Cottage Cheese Baked Ziti Recipe
This cottage cheese baked ziti layers ziti noodles, meat sauce, cottage cheese, Parmesan, and mozzarella, then bakes until bubbly with a golden, cheesy top.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese plus more for topping
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through.
- Stir in the garlic, marinara sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5–7 minutes. Add the cooked pasta on top and toss to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese until well combined.
- In a 9x13 baking dish, add half of the cooked pasta with the pasta sauce, then spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture on top and spread. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta and cottage cheese mixture. Sprinkle extra mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
My Top Tip: Give it a few minutes before slicing. I like to let baked pasta sit for about 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. The layers settle a little, so I can actually scoop out a serving instead of having everything slide apart.
Storage: I store leftover cottage cheese baked ziti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover a larger portion with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Freezing: Let the baked ziti cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I like freezing individual portions because they thaw faster. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating, adding a spoonful of marinara if the pasta looks a little dry.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3mg
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