Lasagna Casserole With Cottage Cheese
This Easy Lasagna Casserole is a true weeknight hero!
Imagine layers of tender spiral pasta, savory ground beef, zesty marinara sauce, and creamy cheeses, all baked to bubbling perfection.
But what truly sets this recipe apart? It’s been kid-tested and approved, making it incredibly kid-friendly! So you can trust that it’s delicious and sure to please even the pickiest of eaters in your family.
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Here’s why this lasagna casserole earns a spot in my regular dinner rotation
- Pro-tested, family approved – I ran this casserole through the “busy Tuesday” gauntlet more times than I can count. It fed my crew, a neighbor drop-off, and a freezer-meal workshop without a single leftover. That tells me the flavors hit the mark.
- Same comfort, less chaos – Classic lasagna demands a stack of noodles and a lot of patience. This shortcut skips the tedious layering but keeps the saucy, cheesy payoff. From stove to table in about 35 minutes.
- Protein punch without the price tag – Cottage cheese adds creaminess and 13 grams of protein per half cup, yet costs less than ricotta. Win-win.
- Ready for your twist – Swap ground beef for Italian sausage or turkey, stir in chopped spinach, zucchini or mushrooms, or heat things up with a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil. You do you.
- Meal prep gold – Assemble on Sunday, cover and chill. Bake it straight from the fridge on a weeknight or freeze for up to three months. Dinner is basically waiting on you.
Behind the scenes: my test kitchen notes
- The perfect combination. After three test batches, I landed on about 3 cups of marinara for every 8 ounces of dry pasta. That ratio coats the spirals without pooling at the bottom.
- Extra flavor. Browning the beef first, then blooming the garlic and spices for a full minute, builds deeper flavor than tossing everything in at once.
- How much spice do you like? For me, a quick hit of red pepper flakes really wakes up jarred marinara. Even my no-hot-stuff husband was ok with a pinch.
- Freezer trial. I wrapped a fully pan of the uncooked caserole in two layers of foil, froze it for a month, then thawed in the fridge and reheated. Came out perfect!
Pair it with garlic bread, a crisp wedge salad and maybe a slab of no-bake key lime pie for dessert. Dinner, done.
Ingredients For Lazy Lasagna Casserole
Recipe Notes
- Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have Italian Seasoning, you can use the individual spices: basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, or rosemary.
- Jarred Marinara: Use your favorite marinara, pasta sauce, or spaghetti sauce.
How to make this lasagna pasta bake
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and get water boiling.
Step 2: Cook pasta.
Step 3: Brown and season the meat.
Step 4: Sauce it up.
Step 5: Add cottage cheese and pasta.
Step 6: Assemble
Step 7: Bake the lasagna uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley flakes or fresh basil.
More Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
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Recipe
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Lazy Lasagna Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Spiral Pasta
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 24 ounces Jarred Marinara or Pasta Sauce
- 1 cups Cottage Cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.8 ounces Spiral Pasta
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the spiral pasta in the pot and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains, breaking it up as you go. Drain off the extra grease.1 pound Ground Beef, 2 cloves Minced Garlic, 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning, ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, 24 ounces Jarred Marinara or Pasta Sauce
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let everything sizzle for about a minute so the spices wake up.
- Pour in the marinara, give it a good stir, and simmer for 2–3 minutes. It should look thick and glossy.
- Fold the cottage cheese into the meat sauce, then gently stir in the cooked pasta until every noodle is coated.1 cups Cottage Cheese
- Spoon the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente so it holds up well in the casserole.
- If you don’t have marinara sauce or pasta sauce, you can use tomato sauce and add extra dried herbs.
- Make sure to coat the baking dish with cooking spray so the casserole doesn’t stick.
Nutrition
Comment
Storage
Fridge: This lazy lasagna casserole recipe will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezer: The lasagna will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or oven.
Make-ahead: Make a second casserole and freeze it for later. Follow the directions, but don’t bake. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. The casserole will keep unbaked in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I love giving this recipe to new parents because they can freeze it and pull it out when they need an easy dinner.
The pasta was perfectly tender and the combination of cheeses added such a rich creaminess that I loved. Absolutely delish! Even my picky eater seemed to enjoy it, going back for seconds. This will definitely going into my regular dinner rotation!
Fantastic! I’m glad everyone enjoyed! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Absolutely wonderful recipe!
And so glad there’s enough leftovers for a couple of lunches & another dinner ????
I love leftovers too, Julie!
I love a good short cut! This will be a staple at our house! Yummy!
It was very good.Great easy meal. TK
Great meal.
Our family has been exploring new recipes over the last 6 weeks, after several failed attempts this one hit the spot! Without question, our family will be trying more of Jills recipes! Keep up the good work.
Thanks Andrew! This one is a great family mean. I find little ones love it!
This was a very yummy recipe !!!
So good and easy!!
Thanks Connie! I love this one because it’s always a hit. Picky eaters and all!
What oven temperature is to be used?
Julie, you’ll want to bake the casserole at 400 degrees.