High-Protein No-Boil Cottage Cheese Lasagna
A hearty 9x13 cottage cheese lasagna built with no-boil noodles, 96% lean ground beef, tomato sauce, and part-skim mozzarella. Six clean-cut servings at ~52g protein each.
Written and tested by
Matt McCabe · Recipe developer
Cal
620
Protein
52g
Carbs
77g
Fat
11g
Per serving · 1 of 6 / one slice cut 3x2 from a 9x13 pan
Macros calculated from label data on the actual ingredients I used, cross-checked against USDA FoodData Central. Update the totals if your brands run different from mine.
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Prep
20 minutes
Cook
1 hour
Total
1 hour 35 minutes
Method
- 01Heat oven to 375F. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish.
- 02Brown the beef in a skillet with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Drain only if needed.
- 03Mix the cottage cheese with a pinch of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
- 04Open all 3 cans of tomato sauce and keep it loose; no-boil noodles need that moisture to cook through.
- 05Build 4 noodle layers and 3 filling layers. Start with sauce on the bottom, then noodles, then 1/3 of the cottage cheese, 1/3 of the beef, more tomato sauce, and a light mozzarella sprinkle. Repeat that filling pattern 2 more times.
- 06Finish with the 4th noodle layer, all the remaining tomato sauce, and the remaining mozzarella. Make sure the top noodles and edges are fully covered with sauce.
- 07Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes.
- 08Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more, until bubbling and the top is melted.
- 09Rest 15 minutes before cutting. Cut the pan 3 x 2 for 6 servings.
Notes from the kitchen
Three 28 oz cans of tomato sauce keep the 12 oz of no-boil noodles from drying out — don't skimp here. Fat-free cottage cheese gives the cleanest macro hit; low-fat is fine if you want it creamier. The 4-noodle, 3-filling layer pattern makes the pan easier to build and easier to cut into clean squares. Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days; chill the pan before cutting leftovers if you want cleaner slices. Reheat one slice in the microwave for 90 seconds, rest 30 seconds, then 45-60 seconds more — add a splash of sauce or water if the noodles look dry. Freezer-friendly: wrap individual cooled slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months.
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