Go Back
Baked Ziti With Cottage Cheese

Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ziti pasta
  • 2 cups (16 oz) full-fat cottage cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan, divided
  • 24 oz marinara sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Boil ziti in salted water until just al dente; drain.
  2. In a bowl, mix cottage cheese, egg, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  3. Toss the drained pasta with marinara sauce until evenly coated.
  4. Layer half the saucy pasta in a 9×13-inch dish, spread all the cottage cheese mixture on top, then cover with the remaining pasta and finish with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling, then broil 2 to 3 minutes until the top is golden and spotty. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Let the ziti rest for a full 5 minutes after baking so the layers set and serve cleanly. To turn this into a meaty version, simply brown and drain 1 lb ground beef or sausage, stir it into the marinara, and proceed as written.