High Protein Lasagna (on the Stove Top!)
This Stove Top High Protein Lasagna is filled with sausage, ground beef, and cottage cheese, making it a comfort meal loaded with protein!
During a cold stretch a couple of weeks ago, I was craving a cheesy pasta dish that would warm us up from the inside out. I also have protein goals, and wanted to make sure our dinner would help me with that. While cottage cheese is a popular addition to lasagna to make it creamy, it's also packed with protein! In addition, I figured why not double the meat to give this cottage cheese lasagna recipe even *more* protein?!
The result was this super easy, super creamy, protein-packed lasagna that is entirely made in a skillet or Dutch oven, and tastes delicious.
Love all things lasagna? Check out my Lasagna Roll Ups and Lasagna Soup!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy - unlike a traditional lasagna recipe, this one doesn't involve any layers or baking, as it's made in a skillet and on the stovetop.
- Protein Packed - this skillet lasagna has double the meat and cottage cheese, giving it 45 grams of protein in each serving!
- Family Friendly - this recipe isn't spicy and is filled with cheese, which typically means kids will love it.
Ingredients
Onion - the sauce starts out by sautéing onion, which adds great flavor.
Lean Ground Beef and Italian Sausage - double meat adds a ton of flavor AND amps up the protein in this lasagna.
Garlic - I don't make many dishes without a hefty amount of garlic!
Italian Seasoning - a combination of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme add flavor to the sauce.
Marinara - our favorite marinara sauce is Rao's, but you can use whatever brand you prefer!
Cottage Cheese - this adds creaminess to the lasagna, along with a whole lotta protein! This is used instead of ricotta cheese, as is used in traditional lasagna recipes.
Parmesan Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese - because you can't have lasagna without cheese!
Fresh Parsley or Basil - this is chopped and sprinkled on top.
Variations
Different Meat - you can use turkey sausage, lean ground turkey, or ground chicken instead of the meats recommended. You could also make it meatless using Impossible ground meat.
Add More Veggies - this recipe would be great with some added vegetables. You could add some diced zucchini, chopped spinach, grated carrots, sliced mushrooms, or diced bell peppers would all be great.
Different Pasta - I used lasagna noodles because this is a skillet lasagna recipe, but you could substitute a different pasta like penne, rigatoni, or elbow macaroni.
Different Types of Marinara - you can switch up the flavors a little bit by using different types of marinara. Use Pomodoro for a chunkier marinara, or Arrabbiata for a spicier lasagna.
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. Add olive oil to a large cast iron or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Photo 2. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up into small chunks as it cooks. Once cooked, add the garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning and cook another minute.
Photo 3. Add the marinara and water, and mix well to combine.
Photo 4. Add the lasagna noodle chunks and press them down so they are covered with the sauce.
Photo 5. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the noodles are softened.
Photo 6. Stir in the cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese and cook another 3-4 minutes.
Photo 7. Sprinkle the top of the lasagna with mozzarella cheese.
Photo 8. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown, keeping a close eye on it so it does not burn.
Expert Tips
Storage - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Prep Ahead - you can prep the meat filling ahead of time to reduce prep time. Then just cover the cooled skillet with aluminum foil, and refrigerate until you're ready to cook. Reheat on the stove, add the water and lasagna sheets, and proceed with the recipe instructions.
Freezer Friendly - you can freeze individual portions of this lasagna for up to 4 months.
Recipe FAQs
I use double the meat in this recipe, along with cottage cheese.
Either work! If you use a skillet, use a large skillet, as there is a lot of filling in this lasagna. You can also transfer it to a baking dish before you add the cheese and broil.
If you want gluten-free lasagna, simply use gluten free lasagna noodles.
Other Pasta Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
High Protein Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 24 ounces marinara
- 1 cup water
- 9 lasagna sheets broken into chunks
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped parsley for topping
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, add the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and sausage, and cook until browned, breaking up the meat into smaller chunks as it cooks.
- Once browned, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt, and stir to combine.
- Add the marinara and water, giving it a mix and then tuck the lasagna chunks into the sauce .
- Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring, every 7-8 minutes to prevent the bottom from sticking.
- After 20 minutes, the lasagna sheets should be cooked.
- Add the cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine, cooking another 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the lasagna with shredded mozzarella and broil until the cheese is melted and golden, about 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it does not burn.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley or basil. Enjoy!
