten-free or whole wheat works
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
1 large sweet onion diced
6-8 garlic cloves minced
24 ounces jar marinara sauce
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
20 ounces cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
1 large egg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cups packed spinach frozen works, thaw and squeeze out liquid
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
sea salt and pepper to taste
freshly chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the 12 lasagna noodle sheets according to package directions to al dente. Drain and drizzle with a bit of oil to prevent them from sticking.
Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the 1 large sweet onion (diced) and 6-8 garlic cloves (minced) and saute for 5-7 minutes.
Add the 24 ounces jar marinara sauce and season with Kosher salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for 10 minutes.
To make the cheese blend, add the 20 ounces cottage cheese, 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (from the 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese), 1 large egg, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 3 cups packed spinach, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper to a food processor. Blend until almost smooth.
To assemble the lasagna dish, layer half a cupful of tomato sauce at the base on a 9x13 baking dish.
Arrange 3 lasagna noodles without overlapping. Top with sauce, then layer with cheese blend. Repeat the layers until everything is used up. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbly and brown on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

Substitutes:

Vegetarian: Use vegetarian-friendly, Italian-style hard cheese in place of the Parmesan if you're vegetarian
Gluten-free: You can use gluten-free lasagna noodles in this recipe
Grana Padano or Pecorino will work well in place of the Parmesan in this recipe
You can use garlic powder in place of the crushed garlic in the red sauce. Just be sure to add it to the pan when the marinara goes in, instead of cooking it with the onion.
You can use whole wheat lasagna noodles if you like

Storage:

Let the cooked lasagna cool completely, then wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap (or place into an airtight container). Chill in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition