Pizza-Style Cottage Cheese Bake (Printable)

Cheesy baked casserole with cottage cheese, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and herbs, perfect for a cozy meal.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups cottage cheese, full fat or low-fat
02 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauce and Vegetables

04 - 2 cups tomato pasta sauce or marinara sauce
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Herbs and Spices

08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - Fresh parsley or basil for serving

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Warm olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
04 - Spread half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Spoon the cheese mixture evenly over the sauce and smooth the top with a spatula.
06 - Scatter the sautéed onion and garlic evenly over the cheese layer.
07 - Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top and gently spread to cover.
08 - Sprinkle oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes evenly over the surface.
09 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is bubbly and edges are golden. For a browned top, broil for 1-2 minutes while watching closely.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve warm.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It comes together in 45 minutes flat—perfect for when you want something homemade but don't have hours to spend.
  • The cottage cheese trick is pure genius—it creates this creamy, protein-packed layer that makes the whole thing feel indulgent without being heavy.
  • One dish, minimal cleanup, maximum flavor—everything happens in a skillet and a baking dish, then you're done.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time—I learned this the hard way by cutting into it too early and ending up with a saucy mess on the plate instead of clean, beautiful slices.
  • Taste your tomato sauce before it goes in—if it's bland, season it while the onion and garlic are sautéing, because the sauce is the backbone of this entire dish.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated mozzarella if possible—it melts into silky layers instead of staying clumpy like pre-shredded sometimes does.
  • Keep an eye on the broiler step—it takes two minutes to go from golden to burnt, so stand right there and watch it happen.
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