Description
Hearty Lasagna Casserole delivers classic Italian comfort with layers of rich meat sauce, creamy cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta. Cheesy, savory goodness awaits you in this crowd-pleasing dish that brings warmth and satisfaction to any dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
Pasta and Dairy:
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) rotini pasta
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) cottage cheese
- 8 ounces (226 grams) mozzarella cheese, shredded
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 24-ounce (680 grams) jar of pasta sauce
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F (175C) while preparing pasta according to package directions, then thoroughly drain.
- Sauté ground beef and onions in skillet over medium heat until meat browns completely and loses pink color, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Pour pasta sauce into beef mixture, allowing flavors to meld and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
- Create initial layer in baking dish with cooked rotini, spreading evenly across bottom of pan.
- Distribute beef sauce mixture uniformly over pasta, ensuring complete coverage.
- Spread cottage cheese as next distinct layer across casserole surface.
- Generously cover entire dish with shredded mozzarella cheese, creating complete cheese topping.
- Transfer casserole to preheated oven, baking for 20-25 minutes until cheese melts completely and develops golden brown edges.
- Remove from oven and allow brief cooling period before serving to help casserole set and enhance flavor integration.
- Serve immediately while cheese remains warm and bubbling.
Notes
- Pick whole wheat rotini for added fiber and nutrition, making the dish more wholesome and hearty.
- Replace ground beef with lean ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, lower-fat version that’s diet-friendly.
- Consider adding extra vegetables like spinach or zucchini to boost nutritional value and create more depth of flavor in the casserole.
- Opt for low-fat cottage cheese and mozzarella to reduce overall calorie content without compromising the creamy texture and cheesy goodness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 475 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg