Healthy Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese | High Protein Meal Prep

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and provides a similar texture.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork can be less expensive.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces calories while provolone can be more affordable.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino Romano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor.

Prepare 8 ounces of dry ziti pasta, cooking it for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions until it's soft but not mushy.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1.5 cups of your favorite sauce, 1.5 cups of cottage cheese, 10 ounces of cooked lean protein (chicken), 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, and a little pepper.

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.

Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the mixing bowl, mixing it in with the other ingredients.

Take out a 2-quart casserole dish and add olive oil or non-stick cooking spray to the bottom.

Spread 0.5 cup of your favorite sauce evenly across the bottom of the dish.

Add the pasta mixture into the dish, spreading it evenly.

Top with another 0.5 cup of sauce, 0.5 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.

Cover the baking dish with foil to prevent the top layer of cheese from burning.

Bake in the oven at 375°F for 45 to 50 minutes.

Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese has a nice color.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens