- 12
- 10 mins
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground Italian Sausage (optional)
- 1 cup pasta sauce of choice (Here’s my homemade version)
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temp
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- A pinch of red pepper flake
- Dried parsley for garnish.
- Garlic bread or crusty bread for dipping
Preparation
Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
In a large skillet, brown Italian Sausage, using a large spoon to break the sausage into bite sized pieces as it cooks. When it’s cooked through, drain any excess grease.
In a large bowl combine 1 cup cottage cheese with 1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and 4 ounces cream cheese. Mix well.
Spread this cheese mixture evenly in the bottom of a pie plate (you could also use an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish.
In a medium sized bowl, stir together cooked Italian Sausage with 1 cup pasta sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning and a pinch of red pepper flake.
Spread the sauce evenly over the cheese layer.
Top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is starting to turn golden and it’s all bubbly and gooey. Garnish with dried parsley if you wish.
Slow cooker instructions: Arrange in slow cooker in the order listed. Cook on low for 2-4 hours or on high for 1-2.
Serve with garlic bread or crusty bread for dipping.