Mom’s Cottage Cheese Lasagna
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Grab your favorite people and treat them to this rich, creamy Cottage Cheese Lasagna. It’s the tastiest way to say “I love you.”
Early last month, I found myself squished in a tiny counseling room at our local hospital, surrounded by my closest family. We were waiting. My mom was undergoing a heart cath, and the surgery had already dragged on longer than expected. My stomach had the requisite knot that seems to be standard for any hospital waiting room. The room was tense, broken up by nervous laughter and the welcome distraction of a happy, clueless one year old.
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The Dr. finally walked in, and we all took a moment to search his face for clues. With kind eyes and a warm smile, he informed us mom was recovering after an unusually long and difficult surgery. What was supposed to be a routine heart cath to check for a blockage they weren’t even sure existed had turned into an arduous 3 1/2 hour effort to repair three severe blockages.
Our family sat, relieved and stunned, as the Dr. told us he was shocked my mom hadn’t had a heart attack weeks ago. She was an anomaly–a patient whose blood work came back normal, who almost passed two stress tests, and who would’ve been sent home that morning were it not for the unease and intuition of one of the doctors.
Instead, she had surgery. A difficult surgery, but a successful one. I consider it nothing short of a miracle that she didn’t have a heart attack, that they found the blockages when they did, and that they were able to be completely repaired. Holding my mom’s hand that night in the recovery room, I thought of all the cliche phrases you hear in a moment like that, and I felt everyone of them. Life is short and precious. Don’t take it for granted. It’s a gift, and not one we get to keep forever.
No one wishes for these kind of scares, but they do provide you with a conscious gratefulness, the kind you decide to practice rather than just passively feel. The next time you sit at the table together with your family, there’s a little more intentionality, a little more paying attention. Dad’s voice breaks during prayer, and when you raise your head, there’s a sheen in everyone’s eyes. You relish the smell of the dishes being passed, the easy conversation, the light in your mom’s eyes when your son gives her one of his rare, genuine, wet and sloppy kisses.
This Christmas, we’ll be serving mom’s cottage cheese lasagna, a dish she’s been making and sharing for many years. I believe it’s the best lasagna in the world, and that’s not just the post-crisis nostalgia and gratefulness talking. Mom’s lasagna has two things that set it apart from the rest of the pack, and of course, it’s all about the cheese. In this case, cottage cheese and Swiss cheese.
I know you cottage cheese haters are holding back a gag right now, but I promise there’s nothing offensive about cottage cheese lasagna. You don’t really taste the cottage cheese, but it gives the filling a less mushy, more creamy texture, which is something everyone, even the haters, will appreciate.
And then there’s the Swiss cheese. It’s a far cry from traditional, but it works really well. A blend of Swiss and mozzarella has all the sweet, nutty, meltiness a lasagna needs. Even if you’re a teensy bit weirded out by Swiss in your lasagna JUST DO IT. I don’t mean to yell, but it’s important.
Lasagna isn’t exactly known for being easy to make, but this Cottage Cheese Lasagna is definitely manageable for the holidays. I always think of the simmering, stacking, and sprinkling as a labor of love. A casserole dish full of meaty, cheesy lasagna always feels special and extravagant, first because it takes some effort to make and second because it’s unbelievably delicious and comforting.
This is the kind of meal that makes you want to gather your loved ones close, hold hands, say grace, and eat together. It’s the kind of dish that fills your belly and your heart. I’d love for you to share mom’s lasagna with your family, and come to the table this holiday season with eyes wide open to the blessings of being together.
Mom’s Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1 yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 24 ounce jar your favorite pasta sauce (I like a marinara)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups full fat small curd cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the lasagna:
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded baby Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
For the sauce and noodles:
- Combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, and onion in a large, deep sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat, breaking apart the meat with a spatula, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat off the pan, then stir in garlic, pasta sauce, oregano, pepper, and salt. Heat through then reduce heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a fat pinch of salt and swirl of oil (this helps keep the noodles from sticking.) Add the noodles to the pot and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain noodles then lay them out on aluminum foil so they'll be ready to go later.
For the filling:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
To layer:
- Spread a very scant layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with 4 noodles laid lengthwise in the pan. Spread half the cheese on top followed by 4 more noodles. Spread half of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Spread all of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the sauce, followed by 3 more noodles. Finish with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
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Notes
- I know Swiss seems unconventional for a lasagna, but the bite of it really adds to the dish!
how many does this serve?
It should serve 8-10 people.
Can you make this the night before and refrigerate before baking?
Absolutely! I recommend bringing it to room temperature while the oven preheats, especially if you’re using a glass pan. Otherwise, just bake as normal!
Just a tip make your comments separate from the page it makes it so much harder to get your recipe
This recipe is so good! My lasagna hating husband loves it. Thank you for sharing it.
Next time I may make it with Bechamel sauce and add some fresh spinach.
I’m so glad! The bechamel sounds wonderful! Let me know how it turns out!
I’m sure that this is delicious but this dish can’t be labeled as a Lasagna. the Cottage cheese can be used as a base cheese but traditional Lasagna requires provolone, mozzarella or a combination of both. Using Swiss Cheese removes this dish from the Lasagna realm. A more appropriate name would be “Italian Casserole”
Relax man. Don’t be so serious.
Yum! This recipe is really good! Followed step by step but added a bit more red sauce and a few more noodles. The swiss cheese….omg, dont skip it! Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
Do you cover it while baking or leave it open? Thanks for the recipe
I bake it uncovered.
I’m confused about the layering order. Is it just me? Noodles, shredded cheese, and then noodles again?
I did sauce&meat mixture first, 4 noodles, Cottage cheese,parmesan&egg mixture,shredded mozzarella, then 4 noodles again. Meat mixture, cheese mixture, shredded mozzarella, repeat until you’re done.
This is SO yummy! Everyone devoured it and gave many compliments. The swiss cheese makes a really creamy addition and the flavor is so mellow in combination with the other cheese. Delicious!
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so glad you enjoyed the Swiss cheese addition–I think it really makes this Cottage Cheese Lasagna special!
Thank you for the clear directions, so dang yummy! Will be making this for now on! I skipped the Swiss and just used mozzarella…personal choice! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed the lasagna! Thanks for coming back to let us know!
Do you cover you lasagna as you bake?
I do not. If it seems to be getting too brown you can cover it for the last 10-15 minutes, but I’ve never had an issue.
I’ve made this twice now. It started when I went to the store to get ingredients and they were out of both jumbo shells and ricotta. I nervously tried making this for my fiancé (he’s a chef) but it was a hit. I’ve made it twice now. Thank you!
So glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know!
My husband bought oven ready noodles. I’ve never made a lasagna, will they work well for this recipe??
I used the no boil/oven ready noodles and they came out great! No need to change cooking time.
I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago. My grocery store did not have ricota that so many other recipes was calling for. This was my second attempt at making lasagna, my first attempt was horrible! But following your mom’s recipe, my second attempt was a million times better! Your mom knows what she is doing here! It is tonights supper once again, but I just wanted to stop by and say thank you so much! Lasagna is a favourite of mine but after my first attempt, I just stuck with frozen. So glad those days are over, thanks again! Well, I gotta go and put a lasagna in the oven lol
Yay! This makes me so incredibly happy. I’m thrilled you loved the cottage cheese lasagna. Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Love the recipe! Substituted ground turkey for the sausage, what great flavour! Have made this three times now and it was absolutely delicious every time.
Thanks so much for sharing this, will be a staple with me from now on.
I’m so glad you loved the lasagna recipe! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
This recipe is great! Since I found it, I use it all the time. Thanks so much for sharing!
This is my favorite lasagna recipe hands down. I have made it many times and I fall in love all over again each and every time. So much so, that I am wo dering if this recipe freezes well? If so any recommendations for cooking times and temps?
You can definitely freeze it! You can freeze the cottage cheese lasagna whole, unbaked, wrapped in saran wrap then foil. When ready to bake, remove the saran wrap then recover with foil. You can bake from frozen at 375 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours or thaw overnight in the fridge and bake for about 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 20 or so minutes or until cheese is browned and casserole is bubbly. NOTE: some pans might not do well with extreme temperature changes. For this reason, I always use a foil pan when I’m freezing a whole lasagna.
This was delish!! We have 2 cottage cheese haters in the house and guess what? They couldn’t even tell that was the cheese in there!!!(maybe it’s the less discerning palates of 10&3 year olds) 🤷
All loved it and I’m thankful there was enough for leftovers for tomorrow night!!!!! Thanks!!
The crispy curly edge noodles are the best part. I’ll fight you.
Hello Courtney, I love making Lasagna. I recently have got into a new relationship and I made him mine with ricotta cheese. He didn’t like it lol. He told me about using cottage cheese, so I thank you for this recipe I hope he loves it. I hope all is doing well. Dawn
I hope this cottage cheese lasagna is a hit for both of you!
Thank you so much! I felt a little stupid after I watched the video and saw it at the end. I’ve never made homemade lasagna in my life so I had no clue lol. Can’t wait to try this tonight!
No problem! I hope you loved it!