Cottage Cheese Protein Pasta Bake (Printable Version)

Creamy, cheesy pasta bake loaded with protein-rich beef and cottage cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Meat & Dairy

02 - 1 pound lean ground beef, 85% lean or higher
03 - 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

08 - 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
09 - 6 ounces tomato paste
10 - 1/2 cup beef broth or water

→ Pantry & Spices

11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

16 - Fresh parsley or basil leaves for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until just al dente, approximately 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet, breaking into small pieces. Cook until browned and no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired.
05 - Stir in tomato paste to coat the beef. Add crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Mix in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, beef-tomato sauce, cottage cheese, Parmesan, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Toss gently until evenly mixed.
07 - Spread pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top.
08 - Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden at the edges.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It sneaks in serious protein without tasting like a gym meal, thanks to cottage cheese that melts into the sauce like a secret.
  • You can assemble the whole thing in the morning, stash it in the fridge, and slide it into the oven when dinnertime chaos hits.
  • Leftovers actually get better after a day, when the flavors marry and the edges crisp up even more in the microwave.
02 -
  • Undercook your pasta by at least a minute because it absorbs sauce and keeps baking in the oven, and mushy noodles ruin the whole dish.
  • Drain the beef fat unless you want a greasy layer floating on top of your bake, which nobody wants to see on their plate.
  • Mix the cottage cheese in while everything is hot so it softens and blends instead of sitting in cold, lumpy clumps.
03 -
  • Salt your pasta water generously, like the ocean, because it's your only chance to season the noodles from the inside out.
  • If the top browns too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last ten minutes so the inside finishes cooking without burning the cheese.
  • Taste your sauce before you mix it with the pasta and adjust the salt and spices then, because once it's all combined, it's too late to fix.
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