Name: Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles; 2 cups cottage cheese; 2 cups marinara sauce; 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; Salt and black pepper to taste

Listen, Here’s Why I Love Making This Lasagna

I still remember the first time I made this Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna. It was a chilly Tuesday, the kind of day where the wind seems to sneak right through your favorite jumper (yes, that jumper), and my fridge was aggressively judging me with its forlorn veggies and lone tub of cottage cheese. Truthfully, I just couldn’t face another microwaved dinner, so I got a little gutsy and came up with this. Now my mate Charlie—who believes everything’s better with three cheeses—swears this is the only lasagna worth making when vegetarians are about. And even when they’re not.

If you’re wondering, “Does this really taste like lasagna or just some health-food knockoff?” I promise it’s all the comfort, but a tad fresher and surprisingly satisfying. And yes, I sometimes eat it cold for breakfast. Go on, judge me.

Why You’ll Love This (or at Least, Why I Keep Making It)

I make this when my fridge is threatening to revolt with half-used veggies
My family goes absolutely bonkers for this (well, at least until I try to sneak in kale—then it’s a mutiny)
It’s forgiving; forgot the spinach? Just toss in mushrooms or even some leftover roast pumpkin, mate.
The clean-up’s not too bad, which trust me, was hard-won knowledge.
I love that it uses cottage cheese—seriously, ricotta fans, give it a go (but fine, swap if you must)

The Ingredients, More Like a Suggestion List

1 box lasagna noodles (regular or the no-boil kind; honestly, I grab whatever’s on offer)
2 tablespoons olive oil (sometimes I just use butter if I’m feeling cheeky)
1 onion, diced—you can skip this if onions and you don’t agree
3 cloves garlic, minced (or a big spoonful from that jarred stuff, no shame)
2 medium zucchini, diced (I sometimes use eggplant when zucchini’s looking sad at the shop)
1 bell pepper, any color, diced
2 cups baby spinach (frozen does the trick if defrosted)
2 cups mushrooms, chopped (button, cremini, or whatever comes in those discounted boxes)
1 jar (about 700ml) marinara sauce—homemade if I’m feeling ambitious, but store-bought does the job
2 cups cottage cheese (I’ve swapped in ricotta if I’m out; my gran, bless her, swore by the full-fat stuff)
1 egg, lightly beaten (don’t tell anyone but I forget this half the time and it’s still great)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (pre-shredded? Go for it.)
1/2 cup grated parmesan (optional, but cheese is life)
Generous pinch salt and pepper
Fresh basil or parsley for topping (or not if the windowsill plants have had enough)

Okay, Let’s Build This Thing (and Hope It Stacks Up)

Prep your oven: Preheat to 190°C/375°F. Maybe now’s a good time to clear the forgotten baking tray out the oven, just saying.
Make the veggies sing: In a big pan—yes, use the biggest one—heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook till soft, about 3–4 minutes. Throw in zucchini, pepper, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until everything softens and smells lovely (maybe 7–8 minutes; this is where I taste and always burn my tongue. Every. Time.)
Add spinach: Toss spinach in and stir till wilted. If you’re using frozen, just squeeze out any water first or your lasagna will swim.
Mix the cheese goo: In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg (or skip, I often do), a good pinch of salt, and half the parmesan. Mix it up so it looks…wrinkly, I suppose. Trust me, it works.
A bit of layering magic: Grab a decent 9×13-inch baking dish. Spoon some marinara on the bottom so the noodles don’t stick (learned the hard way!). Layer noodles, half the cottage cheese mix, half the veggies, a few handfuls of mozzarella, more sauce. Then repeat so you get at least two solid layers—it’s never perfectly even in my house, by the way, just do your best. Finish with noodles, last of the sauce, mozzarella, and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Bake it: Cover with foil (I spray mine so the cheese doesn’t stick, but sometimes I forget and just pick the burnt bits off, no biggie). Bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and pop it back for another 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Let it breathe: Patience! Let it cool for at least 15 minutes or you’ll have a cheesy puddle instead of slices. Actually, 30 minutes is even better, but who can wait that long?

Some Notes From My Own Kitchen Disasters

The first few times I made this, I overfilled the layers; hello, oven spills! Less is more here.
If you end up with too much water (zucchini can be a menace), just blot with paper towels.
Leftover veggies like broccoli, carrots, or even peas work if you chop them up small enough, but green beans were…not a good idea. Trust me.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (And One Fail!)

Vegan-ish Version: Swapped out cottage cheese for a tofu blend, skipped the egg, used vegan mozz—surprisingly tasty, but not quite as creamy as the original.
Shortcut Lasagna: Used whole-wheat wraps instead of noodles one night—maybe don’t (too soggy, no structure, but edible in a pinch).
I’ve added roasted pumpkin and sweet potato in fall—super cosy vibes!
On second thought, piling on all the leftover greens at once can get a bit… swampy. Stick with 2–3 vegtops max.

What You’ll Need (or Just Improvise Like I Do)

Large skillet or frying pan (if you use a pot, just stir a bit more to avoid burning)
9×13-inch baking dish (I’ve used two smaller ones when I couldn’t find mine—works fine, just bake a tad less)
Big mixing bowl
Wooden spoon (or a spatula or, honestly, a big old spoon from the drawer)
Tin foil

If you want to see my go-to baking dish, here’s the one I love over at Williams Sonoma. But whatever you’ve got lying around, just use that. I’m not fancy.

Storing Leftovers (Not That There Are Ever Many)

This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, sealed up nice and tight. Reheat in the oven or microwave. But honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day. Maybe two meals if I hide it behind the pickles. You can also freeze slices (tightly wrapped), though if you ask me, the texture changes a tad. Not bad, just—a bit chewier? Up to you.

How I Love Serving This (And a Little Digression)

For me, nothing beats a big square just as it is, with maybe a simple green salad. Sometimes if I’m feeling proper, I’ll put out a loaf of crusty bread to mop up the sauce—like they do in those cozy Italian family movies. If my nieces visit, they ask for it with sweetcorn (don’t ask me why), and occasionally I slip in some extra chili flakes on top just for a little kick.

Side note: there’s a little wine bar near me that pairs lasagna with a smoky red—go for it if you’re into that sort of thing, but I usually stick to a big mug of black tea. Old habits die hard.

Things I Wish I’d Known Before (Pro Tips Hard-Earned)

I once tried rushing the cooling step, and—yeah, I ended up with lasagna soup. Wait it out if you can.
If you overcook the noodles before layering, you’ll get a soggy mess. Keep them just shy of al dente—they’ll finish cooking in the oven.
Don’t go mad piling sauce in every layer; it gets messy and you’ll regret it when you try to serve nice slices.
Actually, I find it works better if you slightly under-salt the cheese mix, as the sauce and parmesan amp it up at the end.

Frequently Asked Questions (Because People Ask!)

Can I make this ahead? Yep, you can assemble it the night before—just wrap it up and store in the fridge. I actually think the flavors get cosier if you do.
Is cottage cheese weird in lasagna? Not at all! Promise. It’s got a lighter feel than ricotta and it’s lower in fat. But you can swap if you want.
Can I use gluten-free noodles? Sure thing; just make sure you cook them a little less than the package says—the sauce will soften them more as it bakes.
I don’t have a baking dish that size—what should I do? Use two smaller dishes, or even your trusty cast iron skillet. It won’t look perfect but who cares?
Do you have a good sauce recipe? Funny you’d ask—I love this simple marinara from Cookie + Kate.
Can I freeze it? You bet, but freeze individual portions for easier reheating. Remember that thing about the texture though.
Where do you find the best cottage cheese? Oh, mate, I’m honestly not fussy—just whatever’s freshest at the supermarket. Though the local farmer’s market stuff does have a bit more zing.

If you’ve made it this far, hats off! Hope you make and love this Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna as much as I do. And if you stuff up the first time, don’t worry—we’ve all been there. Here’s to comfort food, plenty of veggies, and leftover slices for breakfast.

Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna