Healthy Cottage Cheese Lasagna for Dinner
Healthy Cottage Cheese Lasagna
My mother use to make this healthy version of lasagna when we were kids for the extra protein and lower fat content. Honestly we never knew until later in life it was made with cottage cheese. I tried this recipe on my kids who didn’t like the texture of the ricotta, and they loved the cottage cheese version! My secret was I didn’t tell them ahead of time it was made with cottage cheese.????
Serves 6-8
Calories per serving: ~350
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground turkey or ground chicken
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 box no boil noodles
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
Start by cooking the ground turkey/chicken a large skillet over medium heat. Once cooked 5-7 minutes transfer to a plate with a paper towel to drain. Using the same skillet, add the diced onion and garlic, cook until fragrant about 5-7 mins. Pour in the marinara sauce, season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and let the sauce simmer while you prepare the other layers.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg and fold in the cottage cheese, half of the shredded mozzarella, and the grated Parmesan. Stir until everything is well combined for a creamy and cheesy filling.
Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, then layer three cooked lasagna noodles on top. Spread a portion of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, followed by a layer of meat sauce. Continue layering noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce until you have three- four layers, finishing with the remaining meat sauce.
Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella over the top, covering the sauce generously.
Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley for a pop of color and enjoy!
