This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Meat lasagna with cottage cheese is hearty, saucy, and loaded with layers of flavor. A mix of ground beef and pork sausage gives the sauce depth, while cottage cheese keeps the filling creamy and light. Topped with bubbling mozzarella and fresh herbs, this lasagna is easy enough for a weeknight but satisfying enough to serve as a Sunday dinner.
Love lasagna in every form? My Seafood Lasagna is a rich, special-occasion recipe made with seafood and white sauce.
Here’s Why This Meat Lasagna Recipe Works
Cottage cheese with a touch of ricotta: Cottage cheese keeps the lasagna budget-friendly and creamy, while a little ricotta adds a hint of sweetness. You can swap in all cottage cheese if you prefer, the recipe works either way.
Make-ahead friendly: This lasagna can be assembled a day in advance, refrigerated, then baked when ready. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining.
Beef + sausage combo: Ground beef adds hearty flavor while Italian sausage brings spice and depth to the tomato sauce. For another meat sauce option, check out my Bolognese Sauce.
Classic cheesy topping: A layer of mozzarella and Parmesan melts in the oven into a golden, bubbling finish that ties it all together.
Recipe Tips
Undercook the noodles: Boil lasagna noodles until just pliable, about 6 to 7 minutes, so they can absorb sauce without turning mushy in the oven.
Drain excess fat: After browning the beef and sausage, pour off the grease to keep the lasagna from tasting heavy.
Choose quality tomatoes: Use good canned tomatoes you’d eat straight from the can. The flavor carries through every layer. or use my Red Wine Pasta Sauce for an upgrade.
Layer in order: Start with sauce, then noodles, cheese mixture, more sauce, and finish with mozzarella. This order keeps the lasagna balanced and structured.
Rest before slicing: Let the lasagna sit 10–15 minutes after baking so the layers set and cut cleanly.
If you’re craving something meatless, try my Mushroom Lasagna for a cozy, savory twist.
How to Layer a Lasagna (Lasagna Layer Order)
One of the most common questions I get is how to layer a lasagna. The right order keeps the dish balanced, prevents dry spots, and makes sure every slice holds together. Here’s the classic lasagna layer order I use (see the photo below):
- Sauce first: Always start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. This keeps the noodles from sticking and drying out.
- Noodles: Add a single layer of cooked (or no-boil) lasagna noodles over the sauce.
- Cheese filling: Spread an even layer of the cottage cheese/ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Meat sauce: Spoon a hearty layer of the beef and sausage sauce over the cheese mixture.
- Mozzarella: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella (and Parmesan, if using) over the sauce.
Repeat this lasagna layer order; sauce, noodles, cheese filling, meat sauce, mozzarella, until you run out of ingredients, ending with sauce and mozzarella on top.
Lasagna Recipe with Cottage Cheese
Beef and sausage lasagna is hearty, herb-packed, and full of rich, meaty flavor. Using cottage cheese in place of most of the ricotta keeps it budget-friendly, and it makes the filling even creamier. It’s classic comfort food that holds its own at the table and tastes even better the next day.
Pin this now to find it later!
Pin It
Beef and Sausage Lasagna
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
- ½ box lasagna noodles, about 12 wide noodles
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery , diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork sausage
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can canned diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce , or 1 ¾ cup of Tomato, Basil Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- 5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces ricotta cheese, or use more cottage cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 large eggs
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 6-7 minutes. Remove the pasta from the water and lay flat on a tray to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large saucepan, combine onion, celery and garlic, cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the ground beef and sausage and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks, drain the fat off.
- Add oregano, onion powder, sage, salt and red pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, ricotta, basil, parsley and eggs.
- Poor 1 ½ cups of meat sauce into bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Place 4 lasagna noodles on top of sauce.
- Spread ½ of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with ⅓ of sauce and ⅓ mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once more then top the last layer of noodles with the remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake 50 to 60 minutes until hot and bubbly. If the edges of the lasagna brown too fast, cover with tin foil. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on October 1, 2014.
Could I use crushed tomatoes instead of diced. Not a fan of diced. Other than that I can’t wait to make this recipe. Although there is only 2 of us, I will make it in two different pans. I can just prep the second one and wrap it and freeze it, correct?
Thanks, Janet
Yes, crushed tomatoes work great. You absolutely can freeze half of the lasagna. It can be frozen before or after you bake it. I do that all the time so I can have an easy dinner for nights that I don’t want to cook. Thanks for the question
Really tasty Italian dish, I didn’t include the noodles though, I don’t think it adds anything. The mozzarella cheese though is so perfect and authentic, just like in Bari , on the adriatic coast where our camper van broke down and we were forced to endure real Italian food all week….. how terrible !
Curious why it calls for 12 regular, cooked lasagna noodles as well as 9 oven-ready noodles. Does it mean you could use either?
Thank you so much! I’ve only recently “discovered” oven-ready noodles and love using them. I’m glad either one will work. Can’t wait to try the recipe!
Allison, thank you for pointing that out, it was an error on my part. Initially I planned to use oven-ready noodles but when I did not have any I changed my plan to use old-fashioned noodles and forgot to delete the oven ready noodles on my recipe. I fixed the recipe card however the recipe works fine with oven-ready noodles, you would just skip the part that has you boil the noodles. Thanks again.
I love lasagna! And it’s been ages since I’ve made it. I need to do it again. Yours looks terrific — and sooo flavorful! Really good stuff – thanks.
Hi, John….Yes, this is a great recipe with lots of flavor, I hope you make it soon. Thanks for the comments, nice to see you again! 🙂
Thank you, Donalyn…..I appreciate you comments and it is a delicious lasagna recipe. 🙂
What a great looking lasagna – and who could resist it? I love the idea of the spice that the sausage must add – wonderful recipe!