Lasagna Recipe with Cottage Cheese

This easy Lasagna Recipe with Cottage Cheese is cheesy, meaty and so satisfying. Packed with protein and low in calories, it takes a twist on the Italian dish to make it healthy. Perfect for comforting weeknight dinners, holidays and meal prepping.

If you are looking for more protein-packed comfort meals, you should also try my cottage cheese Alfredo, my cajun chicken pasta, and my healthy Tuscan chicken pasta.

As an Italian, lasagne – how we call them in Italy – have always been a family favorite. My grandma usually makes them for Christmas and around the holiday season as an occasion to gather all together. Cheesy, meaty and bubbly, everyone loves her dish. Me included, and I still enjoy it every year when visiting my family.

Loving lasagna so much, I decided to come up with a healthier option for my weekly meals. Welcome to this lasagna recipe with cottage cheese – it tastes so delicious that you won’t ever guess it can fit in your macros. Without cheating, because this dish is high in protein, low in fats, low in calories and incredibly nutritious.

Why you will love this recipe

• Rich, creamy and cheesy, loaded with tender meat and flavors. The best thing is, you won’t even taste the cottage cheese. This lasagna will satisfy your cravings for Italian foods – it will feel like cheating on your diet, but in reality you’re not.
• Macro-friendly and good for your diet. A serving has over 32 grams of protein for just 336 calories, making it perfect as a weeknight dinner or a post-workout meal.
• Quick and simple to make, with a handful of kitchen staples. This lazy, easy lasagna recipe with cottage cheese won’t require any ingredient you can’t find at the local grocery store.
• Meal prep friendly, you can make it ahead of time and save for the upcoming meals. It can be stored in the fridge or it can be frozen for months.
• Versatile and customizable, it’s so easy to adapt to your preferences. With a couple of tweaks, you’ll also be able to make it vegetarian, low carb or gluten-free.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make lasagna using cottage cheese. The following list contains all ingredients along with tips and substitutions. I’ve included precise measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Lasagna noodles. This recipe uses oven-ready lasagna sheets, so you won’t have to boil them. To ensure that the noodles do not get soggy, I recommend purchasing high quality pasta from trusted brands. Use wholegrain or gluten-free lasagna noodles, if necessary.
• Ground turkey. For less fat and calories, I developed this recipe with ground turkey. But you can easily substitute with ground beef, lean ground beef or ground chicken.
• Cottage cheese. Choose cottage cheese with minimum 2% fat, the higher the content of fats the better the taste. Small curd cottage cheese works best in this recipe.
• Mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella, shredded at home, tastes better and provides a creamier texture. Pre-shredded or sliced mozzarella is also good for a cheesy melting top.
• Parmesan cheese. I like grating it from a fresh block of cheese, but also pre-grated Parmesan cheese works.

For the homemade marinara sauce you’ll need nothing more than onion, garlic, tomatoes, seasonings and olive oil. A teaspoon of vinegar balances the flavors.

• Onion. I like sautéing red onion, but also white or yellow onion works.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are recommended, but you can also use garlic powder.
• Tomato sauce. I recommend natural tomato sauce made entirely from tomatoes, with no added salt, sugar, oil or preservatives. Pre-made marinara sauce can also be used, but you’ll need to reduce the seasonings.
• Fresh tomato. For a cheap and easy lasagna recipe with cottage cheese, I replaced crushed tomatoes with a fresh diced tomato.
• Olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has the best taste and most nutrients. Regular olive oil and avocado oil are great alternatives.
• White wine. Necessary for balancing the flavors, you can also swap it for 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
• Seasonings. You’ll need dried oregano, dried basil, salt and black pepper. In addition, you can season the marinara sauce with a hint of chili flakes for a spicy touch.

How to make lasagna with cottage cheese

Step 1 – Sauté the onion. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 2 – Cook the meat. Add the ground turkey and break it apart with a spatula, a fork, or tongs. Season the meat with salt and pepper and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Step 3 – Make the sauce. Add to the skillet tomato sauce, diced tomato, white wine and all the seasonings. Cook on medium heat until the turkey is ready and no more pink. If necessary, adjust with salt, pepper and seasonings, then set aside for later.

Step 4 – Assemble the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of bolognese sauce and a bit of cottage cheese on the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, then cover with more sauce, cottage cheese, and a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella. Continue layering with noodles, sauces, and cheese until most of the ingredients are used up. Top with a final layer of sauce, cottage cheese, mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil.

Step 5 – Bake. Bake in hot oven at 375°F (190°C) for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Watch the step-by-step video recipe

Recipe variations

• Swap out the meat. Instead of ground turkey, make the filling with ground beef, ground chicken, chopped sausages or plant based alternatives such as Beyond meat. Cooked lentils will also work.
• Add some veggies. Boost colors and nutrients with spinach, Portobello mushrooms, fire roasted tomatoes, sautéed bell peppers, grilled zucchini or eggplant.
• Use ricotta cheese. Make cottage cheese ricotta lasagna by replacing a cup of cottage cheese with creamy ricotta. Your dish will have a richer and creamier texture.
• Try white lasagna. For a twist, cook the meat with onion and garlic, then stir in a white sauce or whipped cottage cheese for a creamy base. Assemble as usual for a delicious “white” lasagna.
• Make soup. Cook the meat and veggies in broth, stir in marinara and cottage cheese, and add broken lasagna noodles. Or, transform leftovers by simmering them in broth for a cozy soup alternative.

Dietary adaptations

• Vegetarian. Replace ground turkey or ground meat with cooked lentils or vegan ground meat. I’ve tried this recipe a couple of times with Beyond meat and it tasted delicious.
• Gluten-free. Use certified gluten-free lasagna noodles and check that all other ingredients do not contain any gluten. Especially tomato sauce and seasonings, which are sometimes mixed with other components.
• Low carb. Swap out regular lasagna sheets for low carb alternatives, or use vegetable sheets. I haven’t tested it personally, but I think that zucchini sliced into long strips may work.

How to make ahead and store

You can either assemble the dish ahead and bake later, or store leftovers after baking. This high protein lasagna keeps well both in the fridge and in the freezer, making it perfect for meal prepping. Here are more details.

• To make ahead. Cook the meat, prepare the sauce and assemble the dish, then cover well with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Before eating, bake it in hot oven as described in the recipe card at the bottom.
• To store. After letting leftovers cool completely, transfer them into an airtight container and refrigerate for a maximum of 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, in the oven or in the air fryer.
• To freeze. Let cool completely, then portion out into freezer-safe food containers or meal boxes and freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake until warmed through.

Frequently asked questions

More high protein pasta recipes

• Cajun chicken pasta
• Tuscan chicken pasta
• Salmon pasta
• Cottage cheese Alfredo
• Tuna pasta salad
• Chicken spinach pasta
• Protein mac and cheese
• Pesto chicken pasta