Pizza Style Cottage Cheese Bake (Print Version)

Creamy cottage cheese and mozzarella combine with tomato and herbs for a warm, satisfying baked dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups cottage cheese, full fat or low-fat
02 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauce & 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 & Spices

08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - Fresh parsley or basil for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Mix until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
04 - Spread half of the tomato sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Spoon the cheese mixture evenly over the sauce base, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
06 - Scatter the sautéed onion and garlic evenly across 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 across 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 monitoring closely.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and pizza-inspired but comes together in under an hour with minimal hands-on work.
  • The cottage cheese stays creamy and tender instead of getting watery, which surprised us the first time we got it right.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and works beautifully for vegetarian dinners without feeling like you're missing anything.
02 -
  • Cottage cheese cooks down slightly, so don't be alarmed if the layers shift a bit—that creamy base is exactly what makes this dish special and comforting.
  • The resting period after baking is not optional; it's the difference between a spoonable casserole and one that falls apart the moment you touch it.
  • Broiling the top is tempting, but those extra minutes under direct heat happen fast—I've accidentally scorched the basil more than once by looking away.
03 -
  • Toast those dried herbs briefly in the warm pan with the onions and garlic to deepen their flavor before they hit the dish—it's a small step that creates noticeably better results.
  • Full-fat cottage cheese really does make a difference in the final creaminess; if you only have low-fat, consider mixing in a few tablespoons of sour cream to compensate.
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