Description
A comforting baked pasta dish featuring a blend of lean ground beef, creamy cottage cheese, and melty mozzarella, perfect for family dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef (85% lean or higher)
- 1 cup (8 ounces) low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- ½ cup beef broth or water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces, and cook until browned, about 6–8 minutes. Drain any excess fat if desired.
- Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and beef broth. Mix in the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 8–10 minutes.
- Combine the drained pasta, beef-tomato sauce, cottage cheese, Parmesan, and half of the mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss gently until evenly mixed.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
Notes
Make-ahead tips: You can assemble the bake a day in advance and refrigerate it to bake later. It’s perfect for leftovers and meal prep!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg