Creamy Cottage Cheese Lasagna (Easy High-Protein Dinner)
2/5/2026
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Made with a trio of cheeses and a foolproof method, cottage cheese lasagna is a wholesome twist on classic lasagna featuring cottage cheese instead of ricotta in the filling. This swap yields a creamy, hearty, not watery, and protein-packed bite – ideal for for lasagna lovers seeking a lighter, higher-protein weeknight dinner option.
Why I’m Obsessed
- Creamy but not heavy
- Higher in protein than traditional cheese lasagna
- A great make-ahead dinner (that freezes well, too)
- Family-friendly
What You’ll Need
Talk about why full-fat cottage cheese works best, noodle options, sauce consistency, etc.
- Cottage cheese: For best taste and texture, use full-fat cottage cheese. This creates a much thicker, creamier filling.
- Eggs: Give the cheese layer structure.
- More cheese: Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses complete the cheese trio! Try to find blocks of cheese and grate it yourself – it always melts better.
- Italian sausage: Ground Italian sausage beautifully complements the other flavors in this recipe. Change the spice level by choosing a more or less spicy sausage.
- Onion + garlic: Add flavor to the meat sauce.
- Italian seasoning: I like to keep a jar filled with homemade Italian seasoning in my pantry to easily add to recipes like this. Instead of a homemade version, any store-bought Italian seasoning works great.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite homemade or jarred marinara sauce. Here’s the homemade marinara sauce recipe I always turn to!
- Noodles: This recipe calls for 12 classic lasagna noodles.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Lasagna
- Prepare a 9×13-inch casserole pan.
- Cook the lasagna noodles. Drain them and set aside to let them dry off a bit.
- Make the meat sauce. For a thicker sauce, let it simmer while the rest of the recipe comes together.
- Make the cottage cheese filling. Mix well – no need to blend the cottage cheese for this recipe.
- Assemble the lasagna in layers. Layer meat sauce, 4 noodles, cottage cheese filling, and shredded cheese, then repeat. This keeps the lasagna sturdy and creates the beautiful layers when serving.
- Bake. Cover the casserole dish with foil for the first 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes.
Variations & Easy Swaps
- Vegetarian: Skip the Italian sausage and add spinach or diced zucchini in step 5 below.
- Meat: Use the same amount of ground beef, or for a leaner option, replace the sausage with ground turkey or chicken.
- Cheese: Add a sprinkle of provolone for extra cheesiness.
- Noodles: Use oven-ready or gluten free noodles if needed.
What to Serve With It
For a complete meal, I love serving lasagna with a simple salad, roasted veggies (roasted broccoli is my go-to), and cheesy garlic bread for a complete meal!
FAQ
Using cottage cheese in this lasagna filling results in a heartier, sturdier filling that won’t be as watery. Both cheeses bake up super creamy when used in lasagna – cottage cheese is a saltier large curd while ricotta cheese is made with smaller curds.
Make sure the lasagna noodles aren’t dripping wet when layering them in the lasagna and use full-fat cottage cheese (lower fat cottage cheeses have high water contents, which create a watery lasagna).
For the creamiest and most flavorful lasagna, use full-fat cottage cheese and your favorite marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought), preferred ground sausage (spice levels can vary), and seasonings.
Yes. Assemble the lasagna as instructed, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, add 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
Best
Cottage Cheese Recipes
Looking for more recipes with cottage cheese? Check out our cottage cheese recipes archives!
Storage & Reheating
Once the lasagna is completely cool, cover the casserole dish and refrigerate for up to 5 days. For an easier meal-prep option, cut the lasagna into individual portions and wrap them individually.
To freeze: Bake the lasagna in a freezer/oven-safe container and let it cool completely. Cover the lasagna tightly with tin foil and place the entire dish in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze individual servings, cut into pieces, tightly wrap in plastic wrap or foil, and place in a freezer-safe container.
To reheat whole lasagna: Place the covered, frozen lasagna in the oven at 350ºF for about 45 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until warmed through.
To reheat individual servings: Let the lasagna thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then microwave for 3-5 minutes or reheat it in the oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes.
More Cheesy Dinners to Try
- White Lasagna Soup
- Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
- Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Baked Ravioli
- Pizza Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Easy Meat Lasagna
Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 24 oz. cottage cheese, ~4 cups
- 5 oz. grated parmesan cheese, ~1.5 cups
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (~2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
- Prepare the meat sauce while the noodles cook: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium/high heat.
- When the oil becomes fragrant add the Italian sausage and onions. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until there is no pink left in the sausage.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the marinara sauce and set aside.
- Prepare the filling: Place the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and eggs in a medium bowl.
- Mix well and set aside.
- Assemble the lasagna: Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish, covering the bottom of the pan. Layer 4 noodles on top of the sauce. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles. Sprinkle ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese on top of the cottage cheese. Spread ¾ cup of the meat sauce on top of the mozzarella. Repeat the steps until you get to the top layer of noodles.
- Spread the remaining sauce over the noodles and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella on top of the sauce.
- Cover the casserole dish with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the tin foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble this lasagna the day before and bake before serving.
- Vegetarian Option: Skip the Italian sausage and add spinach or diced zucchini in step 5.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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