High-Protein Baked Ziti With Cottage Cheese Recipe
You can never have too many pasta bake recipes bookmarked. Whether you are meal-prepping for one or planning to serve a small crowd, a well-made pasta bake is the very essence of the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort food, guaranteed to bring joy wherever it is served. Baked ziti, in particular, is a classic bake, with origins in Southern Italy, where it's known as ziti al forno. This mouthwatering dish, which is enjoyed at special occasions, can contain a wide variety of ingredients, though it typically involves meats, a tomato sauce, and cheese. It's that timelessly appealing marriage of sauce and melty cheese that makes the dish so appealing, and there are ways to customize the combination to increase the nutritional value of this comforting meal without sacrificing any of the flavor.
This high-protein baked ziti with cottage cheese recipe, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, takes all the deliciousness of a baked ziti dish and ramps up the protein content. Perfect for anyone wanting to increase their intake of protein, this recipe uses a mixture of lean beef and pork along with plenty of cottage cheese to bring you a protein-rich version of a classic dish. The herby tomato sauce, with both passata and puree, has brightness and depth as well as a kick of heat from chile flakes, and mozzarella combines with the cottage cheese for that all-important gooey cheesy meltiness.
Gather the ingredients for this high-protein baked ziti with cottage cheese recipe
To begin, gather the ingredients. For the meat sauce, you will want olive oil, an onion, garlic, ground beef, ground pork, tomato passata, tomato puree, beef stock, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, chile flakes, granulated sugar, and salt and pepper for seasoning. For the cottage cheese mixture, you will want cottage cheese, grated Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, more dried oregano, and garlic granules. Finally, you will need dried ziti pasta for this dish.
Step 1: Boil a pan of water
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
Step 2: Cook the ziti pasta
Snap the ziti pasta into smaller pieces and cook it according to the package's instructions until al dente.
Step 3: Drain the pasta
Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Step 4: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 5: Heat a large pan
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof pan over a medium-high heat.
Step 6: Saute onions and garlic
Saute the onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 7: Add the ground meats
Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan.
Step 8: Brown the meat
Brown for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 9: Add the remaining ragù ingredients
Add the tomato passata, tomato puree, beef stock, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, chile flakes, sugar, and salt and pepper to the pan.
Step 10: Simmer the sauce
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 11: Add the cheeses to a bowl
Meanwhile, add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, garlic granules, and dried oregano to a bowl.
Step 12: Mix
Mix to combine.
Step 13: Combine the pasta and meat sauce
Mix the ziti pasta into the meat ragù in the ovenproof dish.
Step 14: Mix in half the cottage cheese mixture
Mix half of the cottage cheese mixture into the pasta and ragù.
Step 15: Top with the remaining cottage cheese and mozzarella
Top with the remaining cottage cheese mixture and the remaining grated mozzarella.
Step 16: Bake the pasta
Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden and crispy.
Step 17: Serve the baked ziti
Serve the pasta hot.
What can I serve with high-protein baked ziti?
High-Protein Baked Ziti With Cottage Cheese Recipe
All of the saucy, cheesy comfort of baked ziti gets a protein boost from ground pork and beef and plenty of cottage cheese in our high-protein recipe.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried ziti pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ pound semi-lean ground beef
- ½ pound lean ground pork
- 1.5 pounds tomato passata
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 cups beef stock
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon chile flakes
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces cottage cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Snap the ziti pasta into smaller pieces and cook it according to the package's instructions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof pan over a medium-high heat.
- Saute the onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan.
- Brown for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the tomato passata, tomato puree, beef stock, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, chile flakes, sugar, and salt and pepper to the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, garlic granules, and dried oregano to a bowl.
- Mix to combine.
- Mix the ziti pasta into the meat ragù in the ovenproof dish.
- Mix half of the cottage cheese mixture into the pasta and ragù.
- Top with the remaining cottage cheese mixture and the remaining grated mozzarella.
- Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden and crispy.
- Serve the pasta hot.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 739 |
| Total Fat | 32.8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 111.4 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 62.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 11.4 g |
| Sodium | 1,125.2 mg |
| Protein | 49.1 g |
How can this high-protein baked ziti recipe be adapted?
If you are looking to customize this recipe whilst keeping it high in protein, a simple way to do this is by using a different type of meat. Switching out the beef and pork for other options, such as ground turkey or ground chicken, is a great way to adapt this recipe while keeping the protein levels high. Alternatively, you can incorporate meatballs into this dish in place of ground meat, or add chunks of chicken breast. For additional smoky, meaty flavor, you can fry up some pancetta or bacon and add it to the pasta dish before baking.
This pasta bake is a great way to smuggle in extra vitamins and minerals to your diet, so if you are looking for more of a nutrition hit as well as a bit more color, you can sneak in a variety of veggies. Grilled eggplant or zucchini are both great inclusions, as are grilled bell peppers and mushrooms. Stir in a few handfuls of spinach or kale, or for something a little different, add roasted sprouts, which are packed with nutrients and would add a delicious nutty flavor to any recipe.
Finally, cheese and pasta are a match made in heaven, and cheese packs a protein punch to boot. You can add more cheese or switch up the cheeses in this dish to your heart's content. Romano or Gruyère make excellent alternative options for this dish, as do provolone and Colby.
What is ziti pasta?
When it comes to storable dry goods, pasta has to be right up there in terms of popularity, and with the sheer variety available for this pantry staple, you can never grow bored. Ziti is a particular type of pasta, similar to penne, known for its smooth, tubular shape, which originates from Naples in the south of Italy, where baked pasta dishes are popular. This particular type of pasta is ideal for baking with its sturdy, thick shape that holds up well when cooked in the oven at high temperatures, and an exterior that is well designed to be coated in thicker sauces. Ziti can be sold in longer, spaghetti-length tubes, which is traditionally broken by hand before cooking, or it can be bought in ready-shortened lengths for ease of use.
The name "ziti" comes from the Italian "maccheroni della zita," which means "bride's pasta." Baked ziti is a dish that is often served and enjoyed on special occasions, most notably at wedding celebrations, and can often incorporate a wide range of different ingredients from eggplants to pancetta, depending on the particular family, town, or region. If you are having a hard time getting your hands on ziti pasta, rigatoni or penne can also be used in this recipe to great success, but if possible, we recommend reaching for the ziti to maximize your pasta bake experience.