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This is The Best Lasagna Recipe Ever!
There’s something SO magical about a warm, cheesy lasagna on a busy weeknight! And as a busy mom of 3, the fact that you can put it together in just 30 minutes and then set it in the oven for hands-off baking time is truly the best. This Easy Healthy Lasagna has been our family favorite for years and it’s truly the BEST healthy comfort food recipe! Made with lean ground beef, fresh veggies, and a creamy cottage cheese filling (instead of ricotta), this lasagna is not only delicious but also higher in protein for a healthy dinner idea that leaves you feeling full and happy.
What I love most about this lasagna is how simple it is to make. With minimal prep and easy-to-find ingredients, this easy, healthy dinner is on the table in no time. Plus, it’s one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day, so it’s great as leftovers or a make-ahead meal! I’m completely obsessed with this cottage cheese lasagna recipe and I know you’ll love it, too!
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Simple Lasagna Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients in this recipe are simple and easy to find! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Lean Ground Beef: Adds heartiness and flavor without extra fat. You can also sub in ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option!
- Diced Onion: Adds depth to the dish and pairs perfectly with the beef.
- Zucchini & Summer Squash: These veggies sneak in extra nutrition without overpowering the dish. Finely diced so they blend right into the sauce!
- Canned Tomatoes & Tomato Sauce: A mix of whole tomatoes and tomato sauce gives the lasagna that classic, rich flavor.
- Seasoning: Measure out the ingredients for your own homemade seasoning (in the recipe below), or feel free to substitute it with 7 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning!
- Cottage Cheese: This is where the magic happens—cottage cheese makes the lasagna creamy while adding a ton of protein.
- Parmesan & Mozzarella Cheese: For that gooey, cheesy top that everyone loves!
- Lasagna Noodles: Oven-ready lasagna noodles make this recipe even quicker to assemble—no boiling required. Feel free to use higher protein lasagna noodles or gluten-free lasagna noodles, instead!
How to Make Lasagna With Cottage Cheese
Making cottage cheese lasagna is actually SO easy! Here’s how to make the best healthy lasagna recipe:
- Cook the ground beef and onions until the beef is fully browned, then set aside. In the same pan, sauté the diced zucchini and summer squash until softened.
- Make the sauce by adding the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices to the pan with the squash. Let everything simmer together before adding the cooked beef and onions back in.
- Assemble the lasagna by layering the sauce, lasagna noodles, cottage cheese, and shredded parmesan and mozzarella in a 9×13” baking dish. Repeat the layers and finish with a top layer of sauce and cheese!
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes to let the cheese get nice and bubbly.
Make This Cottage Cheese Lasagna in Advance
It’s so easy to make this lasagna ahead of time! Assemble the recipe the night before or even in the morning, then cover and refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook. If you want to freeze it for later, simply wrap the unbaked lasagna in plastic wrap and foil (or place it in a glass casserole dish with an airtight lid), then freeze it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, bake it straight from the freezer (just add 15-20 minutes to the baking time)!
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Cottage Cheese Lasagna Recipe Variations
Vegetarian: Skip the ground beef and load up on more veggies like chopped spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers for a veggie-packed lasagna.
Ground Turkey Lasagna: Easily swap the lean ground beef for lean ground turkey!
Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles to make this recipe gluten-free without sacrificing any flavor.
Low-Carb: Try using thinly sliced zucchini in place of the lasagna noodles for a low-carb version. I love this healthy substition and it’s still SO delicious!
How to Store Lasagna With Cottage Cheese
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply microwave or pop a slice into the oven until it’s evenly warmed through.
- Freezer: You can freeze the fully assembled, cooked lasagna for up to 3 months! Just place it in an airtight container (or individual containers) and freeze it. When ready to enjoy, reheat it straight from the freezer in the microave or oven!
TIP: This is actually one of my favorite freezer meals to take to mom friends who just had a baby or need a meal delivered!
Cottage Cheese Lasagna Recipe FAQs
Yes! This healthy lasagna recipe is made with lean protein, veggies, and wholesome ingredients, making it a nutritious option for dinner. By using lean ground beef, adding veggies like zucchini, and opting for cottage cheese instead of heavy ricotta, it keeps the dish lower in calories and fat while still being satisfying, higher in protein, and delicious!
Cottage cheese is a fantastic alternative to ricotta in lasagna recipes because it’s lighter in fat and higher in protein. Plus, it has a creaminess that blends beautifully with the rest of the ingredients, giving you that rich texture.
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Simple Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced onion (chopped)
- 2 cups finely diced zucchini (about 2 small or 1 medium/large zucchini)
- 1 cup finely diced summer squash (about 1 medium /large summer squash)
- 1 15 ounce can whole tomatoes (2 cups, or crushed tomatoes if preferred)
- 1 10 ounce can tomato sauce (1 1/4 cups)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 6 ounces uncooked, oven-ready lasagna noodles (8 noodles)
- 16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the chopped onion and ground beef until the beef is fully cooked over medium-high heat in a large pan with high sides (about 10 minutes).
- While the beef is cooking, cut the zucchini and summer squash into small, 1/4″ – 1/2″ cubes.
- Once the beef is done cooking, set aside and drain.
- Cook the zucchini and summer squash for about 7-10 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices.
- Continue cooking over medium heat for another 7-10 minutes, stirring often and breaking down the whole tomatoes with a spatula.
- Add the cooked beef and onions back into the tomato sauce mixture and stir.
- Pour about 1/4 of the tomato sauce mixture into a 9×13" casserole dish.
- Place 4 of the lasagna noodles on top of the mixture, then add another 1/4 of the sauce on top of the noodles.
- Add 1/2 of the cottage cheese to the casserole dish.
- Top with 1/2 of the parmesan and 1/2 of the mozzarella.
- Repeat steps 9-12 with the remaining ingredients.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then serve warm and enjoy!
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Notes
- Feel free to swap the whole tomatoes with crushed tomatoes if preferred!
- While cooking the sauce, break down the whole tomatoes with a spatula for a smoother sauce texture.
Michael Quimby says:
I make a layer in the middle of spinach and pesto!
JOL Team replied:
Spinach and pesto is definitely a tasty addition! Thanks for sharing!
Sarina says:
I absolutely love this recipe, but my daughter doesn’t like squash and zucchini. Can I substitute other vegetables? What do you recommend?
JOL Team replied:
Hey Sarina, I totally understand that. My kids also don’t care for squash and zucchini. Chopping them up small made a huge difference for us (they didn’t even know it was in there!) However, spinach, mushrooms, and even bell peppers are all great in this too. Really you can add almost any veggie. Hope this helps!
Michael Quimby replied:
I have found that adding a layer of fresh spinach and pesto in the middle layers of the lasagna really elevates the flavor profile; it’s incredibly delicious and adds a nice, fresh twist to the dish!
JOL Team replied:
I love the addition of spinach and pesto! So glad you enjoy it!
Jessica Horg says:
This was very tasty and I didn’t feel guilty eating it! Can the left overs be frozen? If so, any tips?
JOL Team replied:
Hey Jessica, so glad you loved it! Yes, the leftovers can be frozen! Leftover lasagna can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just place it in an airtight container (or individual containers) and freeze it. When ready to enjoy, reheat it straight from the freezer in the microwave or oven.
Kim says:
How long do you think you could keep it in the refrigerator before baking?
Christine replied:
I would say about 24 hours at the most!
Suzanne says:
This is now my go to lasagna. I love that it’s high protein, full of veggies (I added fresh spinach) & so easy to prepare. It was delicious, even more so the second night! Thank you so, so much!
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks, Suzanne! I’m glad you enjoyed this lasagna recipe!
Autumn says:
Great recipe! I had to double my sauce though to have enough meat etc.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Good idea, Autumn! I’m glad you enjoyed this lasagna!
Lane Poquette says:
Delicious, used ground Turkey and finely chopped the zucchini & squash. It turned out excellent!! Thank you for the recipe
Jar Of Lemons replied:
You’re welcome. Thanks for the review. 🙂
Teresa says:
So tasty!! Loved this spin on lasagna and my kids are big cottage cheese eaters so that was a plus. I wish there was more sauce added, but I might just try adding the full 15oz can of sauce next time instead of just 10oz.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Good idea, Teresa. Let me know how it turns out next time!
Kelsie says:
The entire family LOVED this meal!! So easy and so delicious! Will definitely be making again!
Tony Ojeda says:
Fabulous recipe. If you’re cooking for a family double the recipe, you might have leftovers. That’s not a bad thing though because this is just how I cook lasagna now. I love the squash and zucchini in it
Justice says:
If I don’t like the texture of cottage cheese, can I blend the cottage cheese to smooth it out before using ?
Christine McMichael replied:
Yes, absolutely! That would work great. Enjoy!
Kelly says:
I haven’t made lasagna in years and this was great. It says it’s six servings but I find it’s more like 10 servings. It’s very tasty.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks, Kelly! I’m so glad you liked this lasagna!
Hunter says:
Terrific recipe, made it for Christmas dinner and it was a hit. Made a few modifications for our personal taste (1 squash, no onions), but I would recommend to anyone to use no salt added tomato sauce and tomatoes, and to use at least 15oz of sauce.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks for the review, Hunter! I’m glad this lasagna recipe was a hit. 🙂
Vanessa says:
I made this today- it was great. Although, the instructions are pretty bad. I recommend roasting the squash before adding to the zucchini. I ended up taking a break after the meat to roast the squash and re assess what was going on because it just wasn’t clear.. anyways tasted great!
Jennifer says:
Absolutely wonderful recipe! I also processed the veggies just a little in my food processor, and ground up chicken breast in my food processor to make this recipe with ground chicken. My family of little kids (read: picky eaters that have to eat what mom cooks anyway!) and my husband and I love this dish! Thank you!