Description

This Cottage Cheese Pasta Bake is a comforting dish made with ricotta cheese, fresh vegetables, and melted mozzarella. Perfect for quick dinners or healthy meals, it’s simple to prepare and bursting with flavor!

Ingredients

Scale

12 oz tube pasta (rigatoni or penne)
1 large yellow onion (diced)
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
1 large zucchini (chopped)
8 oz bella mushrooms (sliced)
1 lb ground beef (turkey, or chicken (I prefer 94% lean ground beef))
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 ½ cup cottage cheese
½ tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp dried or fresh parsley
Salt & pepper (to taste)
4 – 8 oz fresh mozzarella (torn)
1 – 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1–2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add mushrooms and zucchini to the pot. Let sit undisturbed for 5–8 minutes to brown, then stir and cook for 2–3 more minutes.
Push veggies to one side of the pot. Add ground meat, break it up, and cook for 4–5 minutes. Mix everything together and continue cooking until mostly cooked through. Drain excess grease if needed.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Mix in the cottage cheese until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Add the cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated.
Transfer to a 9×13 dish, top with torn mozzarella, and bake for 15–20 minutes until melted and bubbly.
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving; optionally, add chopped parsley on top.

Notes

For extra flavor, you can add red pepper flakes or your favorite herbs to the mix.
Feel free to substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option.
This dish can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator before baking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 450
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 700mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 40g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 32g
Cholesterol: 80mg