Classic-Swap Cottage Cheese Lasagna Bake

Lasagna has roots in Italian layered pasta traditions that settled into countless family dinner tables. This classic-swap bake folds creamy cottage cheese with ricotta and lean turkey between no-boil noodles for a hearty baked finish.

Serves 6 · 20 min prep · 50 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 470 cal
• 38g protein
• 36g carbs
• 18g fat

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Ingredients

• 9 sheets lasagna noodles (no-boil)
• 2 cups full-fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta
• 1 lb ground turkey (93% lean)
• 3 cups marinara sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mince the garlic and roughly chop the spinach if the leaves are large.
2. 2Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up, and cook 6 to 7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute more.
3. 3Pour in two cups of the marinara, stir, and simmer 2 minutes so the meat sauce thickens slightly; remove from heat.
4. 4In a blender or food processor combine the cottage cheese, ricotta, egg, and half the parmesan; blend until mostly smooth and creamy. Fold the chopped spinach into this cheese mixture by hand.
5. 5Spread a thin layer of the remaining plain marinara across the bottom of the baking dish. Lay three no-boil lasagna sheets side by side.
6. 6Spread half the cottage-cheese mixture over the noodles, then half the meat sauce, then a generous sprinkle of mozzarella. Repeat with three more noodles, the rest of the cheese mixture, remaining meat sauce, and more mozzarella.
7. 7Top with the final three noodles, the last of the marinara, remaining mozzarella, and the rest of the parmesan. Cover tightly with foil.
8. 8Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 12 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden at the edges and the noodles are tender when pierced.
9. 9Rest the lasagna 10 minutes so it sets for clean slices. Scatter torn fresh basil over the top, cut into six portions, and serve. Leftovers reheat well for high-protein meal prep.