Description

This Cottage Cheese Vegetable Lasagna is a delicious and hearty vegetarian dish that layers sautéed vegetables with creamy cottage cheese and rich marinara sauce, all baked to golden perfection. Featuring zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, and carrots, this recipe offers a nutritious twist on traditional lasagna with a creamy, flavorful cottage cheese filling and melty mozzarella topping.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetable Mixture

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium zucchini cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
8 oz baby bella mushrooms roughly chopped
2 carrots peeled and diced small
10 oz baby spinach roughly chopped
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Cottage Cheese Mixture

3 cups small curd cottage cheese preferably whole milk
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Assembly

3 cups marinara sauce
12-15 no-boil lasagna noodles (1 box)
8-10 oz low moisture mozzarella shredded

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and arrange the rack to the center position. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.
Cook the veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, and carrots. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted. Turn heat to low, add the balsamic vinegar, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft and most moisture has evaporated. Remove the skillet from heat.
Mix cottage cheese layer: In a large bowl, combine the small curd cottage cheese, grated parmesan, garlic powder, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Assemble the lasagna: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Layer 3 no-boil lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, then add half of the sautéed vegetable mixture. Sprinkle one-third of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the veggies. Repeat the layering process: spread marinara sauce, noodles, remaining cottage cheese mixture, remaining vegetable mixture, and another one-third of mozzarella cheese. Finish with a final layer of noodles, marinara sauce, and the last of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake: Cover the assembled lasagna with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for 15 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown.
Cool and serve: Allow the lasagna to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing to help it set. Optionally, top with extra parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

Use whole milk small curd cottage cheese for creamier texture and better layering with less wateriness.
Substitute lactose-free cottage cheese to make this recipe lactose-friendly; parmesan and mozzarella cheeses are naturally low in lactose.
If you prefer, add extra herbs like basil or oregano to the vegetable mixture for more flavor.
No-boil noodles save time, but ensure layers are evenly spread for proper cooking.
Letting the lasagna rest after baking helps it slice neatly without falling apart.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 350 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 22 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg