Description
High‑Protein Lasagna Bake: Ground Turkey & Cottage Cheese Layers of Comfort is a hearty casserole layered with lean ground turkey, a cottage‑cheese‑rich filling, marinara sauce and lasagna noodles. It’s a comfort classic reborn to deliver extra protein while maintaining all the cheesy, cozy appeal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 lasagna noodles (regular or whole wheat)
- 1 lb lean ground turkey (preferably 93% or leaner)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 oz jar marinara sauce (or ~3 cups homemade)
- 1½ to 2 cups cottage cheese (small‑curd preferred)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup shredded part‑skim mozzarella, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning (or 1½ tsp mixed basil/oregano)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and lightly grease a 9 × 13‑inch baking dish.
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and lay flat to prevent sticking.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil, sauté onion until translucent (about 4‑5 min), then add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add ground turkey, sprinkle with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, cook until no longer pink, breaking up lumps. Drain excess liquid if needed.
- Stir in marinara sauce with the turkey, simmer 2‑3 minutes to meld flavors.
- In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten egg, half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, and a pinch of salt & pepper until combined.
- Assemble: Spread about 1‑2 cups of turkey‑marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer 4 noodles side by side, half of the cottage cheese mixture, then another ~2‑3 cups sauce, then next 4 noodles, the remaining cottage mixture, remaining sauce, last 4 noodles, and top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake for ~25 minutes. Uncover and bake additional ~10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and edges slightly browned.
- Let rest 10 minutes after baking before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Swapping cottage cheese for traditional ricotta boosts protein while preserving creamy texture. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Use lean ground turkey to keep the bake lighter but still satisfying. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- If you prefer fewer carbs, you can substitute zucchini slices or no‑boil lasagna sheets. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Letting the baked lasagna rest improves slicing and texture.
- Leftovers freeze well—assemble ahead and bake later, or bake and freeze slices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course / Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian‑American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 out of 6 slices
- Calories: Approx. 370 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: high protein lasagna, cottage cheese lasagna, ground turkey lasagna bake, healthy comfort food, lean lasagna casserole