Cottage Cheese Protein Pasta Bake (Print Version)

Creamy pasta bake with seasoned ground beef, cottage cheese, and melted mozzarella on a bed of tender penne.

# What You 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 - ½ 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 - 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
09 - 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
10 - ½ cup beef broth or water

→ Pantry & Spices

11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
14 - ½ 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 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a 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 onion and sauté until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet, breaking it 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 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. Toss gently until evenly mixed.
07 - Spread pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella 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 parsley or basil before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Cottage cheese adds serious protein and a fluffy texture you won't find in traditional bakes.
  • Everything bakes together in one dish, so cleanup is as easy as the cooking.
  • The leftovers taste even better the next day when all the flavors have had time to settle in.
  • You can sneak in extra veggies without anyone noticing they're eating something wholesome.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta by a minute or two—it keeps soaking up sauce in the oven, and overcooked pasta turns to mush.
  • Don't skip the tomato paste browning step; it concentrates the flavor and adds a subtle sweetness you can't get any other way.
  • Let the bake rest after pulling it out; cutting into it immediately makes everything slide apart instead of holding together in beautiful layers.
03 -
  • Brown the beef in batches if your skillet is crowded—overcrowding steams the meat instead of giving it that caramelized crust.
  • Mix half the mozzarella into the pasta and save the rest for the top so you get creamy inside and crispy outside.
  • Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet when you add the broth—that's pure flavor you don't want to waste.
  • If the top isn't browning enough, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes, but watch it like a hawk so it doesn't burn.
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