A comforting cheesy bake featuring cottage cheese, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and aromatic herbs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 2 cups cottage cheese, full fat or low fat
02 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Sauce and 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 and Spices
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil or fresh basil for garnish
10 - 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - Fresh parsley or basil for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Warm olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 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 layer. Smooth the top with a spatula to create an even surface.
06 - Scatter the sautéed onion and garlic mixture evenly over the cheese layer.
07 - Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top layer and gently spread to cover.
08 - Sprinkle dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes evenly over the entire surface.
09 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is bubbly and edges are golden brown. For additional browning, broil for 1 to 2 minutes while monitoring closely to prevent burning.
10 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve warm.
