You’ve probably tried cottage cheese in everything, but this lasagna is a must! Swapping ricotta for cottage cheese adds a creamy layer between meat sauce and pasta.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, basil, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add ground beef and break into small chunks as it cooks. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Set sauce aside off the heat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and oil a sheet pan. Add lasagna sheets to the pot and cook until al dente. Drain lasagna sheets, then set on the prepared sheet pan.
In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, egg, remaining Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Add a very thin layer of meat sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, followed by about ¾ cup of the cottage cheese mixture, smoothing it into a somewhat even layer. Add a thin layer of meat sauce on top of the cottage cheese mixture, then top with about ½ cup of mozzarella, and finally another layer of lasagna sheets. Repeat this process two more times so you have a total of three layers. Add remaining meat sauce on top of the final layer of lasagna sheets, followed by remaining mozzarella and remaining grated parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Storage: Kept in the fridge in an airtight container, the lasagna will keep for up for about 4 days. To reheat, cover the dish with foil and reheat in a 350˚F oven until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave.