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High-Protein Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Classic cottage cheese lasagna layered with lean turkey meat sauce, spinach, mozzarella and Parmesan. 31 grams of protein per generous slice.

  • 31g protein
  • 372 calories
  • 75 minutes
  • 8 servings

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By The Protein First Kitchen Team. Published

Slice of cottage cheese lasagna with basil
Photo by @emanuelekstrom on Unsplash

Cottage cheese lasagna is how a lot of American grandmothers made it, and it is also a smart high-protein swap. Cottage cheese has about twice the protein of ricotta, and with a lean turkey meat sauce each generous slice has 31 grams of protein.

Blend or don’t

Straight from the tub, cottage cheese gives you a classic, slightly textured layer. Blend it for 30 seconds and it becomes as smooth as ricotta. Both work.

Make-ahead dinner

Assemble the lasagna the night before and refrigerate it covered. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time. Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch.

More protein pasta

Try our high protein mac and cheese or cottage cheese alfredo for faster weeknight pasta.

High-Protein Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Prep 25 min. Cook 50 min. Makes 8 servings of 1 slice (1/8 of a 9x13 pan).

Servings

Ingredients

Meat sauce

Cottage cheese layer

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the noodles 2 minutes less than the package says; drain and lay flat on an oiled sheet.
  2. Brown the turkey with the onion in a large skillet, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning for 1 minute, then stir in the marinara.
  3. Mix the cottage cheese, egg, half the Parmesan and the spinach.
  4. Spread 1 cup meat sauce in a 9x13 dish. Layer 3 noodles, half the cottage cheese mixture, a third of the remaining sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat once.
  5. Top with the last 3 noodles, the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
  6. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until bubbling and golden. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • Resting before slicing lets the layers set so they don't slide apart.
  • For a smoother, ricotta-like layer, blend the cottage cheese first.
  • Freezes well, assembled and unbaked or baked, for up to 3 months.

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    Questions people ask

    Can you use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in lasagna?

    Yes. Cottage cheese has about twice the protein of whole-milk ricotta and fewer calories. Blend it if you want the smooth texture of ricotta.

    Why is my lasagna watery?

    Undrained cottage cheese, wet spinach or not resting it before slicing. Squeeze the spinach and let the lasagna rest 15 minutes.

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