
Yields:
6 - 8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Cal/Serv:
946
Gone are the days when cottage cheese was just a bland diet food, filling up the scooped-out well of a cantaloupe. It's now used in, well, everything—whisked into eggs, blended into dips, added to sweet treats, and, in this recipe, swapped for ricotta. Why? It has a tangier flavor and packs more protein, making it a great upgrade to classic recipes.
As much as I love comforting baked ziti, I wanted to shake things up by swapping ricotta for cottage cheese and simplifying the process to create a one-pan wonder. I’m all about avoiding a big cleanup, so one-pot pasta dinners are my usual go-to. Typically, I cook them in a Dutch oven, hovering over it and stirring frequently to keep the pasta from sticking.
For this recipe, I wanted the ziti to have that casserole vibe and be more hands-off. I start by building the sauce in a 2" deep ovenproof skillet, then the pasta is stirred in, giving it a quick head start on the stove. The seasoned cottage cheese and mozzarella are folded in, followed by more cottage cheese, a blanket of mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. It heads into the oven where the noodles soften in the sauce, and the ziti that peeks through gets delightfully crispy.
A few tips: You might question the amount of salt in the sauce, but don’t skimp—the pasta really needs it! I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is less dense than Morton or fine salt. If using a heavier kosher salt like Morton, cut the amount to 3/4 tsp.; for fine sea salt or table salt, use half the amount that’s called for. If you don’t have a deep enough skillet, prepare the ziti up until you remove it from the heat and transfer to a lightly greased 13" x 9" baking dish, then proceed with the recipe as written.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat beautifully in the oven or microwave.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb.
sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 tsp.
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 5 cups
store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
Kosher salt
- 1
(16-oz.) container full-fat cottage cheese
- 1/2 tsp.
garlic powder
- 1 oz.
Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), divided
- 1/4 cup
finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb.
ziti, rigatoni, or other tube-shaped pasta
- 2 cups
water
- 12 oz.
low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 3 cups), divided
Directions
- Step 1Arrange a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450°. In a large (at least 12"), high-sided, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Cook sausage, breaking up into large pieces, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 1 minute.
- Step 2Add marinara; season with 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Step 3Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, garlic powder, half of Parmesan, and half of parsley, mashing the curds as you stir; season with salt and black pepper.
- Step 4Add ziti and water to skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring so pasta doesn’t stick to bottom of skillet, until well combined, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, then fold in half of cottage cheese mixture and half of mozzarella, making sure to leave some pockets of cheese throughout.
- Step 5Dollop pasta with remaining cottage cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over.
- Step 6Transfer to oven and bake until pasta is tender and bubbling, and cheese is golden and browned in spots, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Top with remaining parsley.
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