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This crazy easy lasagna recipe lets you enjoy the classic flavors without the fuss! Made with a hearty meat sauce, creamy cottage cheese filling, and loads of cheese, you won't believe just how easy and delicious this recipe is!
This cottage cheese lasagna is a recipe from my childhood. It was the exact meal I requested for my birthday growing up (along with homemade garlic toast and homemade cheesecake). It still ranks as one of my favorite meals of all time.
Kristen's Key Tips for Easy Lasagna
To make a lasagna that delivers comforting, made-from-scratch flavor with minimal effort, pay attention to a few tips.
- Opt for cottage cheese. Cottage cheese may not be traditional in lasagna, but it is oftentimes less expensive than ricotta (and just as tasty!) More importantly, the added moisture helps to ensure the noodles become tender.
- No parboiling OR special noodles needed. A bit of added water to the spaghetti sauce along with a cottage cheese filling, means you can assemble this lasagna without having to boil the noodles first OR purchase special no-boil noodles. Money AND time-saver!
- Grate the cheese yourself. I know this is NOT a time-saver, but it ensures a smooth melt.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
I have provided helpful notes that will allow you to make this lasagna your own, while still enjoy delicious results.
- Noodles: Regular lasagna noodles (even whole wheat works). Do not use no-boil or fresh lasagna noodles, as the bake time and quantity of sauce would change.
- Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade spaghetti sauce or marinara. I like my Instant Pot Spaghetti sauce or Crockpot spaghetti sauce.
- Cottage Cheese: Use full-fat or reduced-fat cottage cheese, not fat-free cottage cheese which does not have the same consistency or flavor.
- Cheese: I use a mixture of mozzarella and parmesan for the best combination of flavor and melting factor.
- Meat: You can opt to add ground beef, homemade Italian sausage, or even pepperoni (for an even FASTER spin on this easy lasagna) or omit the meat altogether.
How to Make Homemade Lasagna
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Brown the meat. If adding meat to your lasagna, begin this recipe by sautéing the ground beef, turkey, or sausage until fully browned, breaking it into bite-sized pieces as it cooks. Drain off any fat if needed.
- Combine sauce. Add the prepared spaghetti sauce/marinara to the skillet along with a bit of water and mix to combine.
- Prepare cottage cheese filling. In a medium mixing bowl combine the cottage cheese, egg, parmesan, and seasonings together.
- Layer the lasagna. It is as simple as layering the meat sauce, uncooked lasagna noodles, cottage cheese filling, and shredded cheese together in repeated layers in a greased baking dish. Use caution to not overlap the lasagna noodles when layering, as this will help ensure the noodles cook evenly.
- Bake. In order for the noodles to cook through, the lasagna must be covered with foil for the first 45 minutes of baking time. This will let the noodles steam and soften perfectly. Then remove the foil for excess moisture to evaporate and for the cheese to brown to perfection!
- Let rest before slicing. Just like classic lasagna, it is best to allow this easy lasagna to rest prior to slicing and serving. This will help keep the layers intact.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Up to 24 Hours in Advance: Assemble the lasagna as directed, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil, and bake for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Freezing a Whole Lasagna: Bake in a freezer-safe or foil pan, cool completely, then wrap in two layers of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, remove one foil layer and bake at 350°F for 1 hour 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Let lasagna cool, then cover tightly or transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave with a damp paper towel in 30-second intervals.
- Freezing Portions: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating as above.
More Lasagna Variations
- Pierogi Lasagna
- Ravioli Lasagna
- Mexican Lasagna
- Easy Skillet Lasagna
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Lasagna Soup
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Easy No-Boil Homemade Lasagna with Cottage Cheese
This recipe for cottage cheese lasagna takes a few shortcuts to deliver a cheesy, hearty homemade lasagna on the table with minimal effort!
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian Sausage
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, omit if using Italian Sausage
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 12 regular lasagna noodles, uncooked
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃) and brush a 9x13 pan with the 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in 1 pound ground meat and begin to brown, breaking it up as it browns. Once the meat is about halfway cooked, season with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Continue to cook until fully browned. Turn off the heat, drain off any excess grease if needed, and return the meat to the skillet.
- To the browned meat, add the prepared spaghetti sauce and 1 cup of water, mixing well to incorporate. (If you are not adding ground meat, simply combine the water with spaghetti sauce in a large bowl at this point.)
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese with ¼ cup minced parsley, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 egg, and ¼ cup parmesan cheese until well combined.
- To layer the lasagna, spread a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay 4 noodles down over the meat, breaking the noodles if needed to fit. Remember it is important to not overlap the noodles, to allow them to cook evenly.
- Evenly top the noodles with ½ of the cottage cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup of the meat sauce. Repeat the layers.
- Finish layering the lasagna, by adding the final 4 lasagna noodles to the lasagna. Top with the remaining meat sauce, spreading to fully cover the noodles. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove the foil and return to the oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the noodles are tender.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Equipment
Notes
Meatless Option: To make a meatless lasagna, omit the meat or use your favorite veggie crumble. Just be sure to combine the spaghetti sauce with 1 cup of water, as this recipe needs that extra moisture.
Noodles: You do NOT need no-boil noodles for this recipe. You can use them if you have them on hand, but regular or whole-wheat lasagna noodles work perfectly for this recipe.
Gluten-Free Lasagna: If using Gluten-Free lasagna noodles, you must pre-boil the noodles, as they release too much starch and would cause this lasagna to be watery and have an off-putting flavor. Boil the noodles per package instructions, omit the water from the sauce, and layer the lasagna as directed.
Cottage Cheese: Use full-fat or reduced-fat, not fat-free cottage cheese. If you prefer, use ricotta cheese in place of cottage cheese.
Want to take a shortcut? Skip the step of browning meat, use sliced pepperoni in the layers of the lasagna in place of ground meat being added to the sauce. The pepperoni will add a hearty, meaty taste--minus the work!
Storage: Allow the lasagna to cool, then cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the lasagna to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place a serving of lasagna onto a heat-safe plate and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
Freezing Lasagna: Prepare and bake the lasagna as directed in a freezer-safe pan or disposable foil pan. After baking, let the lasagna cool completely. Wrap tightly in 2 layers of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake the lasagna from frozen, remove the freezer and remove one layer of foil. Bake covered at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 15gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 305mgPotassium: 152mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 1.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Is there a reason you start layering with the sauce I have always started with the noodled
Hi Susan! I do this so that the noodles won't stick to the bottom of my casserole dish 🙂
Lasagna is one of my favorite dishes! Its great to have an easy recipe on hand.
is is the EASIEST lasagna ever (but still just as tasty!)Enjoy!
Italian food is one of my favorites! I love lasagna, especially with cottage cheese in it!!! This looks amazing!
This really is the world's easiest lasagna! Thank you for a great recipe 🙂
Isn't it so easy Taryn?! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
An easier and quicker lasagna has my name written all over it! I love this recipe!
YAY!!! It makes lasagna possible on busy nights.
Has anyone ever tried pastrami instead of pepperoni? Most of us love turkey pepperoni however my husband and son hate the stuff????
I guess I could use ground meat but I love easy freezer meals.
I sure think that will WORK wonders! I have also used nitrate free Salami with success. If you give Pastrami a try, I want to know how it turns out!
Aaaand now I'm drooling. Not only is lasagna an all time fave, but lasagna that I don't have to slave over for hours to make? SIGN. ME. UP. Love this!
Ah thanks so much Karly!
I have clocked it twice now (with the ground beef option) with the intention of freezing portions for future meals. Unfortunately, it is so good, very little gets past the family to actually make it into the freezer.
One question - the pasta on top seems to want to curl up and the cheese and sauce run off. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?
I am so glad you are enjoying so much Bryan! As for your noodles, that can happen with lasagna. I would try to lie them out as flat as you can on the top and be sure to cover with sauce, then top with cheese. In my house, we fight over those browned curled up edges when they happen 😉