Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 10

This baked ziti with cottage cheese has everything you'd want from a pasta dish: cheesy, saucy, and ultra satisfying, but with a better-for-you twist.

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients

8 ounces ziti pasta
24 ounce jar pasta sauce, your favorite
1 ½ cups cottage cheese
½ lb lean ground meat, beef, turkey or chicken
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 375F. Pour 1 cup of sauce at the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread it around to cover the bottom.
Optional step: blend the cottage cheese until smooth. I like how the smooth texture blends better with the sauce.

Cook:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta 1–2 minutes less than the package directions. Al dente pasta should be cooked but still feel a bit tough. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground meat for 7 to 9 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula as it browns. Season lightly with salt and pepper (about ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper), if desired. Once fully cooked, remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Assemble:

In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Then, add the remaining 1 ½ cups pasta sauce, cottage cheese, cooked ground meat, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix until well combined. Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and stir to distribute the meaty mixture evenly.
Transfer the pasta mixture into the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with the remaining ½ cup pasta sauce, then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese over the top.
Cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake:

Bake covered for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition