Ingredients
Scale
For the meat sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion (about 1 cup diced)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces tomato puree
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
For assembly:
- 1 box lasagna noodles
- 1 large egg
- 30 ounces full-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 4–5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the lasagna noodles.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the meat is completely browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, oregano, black pepper, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves before using.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, egg, ¾ cup of the Parmesan cheese, and dried parsley. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of your 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer 3-4 lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly if needed.
- Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of meat sauce.
- Repeat the layering process: noodles, remaining cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, and meat sauce. Top with the final layer of noodles.
- Spread the remaining meat sauce over the top layer of noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. This helps it hold its shape when you slice it.
Notes
- Cook the lasagna noodles just until al dente since they’ll continue cooking in the oven
- Let the meat sauce simmer long enough to develop deep flavors – don’t rush this step
- Drain the cottage cheese if it seems watery to prevent a soggy lasagna
- Cover with foil for most of the baking time to prevent the top from burning
- Use full-fat cottage cheese for the best texture and flavor
- Let the lasagna rest before cutting – this step is crucial for clean slices
- Make the meat sauce a day ahead for even better flavor
- Don’t skip the egg in the cottage cheese mixture – it helps bind everything together
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 880 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg