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A slice of lasagna topped with avocado slices and garnished with cilantro, served on a white plate with a fork.
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Whipped Cottage Cheese Taco Lasagna Recipe

Italian meets Mexican in this delicious taco lasagna recipe. It's made with layers of hearty veggies, beans, flavorful ground beef, and a surprise ingredient of cottage cheese, giving you a creamy lasagna like no other!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American Fusion
Keyword: whipped cottage cheese taco lasagna
Servings: 12
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ white onion minced
  • 2 bell peppers diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 cups cup salsa separated
  • 15 oz. pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn thawed
  • 22 oz. 2% cottage cheese
  • 3 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese +more for topping
  • Toppings: cilantro sour cream, avocado

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles to the water and cook the noodles until al dente, about 7 minutes.
  • Strain the noodles and lay them out flat until ready to assemble.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the beef to the skillet and season with salt. Break up the beef and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, pinto beans, corn, taco seasoning, and ½ cup of salsa to the skillet and mix. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the veggies start to soften. Remove the skillet from the heat.
    A cast iron skillet containing ground beef, diced green and red bell peppers, chopped onions, taco seasoning, and salsa.
  • Blend the cottage cheese in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
    Top view of a clear blender jar containing a smooth, creamy white mixture, likely preparing a food or beverage, on a light textured surface.
  • Add the blended cottage cheese and Mexican-style cheese to a bowl and mix to combine.
    A clear glass bowl filled with shredded yellow and white cheese on top of a mound of white, creamy substance on a light-colored surface.
  • Assemble the lasagna. Add about ⅓ cup of the salsa to the bottom of the 9x13-inch pan. Top with 4 lasagna noodles, overlapping just slightly. Next, add ⅓ cup of the cottage cheese mixture to the top of the noodles and gently spread the mixture with a spatula. Spread ½ cup of the meat mixture over the top of the cottage cheese sauce. Repeat this process until the cottage cheese sauce and meat mixture have been used.
    A white baking dish containing four uncooked lasagna noodles laid flat on a layer of white sauce.
  • Top the last layer of noodles with the remaining ½ cup of salsa and top with any remaining cheese.
    A white baking dish filled with an unbaked casserole topped with shredded cheese on a light-colored surface.
  • Bake the lasagna for 20 minutes at 350ºF, uncover, and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
    A baked casserole topped with melted cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro, presented in a white baking dish. Fresh jalapeños, cilantro, and a dish of red sauce are beside it.
  • Remove from the oven and let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving. Top with fresh cilantro and enjoy.
    A close-up of a slice of lasagna topped with avocado slices on a white plate, with a fork beside it and green herbs in the background.

Video

Notes

  • Option to replace the blended cottage cheese with ricotta cheese.
  • We used ground beef, but any ground meat can be used.
  • We used 12 lasagna noodles for this recipe, which is a little more than half a box.

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g