Ree Drummond’s Cottage Cheese Lasagna Recipe Is a Protein-Packed Dinner Delight: 65 Grams per Serving

Classic dishes such as lasagna can be hearty and feel-good at the same time. How? Use a smart swap like cottage cheese for ricotta to give this baked dish its signature creaminess with extra protein and fewer calories and fat. You won’t miss out on any flavor either as cottage cheese’s tanginess complements the rich tomato sauce, nutty Parmesan and other ingredients. If you’re keen to add cottage cheese lasagna to your weekly dinner rotation, keep reading for tips and Ree Drummond’s “cowboy-friendly” recipe.

What is cottage cheese lasagna?

Many recipes for this lasagna use classic ingredients, including lasagna sheets, tomato sauce, meat and cheese, into a dish. The main twist? Cottage cheese is used in place of ricotta for the creamy cheese layer (more on that later). The dish is then baked until the cheese is melted and golden brown before it’s cooled and served. 

Cottage cheese vs. ricotta: which is the better feel-good option?

Using cottage cheese for lasagna gives it a lightened up twist as ½ cup of a low-fat variety can contain 92 calories, 12 grams of protein and almost three grams of fat. The same amount of whole milk ricotta, on the other hand, may have 186 calories, nine grams of protein and nearly 13 grams of fat. By this comparison, you’re sneaking more protein into the dish without driving up the calorie and fat content. Even better, you’re not sacrificing on creaminess as ricotta cheese boasts a velvety consistency that bakes nicely with the other ingredients.

Make Ree Drummond’s lasagna recipe with cottage cheese

Ree’s lasagna recipe is worth trying as she says “even if you don’t like cottage cheese by itself, it’s delicious in this lasagna.” (Hungry for more recipes from Ree? Check out her recipes for hamburger casserole, Rotel dip and ranch-style comfort dishes.)

Cowboy-Friendly Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• One 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• One 6-oz. can tomato paste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• Salt
• 10 oz. lasagna noodles
• 1 lb. mozzarella
• 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

• Active: 30 mins
• Total time:2 hr., 10 mins
• Yield: 8 servings

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the hamburger, sausage and garlic until brown. Drain off the excess fat. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, ½ tsp. salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir together well. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the olive oil and a dash of salt. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and lay them flat on a piece of aluminium foil to keep their shape.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Grate the mozzarella cheese and set aside.
5. Cut the basil into a chiffonade by stacking the leaves on top of one another, rolling them tightly and then cutting across. Finely chop the parsley. Add half the herbs to the meat mixture and stir together. In a medium bowl, combine the other half of the herbs, the cottage cheese, ½ cup of the Parmesan and the eggs, and stir together well.
6. Now let’s assemble the lasagna! Begin by laying 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a deep rectangular baking pan; the noodles should slightly overlap. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture onto the noodles; spread to distribute evenly. Sprinkle half the mozzarella on top of the cottage cheese mixture. Spoon just under half the meat mixture on top of the mozzarella, and spread evenly, being careful not to disrupt the layers below. Now repeat the process, beginning with a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by the cottage cheese mixture, followed by the mozzarella and ending with a thick layer of the meat mixture.
7. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Parmesan over the top. Bake until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
8. Key nutrition info (per serving): 964 calories, 60 grams of total fat and 65 grams of protein

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